The casino at the bottom of the Sky tower…read more It was a pretty good size casino too! It had a good selection of games and restaurants too. I came just in time for high speed Bingo. They had a daily Bingo game at 9am with good prizes and some money for charity. I definitely recommend this casino. I didn't feel too bad losing here!

This is a review for the Poker room only…read more I showed up to play in the afternoon, but it's not open until 5 :( You have to walk up stairs to get to the room. I got there about 5:30 and there was 1 table and a waitlist. They opened a second table within 15 minutes, but there didn't seem to be organization over the list. They seated some people who just walked up before people who were on the list, but we were all seated. No free drinks, but there's a bar in the room. It's a somewhat small room. They were running 1/3 turbo.

I chose this hotel based on the price, the location, and the availability (room-wise). We were a…read morecouple on our first trip to NZ. We planned our stay from March 26th to April 9th (14 nights). The "Premium" King Room was available without an increase to our original package. We also looked at the restaurants, shopping, things to see and do, transportation, and walkability within the hotel and its surrounding area. Our flight arrived early in the morning (5 am), so our room wasn't available when we got to the hotel, but they checked us in, offered to store our luggage, and took our cell number just in case it was ready earlier than scheduled. We knew there were restaurants in the hotel, so we walked around to get some breakfast. We also stopped by a couple of gift shops on the way to and from breakfast. After a while, we went back to the hotel lobby, and we were informed that our room was ready (early) and that they already had a porter deliver our luggage inside our room. The lobby, elevator, halls, and rooms were all clean. In fact, we constantly saw workers cleaning during our entire stay. They were always checking in on us as we passed by, asking if we needed anything. We asked for toilet paper and new towels twice, and had them change the bedding and vacuum once during our stay. We were in Rotorua for five days, but still had this room in our name as a home base because we were coming back. The room was large, again, with a king-sized bed, a small "L" shaped couch, a nightstand on one side of the bed, a desk, a credenza under the TV, a fixed luggage rack, a coffee/tea station, several drawers, shelves, and a closet. The bathroom had plenty of room to move, ample counter space, and a shower that could fit two. We couldn't ask for anything more. Well, maybe one. A microwave. But we understand. They have several restaurants attached to this hotel. They would rather have you spend the money eating out than in the room. There's a gambling casino in the hotel, too. It includes both machines and tables. We have casinos all over the place where we live, so it wasn't a selling point for us, but it was a nice pastime and something to do when we wanted to vape/smoke and didn't want to stand outside the hotel. There are several smoking balconies with machines to keep you occupied. You do have to sign up for membership here, but you can do that on their website before you even arrive. They regulate gambling and have guidelines in place to (hopefully) avoid gambling addictions. Anyhow, we had two concierges that brighten every day that we saw them, Dicky, and TaoBao (sorry if that's misspelled). We met Dicky first. He talked to us like family, giving us tips on what to do, where to go, where to eat, and what not to. He always had a huge smile on his face, greeted us with hugs, and got genuinely excited to see us. We felt the same. TaoBao was also very friendly towards us, gave us great tips, and booked a private tour for us with an unexpected discount. We were down the hall from the elevator, so the noise level was very minimal. We would occasionally hear a door or soft chatter, but other than that, the only other noise was from housekeeping, and they weren't noisy at all. Overall, we were pleased with our stay and everything (except a microwave) that they had to offer. Oh! I almost forgot, to our surprise, this hotel is also the bus hub. If you take the bus from the airport to the City Center, this is where you will be dropped off. As well as if you want to go back to the airport. There are lockers (some large) available at the Bus Office here, too. If you're just visiting on a day trip, these are so handy! They also have the InterCity Bus (website is helpful), where you can go to other, long-distance areas of NZ. We took the bus to Rotorua. It took about five hours with a rest stop mid-point. In front of the hotel by the Tower, there's a Hop-on, Hop-off Bus that will take you to several tourist stops. This was really nice to have. There's an auto-tour guide that tells you about the area along the way and announces what stop is coming up and what there is to do there. *Pro-tip 1: Get the two-day pass. Take a photo of your receipt. If you want to purchase it again over the next week, they will give you a discount. *Pro-tip 2: If you go to the Hop-on, Hop-off Bus website, you can get the map and stop locations marked directly onto Google Maps. It was very helpful when it came to finding where to get back on the bus!

We flew in to Auckland from San Francisco and landed at 6 am. Our room wasn't ready, obviously, but…read morethe staff took our luggage for safe keeping while we explored the city. They had our room ready early which we greatly appreciated after our long flight! We loved how centrally located the hotel was and our room was very clean and comfortable! We will definitely be staying here again when we visit!

SkyCity is a chain of casinos in New Zealand. Hamilton has one. So does Auckland. Join the Rewards…read moreClub and you see immediate returns, e.g., free parking in their on-site car park. Moreover, you get some deep discounts at the restaurants and bars in the facility, like The Local TapHouse and Eat Burger. The customer service is top-notch for a casino and not comparable with the US where people working in the casino pass by you if you're not a high-roller. (I lived in Las Vegas for two years, so this is coming from someone with experience). The variety of games doesn't parallel that of the US, and table games open after 3pm usually. However, with COVID, they've been catch-as-catch-can. Still, have a good time, loosen up, and good luck!

So we joined SkyCity Auckland and decided to stop here. It wasn't bad…read more Restaurant options for sure. Not many machines, most of the same. I wish there was a little more variety. So if you go to cash out, if you have anything that amounts to less than $5, you might as well play it until you win $5+, but do not even bother with change. We had $26.53, wouldn't give you the $1.63, so we went and gambled it. We checked out the bowling alley, not terrible pricing. The golf simulator was quite expensive. About as expensive as some rounds of golf, and you can play a round of 18 in 3.5+ hours. For only 1/2 hour it was $45. Luckily we only left with losing $4.00.

Gambling is a horrible scourge on our society, and most people should really avoid it if they can…read more I might be one of those people, as I love to place a few dollars on the rugby, all with the excuse that it is a hobby, and it's only a few bucks. The truth is probably that it is sometimes more than a few bucks, and yes I do lose most of the time, and when I win I end up placing it all on the next week's games. For me it's not about the winnings, but more about the rush of trying to pick the winners. I often lay my bets at the TAB in Westgate, because their sports area is normally well laid out, with all the games printed and neatly fixed to the wall. Plus they always have the betting slips, and the staff are friendly. This is not a sleazy betting hall, with drunks and Pokie players, nope, this is a place where sensible people can drop a few bucks on a game.

This is what all TABs should be…read more The Mt Wellington TAB is spread out, with an array of seating rarely seen in TAB outlets. TABs are usually confined to small buildings whereas there has plenty of space for the odds to be displayed across numerous walls and TABs. Comfort is the number one trait of this outlet, perfect for viewing for patrons. Betting is split into different sections, one area for sports and another for racing, great for novice gamblers which helps to avoid initial confusion if new to the TAB systems. The only downside of this outlet would have to be the parking, which is strictly limited, with tow-away warnings if you are to park in another business's car-park.

Used to be my regular for years when I lived in NZ. Solid privately owned pub with a garden bar and…read moregood food. Many staff have been there for years. Well worth a visit

My Grandad would say "you don't find many pubs like this in Auckland anymore" and he's probably…read moreright. The Northcote Tavern was built waaay back in 1884 and bar the addition of a wing in 1936, it remains in all it's original glory. Family shields and memorabilia of the motherland line the walls and in the hallways you will find pictures of the tavern from way back when. As other Yelpers have mentioned, the Tavern has several different rooms, but to be honest, they are all quite pub-ey so if that doesn't float your boat I suggest you go elsewhere. (mind you, there is a huge backyard full of picnic tables so if it's sunny out you folk don't even need to venture inside). For those of us who do like pubs, this one is a pearler. There are a gazillion TVs in every room, the beer on tap is well priced and the menu is full of all the pub classics - fish and chips, burgers, wedges and the like. I took my Dad here on Sunday to celebrate Father's Day with a few brews and a good ol' pub feed - he loved it, even if Otago did lose the shield...

The Horse and Trap has been around for as long as I can remember. As a Mt Eden local, I still…read morerecall my parents leaving my siblings and I with babysitters while they went off for a night at The Horse and Trap. Since turning eighteen I've frequented the bar on a few occasions, and to be honest I was never overly impressed by it. Offering the usual beers and wines, bar food and casual bar atmosphere, there was nothing particularly distinctive or unique about my experiences at The Horse and Trap until recently. Last Saturday my friend held her 21st party in the function room downstairs of The Horse and Trap. And, in my opinion, this area is far cooler than the main bar upstairs. The room was plenty big enough to have a decent dance floor as well as some indoor seating and tables for presents and cake, there was a full bar with subsidized drinks (including house spirits), and the outdoor area was brilliant. Lots of tables, a TV perfect for playing photo slideshows (though on other days I imagine it would be used for rugby games and such) and fairy lights and lanterns hanging overhead - the set up was perfect. If anyone is looking for a venue for their 21st, work party, or other such function definitely check out the downstairs area of The Horse and Trap! Bonus: The Horse and Trap is located down the Symonds St end of Mt Eden so is really close to town - a nice cheap taxi ride is a huge plus!

Quiz night on Tuesdays is the perfect excuse to try out the Horse and Trap. Rigsy is a hoot on the…read moremike. And the bar food is well above average. Pizzas, burgers and salads mingle with steaks and pies on the menu and sit even better upon the tongue. Nothing original, but it's all done well. Just what one hopes for at a local. All that's left to achieve is that elusive 1st place...

Highwic is the Gothic colonial villa of a prominent colonial stock trader. The home was occupied by…read morethe family until the 1970s and the bought by Auckland city council and renovated as a museum. The rooms are decorated in a period style with some family belongings original to the house. When I arrived it was a quiet summer afternoon so the docent had the time to explain all about the family and life of the house. You could really imagine living here with the bustle of children (21 in total), balls in the living room and tennis on the lawn. That being said, knowing that a wealthy family in Auckland only had this kind of a home reminds you of how precious everything was in New Zealand at the time, so far from Britain. I toured the home and then strolled the gardens. I'd recommend a picnic lunch and a visit if historical houses are your thing. If in doubt come, it's a beautiful piece of history.

Highwic House is a wonderful illustration of what enrichment heritage buildings can bring to a…read morecommunity. Smack bang in the middle of the busy Newmarket shopping precinct, it seems a rather incongruous place to find such a place, but it has stood the test of time in this location, its been there since 1862! Up a steep driveway and surrounded by a lovely manicured lawn and trees, its hard to believe that you are still in one of Auckland's most bustling areas. The day I was there, I was there solely for a visit to the 'museum', the inside of the house itself has been preserved as would have been back in the day, which provides a interesting insight into this specific time period. I loved all the old antiques and things. My friend who came with me actually commented that she had been before as her cousin had his wedding/ reception at Highwic and she thought it was an amazing venue for that sort of thing. That it is.