Old-world luxury and modern elegance combine to make Cordis Auckland an unforgettable spot to stay in central Auckland. Bygone touches like a cheery welcome from the friendly doorman, Ken, and opulently decorated rooms and suites adorned with 21st-century touches create a space both practical and plush. To help you #TravelWell in Auckland, here’s a detailed look at the 5-star Cordis Auckland Hotel.

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Where is the hotel located?

You’ll find the Cordis located near Upper Queen Street and Karangahape Road, around 30 minutes drive from the airport. Its central location makes it easy to explore the city centre on foot, wander down to Sky Tower in 17 minutes and Princes Wharf a further 15 minutes walk. There are plenty of great cafes, restaurants, bars and shops within walking distance to keep you busy and it’s a short drive onto the Motorway if you hire a car and head out to explore more of Auckland like we did.

How to get to Auckland

Located in the North Island of New Zealand, youā€™ll most likely want to travel to Auckland by plane. Visiting from Australia, we flew direct from Brisbane Airport to Auckland Airport with a flight time of 3 hours. We opted to fly with Qantas as they allowed 30kg of checked luggage and an in-flight meal.

If youā€™re planning on visiting Auckland from within New Zealand you could catch a domestic flight to Auckland or choose to add the city to a road trip itinerary. For us, Auckland was the starting point for our 3 1/2 week road trip through New Zealandā€™s north and south islands.

Auckland Ā© Little Grey Box
Auckland

On arrival at Auckland Airport we collected our hire car from GO Rentals. Having visited Auckland before, I found it much easier to get to our hotel in the city centre, visit scenic spots a short drive away and venture further out to West Auckland with a hire car. 

New Zealand Ā© Little Grey Box
Bay of Plenty

What are the rooms like?

We stayed in room 948, an Executive Room with Club Lounge access located on the hotel’s 9th floor. It seamlessly combined timeless glamour with modern touches, providing an experience that was luxurious and practical.

The bathroom has a distinctly old-world glamour feel with mirrors, marble work and finishings echoing 1920s opulence. The combined bathtub and rain shower is something special, melting away all the tension and stress in your shoulders. It’s the kind of shower you don’t want to get out of but, when you do, you can step onto underfloor heating and slip into a cosy robe.

Cordis Auckland Ā© Little Grey Box
Cordis Auckland

Practical touches like a safe, iron and ironing board, mini bar, cupboards with storage space and room to hang coats and dresses, coffee machine and complimentary wired and wireless internet make the room functional. At 28m2, the room is well laid out, allowing enough room to open your luggage without stubbing your toes every time you walk past.

A cosy armchair accompanied by nesting tables and desk and chair offer additional seating, meaning guests aren’t confined just to the bed. You could easily curl up on the armchair with a cup of tea and a book or catch up on work, if you absolutely need to, from the comfort of the desk.

My favourite thing about the room is the appropriately named, ‘Dream Bed.’ It is easily one of the top 3 most comfortable hotel beds I have ever experienced. The mattress is neither too soft or too firm, offering great back support and a feeling of absolute comfort. The pillows are a great size and, if you happen to not like them, you can always choose others from the pillow menu.

Additional modern touches dotted throughout the room add an extra layer of plushness. Night lights, a 48-inch LED TV perfect for watching movies and USB charging stations next to the bed so you don’t have to fumble around for your charging box. Small details that make a big difference.

Cordis Auckland Ā© Little Grey Box
Cordis Auckland

What facilities does the hotel have?

If you stay in an Executive Room or Suite like we did, you’ll be able to access the Club Lounge, located on the 10th floor. Guests will have 24 hour access to this private space with butlers in attendance from 7am to 8pm and a range of privileges to enjoy throughout the day including breakfast, afternoon tea treats, pre-dinner drinks and canapĆ©s and more.

If you’ve had a big day of sight-seeing and need to relax, the heated rooftop pool and spa is the spot to visit. Start by heading into the herbal steam room then boost your circulation by running crushed ice over your body and repeating this process as many times as you like. Wander into the snail shower for an invigorating snail-free experience then head out to the spa pool for a soak under the stars.

For those eager to keep up with workouts, the health club is well-equiped with a great range of machine and free weights, treadmills, elliptical machines and more. Visit the Chuan Spa to sample luxurious spa treatments like a signature massage, hot stone therapy, acupuncture or facial. Valet parking makes it easy to arrive at the hotel and take off on daily adventures without worrying about finding parking.

When hunger strikes, make a booking at Eight Restaurant for dinner. The buffet here is nothing short of fantastic, featuring the delicious flavours of eight international cuisines. Tuck into fresh seafood, sushi and sashimi, pasta and pizza, a variety of meat cooked to order, curries a sundae station and two chocolate fountains. You may also like to enjoy High Tea by Cordis with TWG in the Chandelier Lounge, with dietary requirements catered for if need be and take full advantage of the buffet breakfast served daily at Eight Restaurant.

Best things to do in Auckland

We spent 3 nights, 2 days in Auckland, arriving the afternoon before our itinerary officially began. This gave us an entire afternoon dedicated to arriving, collecting our hire car, settling in at the hotel and relaxing. It removed any pressure to see or do anything, starting our trip in the most relaxing way possible. If you can, I recommend doing the same.

We spent one full day in central Auckland, visiting the All Blacks Experience and Weta Workshop Unleashed then heading out to Ponsonby and Mount Eden. Our second day was dedicated to exploring the wild and rugged coastline of west Auckland, stopping at spots like Karekare and Piha. Watch our YouTube video guide at the top of this post and on the Little Grey Box YouTube channel to see more of the hotel and watch our itinerary unfold. You can also get more inspiration in our full guide: How to spend 2 days in Auckland.


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West Auckland Ā© Little Grey Box
West Auckland

The Verdict…

On the morning of our check-out, I genuinely did not want to leave. From the delicious buffet breakfasts and dinners, the indulgent and unbelievably good heated spa pool and sauna treatments to the luxurious room, everything was wonderful.

I loved how plush our room was from top to bottom; the fantastic shower, beautiful fit-out and ridiculously comfortable bed. Everything was impeccable and having access to the Club Lounge just topped it off perfectly. This is the kind of spot I would recommend to my parents and my in-laws very comfortably!

A stay at Cordis Auckland would be perfect for anyone eager to treat themselves to an unforgettable visit to Auckland. The hotel becomes a destination all of its own and ended up being a key part of our itinerary, a space we wanted. to make time to enjoy, not just a place to sleep. If you’re looking for a luxury, 5-star hotel experience in Auckland, look no further than Cordis.

Our three-night stay was generously hosted by Cordis Auckland. All opinions are, as always, authentically our own. 


Best travel resources for your trip!

If you found this post useful, please use the affiliate links below. Iā€™ll make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Rest assured, these are the products and services I love and use. Read the disclaimer for more information. Thanks for your support! – Matt.

Agoda – hotels
Booking.com – hotels
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Motorhome Republic – RVs
Discover Cars – rentals
Simify – SIM cards
Skyscanner – flights
Surfshark – VPN
TourRadar – tours
Welcome Pickups – transfers


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