Incredible meal. Took the express lunch for $65. Great value. Delicious fresh cooked crusty bread…read morewith pickles and hummus. Then fall off the bone lamb shoulder to share with coriander pesto and chimmichurri. Amazing lemon posset with meringue and lemon jam mmmmm. Fat happy belly! Beautiful sitting on the courtyard sun, or elegant restaurant inside with views. Service was among the best we have received. Rave rave rave about it!

The place is welcoming & cozy, service was quick & friendly and food was fantastic. We had the…read morelamb shoulder that was cooked to perfection, the fish of the day (bluenose) thick, flaky and bursting with flavors, and the pasta was home made , al dente and delicious. Enjoyed our dining experience here. Highly recommended!

Super friendly service and really personable. The bikes worked great. It was our first time ever…read moreriding an e-bike so once we got the hang of it, we felt like we were going on warp speed. Some of the wineries can be a bit of a hit or miss but the experience is cool. The gravel road heading to the wineries do kind of suck though. If you end up buying some wine at a winery, stick on of the labels he gives you and he'll come pick it up later so you don't have to worry about it jostling around in your bike.

Review of Art Deco tour, Napier, New Zealand…read more http://www.absolutedetours.co.nz/ We took a van tour with this company around Napier. Our driver was excellent and showed us many interesting areas in and around this city. We had several opportunities to take photos, but it should be noted that the best photo opportunities in downtown Napier were seen on foot. We had arranged the tour ahead of time by email, but they also take on customers at the "i" centre on the day of the tour. We paid for the tour inside the "i" centre. We got to the "i" centre from the cruise ship by shuttle bus. Our ship stopped in Napier on January 26, 2017. The tour was excellent, and the city itself is almost a living museum. We were very fortunate to see so many different parts of the city (beyond the downtown) using this van tour. Our driver was very knowledgeable about the history and architecture of the area. We give this tour 5 stars out of 5 stars. We highly recommend this organization. Bob and Sandra Swanson

When we decided to visit Napier for a brief vacation we were advised to do The Deco Bus Tour and it…read morewas an awesome experience. Our driver/tour guide was friendly and knowledgable about the history and culture of Napier. With only four of us on the tour, the entire experience was very personable. We felt is was well worth our time and expense.

Our time arriving in Napier New Zealand just happens to coincide with the preparation of " Napier's…read moreArt - Deco Festival" , which happens to take place in the month of February. Today was media day for the upcoming event ! Hooter's Vintage Classic Cars were all on display for this event. The cars were fully restored and may I ad were beautiful ! Just imagine yourself being chauffeured on a private tour of all the Art - Deco architecture in town, or a trip to the wine country ! Hooter's Vintage Classic Cars is a family owned and operated business with the largest collection of older vehicles in New Zealand. Their tours are customized to your needs and their drivers are professional and very knowledgeable ! Time to go for a ride ! Live/Love/Travel !

A prefect day. We were looked after so well by Ana at dispatch and Tere on our tour. The car was a…read moregreat way to see the local wineries and our guide was excellent. Bubbly, informative and fun!!!

"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."…read more― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby We looked forward to visiting the sun-drenched shores of New Zealand's Hawke's Bay where the city of Napier which is globally known as the "Art Deco Capital of the World" and exudes the feeling of a meticulously preserved film set from the bygone Jazz Age/Art Deco era which conjures up F. Scott Fitzgerald's fictitious tragic character, James Gatz or The Great Gatsby. We selected the city tour highlighting Napier's Art Deco structures rather than excursions featuring wine tasting at local vineyards or delving into the town's darker colonial history. We started our 2.5-hr walking tour at the Art Deco Center in Napier's Memorial Square, where we sat and watched a movie chronicling the city's rebirth following a devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake in 1931. Amazingly, the rebuilding took only two years because the Art Deco style was fashionable, affordable, structurally sound, and considered a cutting-edge trend in the 1930s. The Art Deco style allowed the city to project its optimism and modernity as residents moved away from traditional, classic Victorian-style buildings made of unreinforced cut stone. Leading local and international architects, such as American Frank Lloyd Wright, came to Napier to design the rebuilding using stucco and simple geometric and tropical designs. Other modern influences seen were Spanish Mission-style, Prairie-style, and Stripped Classical-style. Several local architects incorporated Māori design elements with the modern Art Deco zigzags and starbursts, creating a unique yet tailored appearance. Unfortunately, we missed their Annual Art Deco Festival, which was held in February. Still, our city guide, who participates annually, mentioned their Gatsby Picnic, vintage car displays, 1930s fashion, costume dress-up, and live jazz music. She said that visitors are encouraged to dress in 1930s style, and those who don't often start to feel out of place and rush to several costume shops. When we returned to the pier, we were treated to a vintage car display with their proud owners costumed in 1930s-style. In the background, I could hear Scott Joplin's The Entertainer (1902) playing over a radio while a couple danced the ragtime two-step. We felt the genuine hospitality and welcoming nature of the Napier residents, and their pride in showcasing their city as the "Art Deco Capital of the World" shines through.

Art deco walking tour in Napier, New Zealand. Our cruise ship company offered this shore excursion…read moreand it was quite interesting learning about the history of the art deco buildings that were renovated after the earthquake. The tour went on Emerson Street, the Main Street.

Award winning loos!!!…read more Didn't even know that they gave awards for the most hygienic toilets. Yet, they were free, convenient and very clean. Thanks to Grant and the other information center guides. Grant was so sweet and kind to help my parents on the shuttle back to the cruise ship at the end of a long day exploring Napier. The ladies at the information desk were fantastic about providing maps and recommendations on what to see in the Art Deco district. Napier was leveled by an earthquake in 1931. The central business district was built in the newest architectural style of the day-Art Deco. What's unique to Napier is the Māori influence infused in the architecture. Look for sunbursts and fountains. Skyscrapers. Geometric patterns. The new woman with her independence. It's about breaking the rules. Jazz. Great Gatsby. Short haircuts and even shorter flapper skirts. Now the store fronts are frozen in time. Buildings can be repurposed, but the exterior Art Deco designs have to be preserved. Grab a map and get lost in the Art Deco of Napier.

This is where we started our visit and got a map. Sandra worked with us and helped us plan our…read moremorning. We left with a plan for the day this is a great place to start. They can book tourists from here and they had a lovely gift shop and clean restrooms.

An amazing ride through the beautiful countryside and along the ocean. Super nice E bike, crushed…read morethe ride and made it super easy and fun. Highly recommend it.

We were in Napier, NZ on our cruise aboard Viking Orion in December, but due to a scheduling…read moreconflict, we missed our ship-arranged bike tour. But, later that day, the ship's shuttle bus dropped us off right in front of Napier City Bike and we quickly decided to rent bikes for a self-guided tour. It was great! Very friendly and quick service, lots of choices, directions and a map, and truly a bargain for about 1 1/2 hours rental. On return we were welcomed back and asked about our trip down the beach and back. We highly recommended this, especially for cruise ship passengers with a little time available.

A scenic walk along the waterfront with benches, plaques, water fountains & art. If the weather…read morewas more conducive I'm sure it would have been busier. On the other side of the walk were Art Deco buildings with Māori influence. It felt more like Miami Beach then New Zealand. I was told that before the earthquake this was beachfront.