Where to stay in Auckland (the best hotels and areas)
Auckland’s best neighbourhoods and boutique hotels.
The nickname most New Zealanders have for people living in Auckland is JAFA — “just another f*****g Aucklander.” For anyone outside of the city, Auckland is a tangle of motorways and traffic, with entitled city folk snarling up the roads in their expensive cars.
It’s more than that, of course; the city has some of the best shopping and dining anywhere in the country. And being set between two harbours, you’re never far away from a beach.
But, like almost all New Zealand cities, Auckland doesn’t have the best urban design. It’s a sprawling city, and public transport is slow and unreliable, when it exists at all (you’ll see the mess of construction in the city centre — we’re frantically trying to catch up with the rest of the world and get a light rail in place).
So, the best place to stay is right in the city centre, or in one of the adjacent areas. That will place you right in the thick of things, but it does mean you have to deal with some of the less pleasant aspects of the city.
I’m not a JAFA (or so I like to say) but I have lived in the city for years. Splitting hairs, I know. But I do have some insights on where to stay in Auckland, and the best hotels to choose from.
As usual, this is not intended to be the most comprehensive guide — it’s a curated selection of places that have a lot to offer in terms of uniqueness, independent and small businesses, and the best experience for you.
A heads up: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you buy after clicking a link (at no extra cost to you). Thanks for your support!
HOTEL BRITOMART, BRITOMART
The best place to stay in Britomart and Central Auckland
QT AUCKLAND, VIADUCT
A great place to stay if you want to be close to the waterfront.
HOTEL FITZROY, PONSONBY
For something a bit more luxurious, Hotel Fitzroy is hard to beat. It's also located in Ponsonby, which is great if you want something calmer than the city centre.
AWAY TREEHOUSE & FOREST SPA, WAIHEKE
For something special, head to this treehouse on Waiheke Island.
Tips for choosing where to stay
Don’t stay near the airport unless you plan on just sleeping and leaving early the next day. It’s an industrial area with nothing to do.
Britomart and central neighbourhoods like Ponsonby are ideal areas to stay, with lots of places to eat and shop nearby. It’s also nice and convenient for taking the ferry to Waiheke or other islands.
In the centre of Auckland, you will need to pay for parking around the clock — recent changes mean there is no free overnight or on weekends, so pick up your rental car when you’re ready to leave the city.
I usually use Booking.com to compare hotel prices.
Vrbo is great for more residential areas like Ponsonby and further afield.
Uber is the easiest way to get around, as public buses aren’t always that reliable.
The best areas to stay in Auckland, New Zealand
The best areas in Auckland are close to the city centre — neighbourhoods like Ponsonby, Herne Bay, Mount Eden, and Parnell are all safe and clean, with streets lined with mature trees and historical villas.
In these central suburbs you’re more likely to find good bars, restaurants, and shops.
The further out from the centre you go, the fewer options you’ll have. So, it makes sense to stick close to the centre — but the CBD has its own drawbacks (more on that below).
But you’re not limited to the city centre — in fact, while central Auckland is perfect for a quick stay, if you’re spending more time in Auckland I would recommend branching out to other areas.
jump down to the relevant area:
Waiheke (yeah it’s an island, but it’s also a fabulous spot to stay!)
Auckland Central Business District (CBD)
Stay at Hotel DeBrett or the Sudima Hotel
Photo credit David St George
The Auckland Central Business District, which you’ll hear people refer to as simply the CBD, is a bit of a mixed bag.
Queen Street runs straight through the heart of the CBD.
The area around Queen Street is where you can find fancy hotels and restaurants, but also grey, characterless streets that are busy with traffic and people.
Queen Street itself is a mish mash of large chain stores and banks, with many people here office workers scuttling to and from their jobs in the big towers. At night time, Queen Street can devolve into a messy scene of drunken brawls and broken bottles. I recommend avoiding Queen Street at night to be safe.
Even before dark, Queen Street can be a really weird place. The last time I walked down there on a Friday evening, there were a lot of religious people shouting their message to people over microphones and handing out flyers about salvation.
I don’t love having people yelling at me about accepting God when I’m on my way to a bar for drink (The Churchill gin bar — I highly recommend for great drinks and amazing views from the 20th floor of the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel).
However, the Auckland CBD does have a few gems.
The Auckland Art Gallery is a must-see (it’s currently free entry), and close to the gallery, Albert Park is a beautiful and serene spot to walk and admire views of the city. And High Street offers a little more character than the parallel Queen Street.
Britomart (see below) is the most interesting part of Central Auckland, but nearby Ponsonby is a much nicer area.
Hotel DeBrett
A central boutique hotel with Art Deco charm.
It's known for its stylish rooms, award-winning restaurant, and a funky, retro bar on the corner of the street. Corner Bar — aptly named — has a great vibe and makes for excellent people watching.
I’ve never stayed here myself but I love dropping in for a drink.
Why I recommend this hotel:
It’s one of the most individual places to stay in Auckland (standing in contrast to the tall towers of standard rooms elsewhere) and is historically significant in Auckland, having been around in one form or another since 1841.
What’s nearby:
Chuffed cafe on High Street is a lovely little independently-owned spot for coffee and breakfast.
Gilt Brasserie, owned by somewhat famous New Zealand chef Josh Emmett, is also right around the corner. I loved the style of this place and. the food was pretty outstanding as well.
Sudima Hotel
Much of the other accommodation options in Auckland centre are large hotel chains. The Sudima on Nelson Street is my pick of these.
Why I recommend this hotel:
It's New Zealand owned, focused on sustainability, and has a delicious vegan restaurant, East.
What’s nearby:
Nelson Street itself is pretty characterless, but you’ll be situated close to the Sky Tower.
City Works Depot is also right across the road. Head to Odette’s for a decadent breakfast — it’s one of the best cafes in the city.
Britomart
The best area to stay in central Auckland is Britomart.
It might technically still be in Auckland CBD, but it deserves a mention as a separate area as it’s a lot nicer than around Queen Street.
Britomart is a precinct close to the waterfront, which has transformed in recent years into one of the city’s best shopping and dining destinations.
The glittering Commercial Bay is a reimagined mall, with a giant foodcourt and many upscale boutiques. Takutai Square in the heart of Britomart is lined with restored heritage buildings, where you’ll find some of Auckland’s best restaurants, like Mr Morris, Cafe Hanoi, and Ortolana.
Many of these restaurants have uniquely New Zealand dishes for you to try, so if exploring restaurants is one of your main reasons for visiting Auckland, staying in Britomart is a good choice.
Britomart is more polished than other parts of Auckland central — just a few blocks over, Fort Street is a grim, grimy street without much appeal.
Britomart is also close to transport links. It’s close to the ferry terminal, so you can head over to Waiheke for a day out or Devonport, or other islands in the gulf.
Hotel Britomart
Hotel Britomart is the best place to stay in Britomart, and I think in all of Auckland. The hotel is New Zealand owned and independent (although the owner is a billionaire) which means it has a lot more personality than some of the big chain hotels in Auckland.
It’s sleek, beautifully designed, and one of a kind. Some of the rooms have water views across the harbour.
Why I recommend this hotel:
I love the commitment to sustainability at this hotel — I have met the general manager before and he’s deeply motivated by regenerative tourism. This filters through into everything, to the mini bar stocked with almost exclusively New Zealand products to the artworks throughout.
What’s nearby:
For cocktails, you can’t beat the Caretaker, a cool speakeasy style spot owned by a local husband and wife team. Go for live jazz on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights.
Ahi in Commercial Bay is a great place to try some local cuisine like wild shot deer.
The Viaduct
The Viaduct in is the name of Auckland’s main waterfront precinct, close to the central business district.
The bars and restaurants surrounding the marina offer views across luxury yachts and turquoise water. Subtle the Viaduct is not. The Viaduct does have a tendency toward the garish and showy, with many of the venues descending into drunken chaos later in the evening.
I also find most of the restaurants here to be overrated. They are more about drinking than eating. But, to be fair Saint Alice is a great spot to have a sunset drink.
QT Hotel
I’m a fan of the QT hotels in New Zealand — I used to stay at the QT boutique hotel in Wellington a lot for work.
The QT in Auckland is even nicer, having only opened in November 2020. The rooms all have the signature colour and quirks of QT hotels.
Why I recommend this hotel:
QT Auckland is centrally located and has an awesome rooftop bar — the sunset views are stunning. The hotel also has a lot more character than some of the other larger chains.
What’s nearby:
For dinner, check out Hello Beasty, which is the standout place to eat in the Viaduct.
During the day you can walk the Westhaven path around the waterfront until you’re underneath the Harbour Bridge.
Ponsonby
Ponsonby is a vibrant inner-city neighbourhood. It is known for its unique blend of heritage charm, contemporary style, and a lively atmosphere.
Ponsonby is close to the city centre (about 30 minutes walking), but it’s quieter, cleaner, and has a much nicer vibe than the CBD.
Stay in Ponsonby if you want to be walking distance to great restaurants, and want to stroll down a buzzing, sunny street to get your morning coffee from a local cafe.
Ponsonby Road is a long stretch of some of the best bars, restaurants, great cafes, and independent boutiques in Auckland.
Shop for perfume at the richly atmospheric Curionoir, browse for antiques at the aesthetic jumble that is Flotsam and Jetsam, or find your next holiday read at the Women’s Bookshop.
Daily Bread is an excellent spot to get a pastry to go alongside your coffee, and Beau’s Deli is another favourite local hangout.
I’d recommend staying in Ponsonby if you plan on staying in Auckland for longer than one night.
If you have 3 days or more, staying in Ponsonby will give you more of a taste of local life than staying right in the city centre.
Hotel Fitzroy
Hotel Fitzroy is the best stay for a splurge. It’s an exclusive 10 room boutique hotel in a historic villa. It’s located just off the main Ponsonby road, but still close to some of the best bars and restaurants in the city.
Why I recommend this hotel:
The Ponsonby area is a much quieter and calmer experience than the central city.
What’s nearby:
Check out Beau Deli or Daily Bread for coffee and treats in the morning.
Annabel’s Wine Bar of Beau’s are ideal for a drink in the evening.
Head to Prego or Khu Khu Vegan Thai for dinner.
Franklin38
Franklin38 is another beautiful boutique accommodation option in Ponsonby. It’s a gorgeous villa in a heritage area between Ponsonby and the central city.
Waiheke Island
Waiheke Island makes a great day trip from Auckland, but it’s also a beautiful place to spend a night or two.
Although it’s an island, Waiheke is technically a suburb of Auckland city.
You can stay out here if you want to explore a unique part of Auckland and be closer to wineries, pristine beaches, and a delicious laid back pace of life.
Stay in at Waiheke Backpackers Hostel for incredible views on a budget.
It’s easy to get to Waiheke Island from downtown Auckland via the Fullers passenger ferry, which runs at least once an hour.
Once you’re on the island, you can get around Waiheke by public pus, walking, or even by renting an e-bicycle.
Thanks for reading this far! I hope this article helped you decide where you should stay in Auckland.
If you’re planning on visiting the North Island, you might find these articles helpful as well:
AUTHOR BIO
I’m a freelance travel writer from New Zealand with bylines in National Geographic Travel, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and more.
I’ve travelled up and down beautiful Aotearoa and I love sharing my recommendations for the best places to visit in New Zealand.
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