Auckland City Hotel-Hobson St

The upper-mid-range Auckland City Hotel-Hobson St caters to both business travelers and tourists wanting to be in the heart of the city center. Housed in a building with charming exteriors dating back to 1912, the hotel has an elegant, old-fashioned vibe that's challenged by a contrastingly modern lobby with white polished marble floors and simple light-wood furniture throughout. Off to one side of the lobby is a rustic-looking area complete with astroturf and brick and unfinished wood walls. There are comfy upholstered chairs arranged in pairs for lounging in the lobby. A pair of elevators takes guests to their rooms. Overall the atmosphere is sleek and spare, and the fun extra of a game room with a snooker table will appeal to both adults and kids. 

Auckland City Hotel-Hobson St is located right in Auckland's Central Business District (CBD), a short walk from many of the city's major attractions. Both Queen Street and the Auckland Sky Tower take around eight minutes to reach by foot, while Britomart takes closer to 15 minutes. Princes Wharf, which has ferries to nearby attractions such as Rangitoto Island, is a six-minute drive or 10-minute walk away. The expansive Auckland War Memorial Museum is a 12-minute drive or half-hour bus ride away, while getting to the airport takes around half an hour by car or just under an hour by public transport. 

The Auckland City Hotel offers five room types, all with flat-screen TVs, safes, hairdryers, and bulky air-conditioning units that are awkwardly placed by the desks in some rooms. Decor is contemporary and spare, with a mix of dark-wood furnishings and grey-tinted walls and upholstery. Large windows let in a fair bit of natural light, complemented by embedded track lighting in the ceilings and red square lampshades. Bathrooms are small and simple, with rectangular sinks and walk-in showers. Standard Rooms are the smallest, with either two twins or a queen bed. Views are nothing special, and most rooms look out on office buildings. Deluxe Rooms on the hotel's Corporate Floor have the same configuration, but come with a few extra amenities, such as free Wi-Fi and newspapers. Studio Rooms are a bit larger, with one king bed or two doubles and come with kitchenettes (advertised as full kitchens on the hotel's website), with mini-fridges, microwaves, and electric kettles along with two-burner stove tops. Executive Rooms are virtually the same as the Studio Rooms, but are on the Corporate Floor and -- like the Deluxe Rooms -- have free Wi-Fi and papers. Suite Rooms are by far the most spacious -- almost twice as large as the Studio and Executive Rooms -- and come with two bedrooms plus a living area and a proper kitchen. 

Amenities at the Auckland City Hotel are limited, and the property tends to market themselves based more on their convenient location than on their array of facilities. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel, though it costs extra for those not staying in Executive or Deluxe Rooms. The hotel also has a small business corner with a single PC for guest use. There's a small game room with a billiards table, but no fitness center on-site, though guests do have access to an off-site gym with a pool that is a 15-minute walk away. On-site dining is offered by the Mustard Seed Malaysian Cafe and Restaurant, which serves a pricey full cooked buffet breakfast along with a la carte options every morning. A huge selection of meat, seafood, and veggie curries are offered at lunch and dinner.