Image: Shutterstock
Want to live ‘the rock star life’ without denting your hip pocket? Sweet As! Auckland’s hip-and-happening Wynyard Quarter is calling.
Unlikely to remain a ‘local secret’ for too much longer, the City of Sails’ emerging waterfront precinct uniquely harmonises a hypnotic mash-up of million-dollar superyachts; zen parklands; funky cafes and breweries; a working fish market; eclectic restaurants; and the city’s main theatre hub. All against the backbeat of a gloriously gritty, industrial-chic vibe. Think Bohemian Rhapsody meets The Great Gatsby.
Drum roll… TFE Hotels’ soon-to-be-opened ‘heavy metal’ superstar Travelodge Hotel Auckland Wynyard Quarter takes centre stage, providing VIP access to everything Auckland’s grooviest of inner-city precincts has to offer. Making a bold statement on the corner of Halsey and Packenham Streets, the seven-storey, 154-room hotel – itself a trendsetter, rocking a sawtooth roof and stunning patchwork façade of exposed steel, shimmering glass, and precast charcoal concrete panels – corners the market as the acoustic version of the ‘next big hit’. Put simply, your ticket to swagger like Jagger minus the hefty price tag. Groovy baby!
Local Secrets
If stepping out Great Gatsby-style is more your thing, no sweat! The hotel is located just around the corner from Jacobs & Sons tailor on Pakenham Street – run by Simon Jacobs, whose craftmanship featured in Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby. Remember the pink day suit worn by Leonardo DiCaprio? Bingo.
Opening on October28, Travelodge Wynyard Quarter will leave guests wanting for nothing, from park and check-in service to drool-factor F&B offerings on its doorstep. Fun fact: the mid-level property forms an L-shaped sleeve around a multi-storey car park (from which all rooms look out and away). Not just any car park. Wrapped in a stainless-steel mesh, crafted in Spain, its design forms the face of a future laneway, buzzing with cafes, street art and bars. Olé!
Just an entrée to the gourmand’s paradise that awaits at every turn.
Pull up a seat at Auckland’s first Latin American Seafood and Ceviche Bar, Besos Latinos (‘Latin Kisses’), about 50m from Travelodge Wynyard Quarter, on Halsey Street. Everything is handmade – from Ceviche to Cactus Quesadilla, artisan serving bowls, lighting, and Mexican folk art. Hot tip: Chef Luis Cabrera cooked for former US President Barack Obama on his recent visit to Wynyard Quarter.
As part of Wynyard Quarter’s urban regeneration – hailed one of the biggest and most exciting revitalisation projects in New Zealand – Auckland’s working fish market has undergone a face lift, giving rise to eight new eateries and a courtyard bar. The choice is yours: fresh sashimi, Polynesian poke bowls, hot pot mussels or lip-smacking gelato.
Want to dive deeper?
Enrol in Auckland Fish Market’s very own Seafood School, including tips on wine and beer matching. Guaranteed: you won’t have to sing for your supper. But, if you want to, a repurposed shipping container houses free-to-use acoustic pianos, opposite the fish market, in Daldy Street park.
For those keen to squeeze in a spot of sightseeing between grazing , a promenade of boardwalks stretches west, from Wynyard Quarter to Westhaven Marina and Auckland Harbour Bridge (itself earmarked for development of a pedestrian/bicycle pathway to Auckland’s North Shore, famed for pristine beaches and nature reserves). Likewise, it’s an easy stroll, east, from Karanga Plaza into Auckland’s CBD via Wynyard Crossing – if you can resist the temptation to chill and watch the world go by on the plaza’s oversized wooden recliners.
Worked up a thirst?
Make tracks to Good George bar and brewery on North Wharf, which pairs ‘good brews’ with New Zealand cuisine, with the option to dine in private glasshouse pods. Chur!
For something different, order a Bloody Mary made with bacon infused vodka at Wynyard Pavilion. Arguably, the perfect tipple before heading to a glitter-soaked performance of globally acclaimed, glam-rock show Hedwig & the Angry Inch (10 - 29 November) at ASB Waterfront Theatre in the heart of Wynyard Quarter’s innovation precinct, also on North Wharf.
For cinema buffs, adjoining Silo Park is the place to kick back and enjoy open-air movies screened on a towering silo, alongside a summer line-up of more than 50 events, activations and exhibitions.
The blockbuster event on the calendar, however, is New Zealand’s defence of the America’s Cup. Come December, all eyes will focus on Wynyard Quarter as the world’s yachting elite descend to contest events in the lead-up to the 36th showdown for the ‘Auld Mug’ in March 2021. The same year Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron celebrates its 150th anniversary with a full calendar of celebrations, kicking off 3 October.
Want to be at the epicentre of the action? Travelodge Wynyard Quarter is less than 500m from Emirates Team New Zealand HQ (in the former Viaduct Events Centre at the end of Halsey Street). What’s more, come race time, the hotel’s Executive Rooms promise a stellar vantage point to glimpse the 75ft foiling monohulls, aka AC75s.
Set your compass and book now!
Peace of mind when you stay with us: Introducing Clean Touch.
