The beautiful whale mural in the carpark of the Fruit World on Dominion Road is well known by Mount…read moreEden locals. Having been there for as long as I can remember, it was even repainted and restored a few years ago. Though undoubtedly an impressive image, it's the size of the mural that is what makes it particularly amazing. Taking up an entire concrete wall, it spans about twenty metres long! As a kid I used to just stand in front of it while mum went vege shopping. If you stand directly in front of the mural, it takes up your entire line of sight - it's all you can see and it makes you feel like you're a part of the image. That sounds a bit knaff, but I love it. Last time I was there I was surprised and pleased to see the wall opposite the whale mural had been decorated too. Now covered in streetart-style work, what used to be a decrepit wall is now a face - one half painted quite traditionally and with borders of Pacific symbols, the other half very graffiti-esque. It's pretty clever. And really cool to see otherwise shitty walls being turned in to fantastic works of art - these pieces really liven up not only the dreary carpark but, in my opinion, this whole area of Dominion Road. If you're in need of fruit and vege, head down to Fruit World on Dominion Road and take a minute to stand in front of the whale mural before appreciating the creativity of the mural opposite it. They're pretty cool.

A free museum? Sign us up. We did the kid games and kid packet in the first floor exhibit on the…read moreMāori and local culture. What a story and history lesson with modern art approaches. The staff were so kind and recommended which exhibits to try and the we just spent an hour or two in the clay zone making our own art! This is well worth an afternoon and our next trip will include visit to the cafe when the rain hits!

Gorgeous Art gallery in the heart of Auckland! My husband and I enjoyed strolling the gallery…read moreduring a recent trip. I really enjoyed their Manet and Picasso pieces. If you have a few hours to spare, there's a really nice outdoor space to sit and read a book!

Very comfortable hotel in a good location with friendly and helpful staff. This hotel offers music…read morein the lobby. We saw two different people playing the harp. They had a character dressed in costume. Free cotton candy made for you. Their restaurant Eight is five stars for everything they offer on their buffet. Everything is super fresh. I don't normally like buffets but this one is superb. We ate breakfast and lunch there. I thoroughly enjoyed the heated swimming pool, hot tub and sauna. Unfortunately the steam room was closed for maintenance on the only day that I had to enjoy this so I couldn't try it. Overall a very comfortable premium 5 star hotel. Thank you!

Internet/ wi-fi - horrible, many areas of hotel have no signal…read more Breakfast - basic, I've definitely had better and if you want your coffee to go they charge $6 for takeaway. Room - definitely not luxury but decent enough. Location - about a 15 minute walk to city center but the hotel has a shuttle if you're not in the mood for walking. Spa - overall great service and you can enjoy the amenities with spa service. I enjoyed my facial and massage and loved the lounge area to relax afterwards. All in all, for the price the hotel is ok. I wouldn't go out of my way to stay here but if you get a good deal I wouldn't pass it up.

Queens Wharf in Auckland is a cool mix of old and new right on the waterfront. It's a great place…read moreto walk around, with nice views of the harbour, especially when cruise ships are in. I walked around for an afternoon and went to the shopping area and some of the speciality shops while checking it out.

If you arrive by smaller cruise ships to Auckland you dock here…read more Larger ships dock in the industrial area and a bus takes you to Queen's Wharf. You can't walk through the commercial area. You'll be dropped off at The Cloud on the wharf. Public restrooms are available inside. The wharf is located Quay Street and Queen Street right in the heart of Auckland. The area is a mix of beautiful historical buildings and new. You can shop or dine along the waterfront. Wander in and out of the buildings and enjoy the architecture too. Passenger ferries can be caught here also. Leave the wharf through the stunning red brick gates and enjoy the high end shopping of CBC of Auckland. Know that days a ship is docked, the area is quite congested with foot traffic.

I kind of want to give this place more than three stars, but...it is going to have to stay at that…read morefor now. Symonds Street cemetery is kind of creepy, and not because it is filled with dead people, more the live variety milling around the outskirts. It is the type of place that you want to explore at a leisurely pace looking around at all the details, but the crowds of dodgy looking men may make you feel a bit hesitant. The bronze statue at the front is a really lovely piece of modern public art (a rarity!); and the natural beauty of the shady big old trees is welcoming on a warm day. This is definitely one of the more unique public reserves you find around Auckland, especially so close to the CBD. For those whom might be interested in the history, most of these gravestones were created between 1842 to 1886.

The Symonds St Cemetery is a bit like Communism - great idea, ruined by people. This place is…read morebeautiful in the way that any old architecture or engraving next to trees is beautiful, and the fact that it's a cemetery gives it a gravitas (not a pun) that other ornate parks might lack. You know what ruins that? Being asked by twitching homeless women if they have paint on their face, which they do, because they've spent the last fifteen minutes huffing from a bag as they circle you. What else ruins it? The threat of muggings, the discarded beer cans, the racist vandalism. Actually maybe it's more like Whangamata over summer - you can see why all these people congregate there, but the fact that they do makes it less appealing for anyone else to congregate there. As others have said, best enjoyed during the day, and with the occasional glance over your shoulder.

This piece of artwork has become pretty well known around Auckland. I'd heard about it and seen…read morephotos online, but saw it in person for the first time this week. And it is cool. Taking up an entire old brick wall in a dingy carpark behind Brooklyn Bar on Lorne Street this mural is a masterpiece. A sinister looking man with what appears to be a wolf hat on his head, sitting with Auckland City in his hand - what's not to love?! Considering how big the picture is just makes the work even more impressive. Completed by Elliot Frances Stewart and titled 'Just a Wee Drop', the work is part of the Street Art walk that starts down at the Britomart carpark and goes all the way up to Elliot's creation. Regardless of whether you're a tourist or a local, if you have time when you're next in Auckland's CBD, it's definitely worth taking a look at the brilliant street art that is scattered throughout town. It's pretty inspirational and is a great way to liven up otherwise boring walls and spaces while displaying the talent of local artists.

Khartoum Place is a square situated between Kitchener and Lorne St in the heart of Auckland city…read more It is right beside the Auckland Art Gallery and is just as worth a visit as the gallery is. The Place is characterized by a multi-level waterfall and paintings of the Women's Suffrage Movement - a part of history very important within New Zealand, as we were the first country to give women the right to vote. This pedestrianed square therefore acts as a memorial to women's suffrage. Not only is a Place the quickest way to cut through from the university to Queen St, it is also a lovely place to meet friends for lunch or coffee. A downside however is that it doesn't get much sun so it can be quite nippy there in the late afternoon. I recommend taking a jumper and grabbing a hot drink from the Esquires cafe located directly opposite the Place.

Nestled between Lorne Street and Kitchener Street beneath the Art Gallery and Albert Park beyond,…read moreKhartoum Place is perhaps my favourite public square in Auckland. The surrounding buildings give the square a feeling of being a semi-enclosed outdoor room, while the two large plane trees set in the middle of the square always keep it feeling cool and secluded. It's somehow serene in a way that belies its central city location, and ever so slightly grungy with the arty types (and homeless) that often occupy the space. The stairs that take you up to the Art Gallery are a tiled artwork/water feature commemorating the Womens' suffrage movement, so there's even a bit of history built in. In short, this little square has character in spades - great place to just sit and people watch.

Loved visiting this beautiful Wintergarden in Auckland Domain…read more Wintergardens are conservatories or glasshouses that were built to enjoy flowers in the winter. They were very popular stating in the early 1900s. The Auckland Domain Wintergarden was built a century ago. It has two glasshouses that contain the most beautiful flowers, a sunken Fernery and a courtyard with a pond and sculptures. Loved the glasshouse filled with so many colorful flowers. Giant hibiscus. Sunflowers. Gladiolas. Foxgloves. Begonias. The Fernery is so interesting. Loved walking into the sunken quarry and looking at all of the native ferns. The wooden statues which represent bird native to New Zealand were a nice touch. The Wintergarden is free. Located in the Auckland Domain, it is a nice place to stop and enjoy the flowers and history.

One of the highlights of my trip to Auckland was visiting the Wintergardens. It was an especially…read morecold and gray day when I set out to explore Auckland Domain, so by the time I got here I was thankful to be heading inside. The gardens are two main greenhouses: one very warm, the other more temperate. In between the two is a fountain and pool, outdoor plants, and at the back is the entry to the fernery (a word I didn't know existed but now I want one for myself). The building on the right of the entrance is the warm one, which keeps the doors closed. Inside are many warmer weather plans including orchids, lotus, ferns, and tropical flowers. The building on the left is more temperate and has flowers galore; so many colors it's hard to know what to see first. The fernery is an amazing place - dark, damp, and quiet; you can either walk around the ring path at the top or go down the stairs to the bottom to look up. There are statues of various New Zealand birds around to show you what their silhouettes would look like if you came across them in the wild. You can't be aware how varied ferns are until coming here. This is an amazing free activity to do on your visit to Auckland, plus lots more nearby. You can easily spend a day in Auckland Domain. There were a few groups of retired people and school groups as well, worthwhile for any age.

Great location near good restaurants and Queen street shops. A short 15 minute walk to the harbour…read moreand nightlife. Efficient staff and garage parking are convenient. They do a great job of greeting past guests. Clean rooms and comfy bed, though on the soft side 24 hour gym is well equiped for cardio and weight training, along with a sauna. Breakfast buffet is a highlight with omelette bar and barista coffees included.

We left the airport and went straight to the hotel... They were so accommodating... no waiting …read more.. checked us right in... the staff member gave us suggestions and directions to see various places in Auckland... Room was great... the hotel is very busy but cool...