✈️ Follow the entire trip:
The long way to New Zealand
- Trip Planning: The long way to New Zealand
- Qatar Airways Singapore Premium Lounge
- Qatar Airways Qsuite Business Class Singapore to Auckland (via Doha)
- Al Mourjan Business Lounge Doha Hamad Airport
- sleep ‘n fly Sleep Lounge Doha Hamad Airport (South Node)
- Oaks Queenstown Shores Resort (1 Bedroom Premier Lake View Apartment)
- BreakFree on Cashel Christchurch (City Urban Premium)
- Auckland Harbour Suites (1 Bedroom City View Apartment)
- Strata Lounge Auckland Airport
- Al Maha Lounge Doha Hamad Airport
Nightly rate (incl. taxes/fees) | NZD 135 (US$88) (paid almost entirely with D$) |
Offer stacked | Bonus D$50 at GHA Discovery brands new to you, up to 4 times |
Length of stay | 3 nights |
Date of stay | Sep 2022 |
Membership level | Titanium (GHA Discovery) |
What benefits to expect when you stay at Auckland Harbour Suites as a GHA Discovery Titanium member?
The property opened under GHA Discovery’s Oaks brand in 1999 and was last renovated in 2012. It has a total of 150 rooms.
With this 3-night stay, I’ve wiped out all of my remaining Discovery Dollars balance that was generously converted from the Local Experiences of the old loyalty program.
However, I was credited a total of D$110 soon after this stay because of a generous GHA Discovery offer, from my previous stay in Queenstown and also from a GHA Discovery survey that I shared in Suitesmile Chat.
At this rate, I’ll never run out of Discovery Dollars!
Location
This property is located near Auckland Harbour, within walkable distance to a number of malls.
- 3 mins walk to Britomart train station
- 6 mins walk to Commercial Bay mall
- 10 mins walk to Auckland Waterfront
- 1 hr train ride to Auckland Airport (AKL)
Arrival
I arrived around noon and was told that the hotel was not able to grant an early check-in as the occupancy was high. The room was ready at around 3pm.
During check-in, I requested to clear out my balance of D$212, which pays for about 90% of the stay. This was not done until the third day and I had to repeatedly ask about it at the front desk.
The corridors to the rooms are oddly narrow.
1 Bedroom City View Apartment
Room 14F is 41sqm / 441sqft in size.
The apartment felt very Airbnb-like with dated but decent furnishing. The small tiles in the bathroom served as a reminder that the hotel was built in the 1990s.
The kitchen is equipped with basic utensils and they were adequate for our light breakfasts in the mornings.
Internet speed
The WiFi speed was alright for light web-surfing.
Other facilities
The property has an outdoor pool and a basic gym.
My ratings
This is how I am rating my stay, after considering the hotel’s usual nightly rate:
Service | 6/10 |
Location | 9/10 |
Room furnishing | 6/10 |
View (from the room) | 8/10 |
Peace & quiet | 10/10 |
Facilities | 8/10 |
Elite member recognition | 9/10 |
Value | 9/10 |
Bottom line
My stay at Auckland Harbour Suites was satisfactory and I was happy to be able to clear out my Discovery Dollars on an actual trip, before they expire.
The location of the hotel was a plus, with easy access to nearby malls and the train station. The service, however, was not up to expectations.