Hotel Review: Park Hyatt Auckland

New Zealand has long been on my bucket list, so when the opportunity to spend a night in Auckland presented itself, I jumped on it.

Although I would have liked to stay longer than 24 hours, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Park Hyatt Auckland. Given the property's modern feel and its relatively cheap cost in points, I'll absolutely be returning.

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Booking

There aren’t that many Park Hyatts in the world; fewer than 50 are either open or being built. The Park Hyatt Auckland is a great deal when it comes to these top luxury properties.

As a World of Hyatt Category 5 hotel, a night here can cost as few as 17,000 Hyatt points at off-peak times. I spent 20,000 points for a standard night. The room I booked would have cost just over $400 in cash.

If you have Globalist elite status with Hyatt, you might get upgraded when you visit, as I did. Although the hotel was almost fully booked, I was able to score an upgrade to the best-available room, which featured a harbor view and a balcony.

Location

The Park Hyatt Auckland is centrally located on the city's famous harbor. Several shops, boats, cafes and more are within walking distance, making it a great option for those without a car.

» Learn more: The complete guide to World of Hyatt

Accommodation

My room was ready when I arrived at the hotel just after noon, a few hours before standard check-in time. It looked to be among the first they’d cleaned, and I was thrilled not to have to wait around in the lobby, even though it looked very sleek.

The room included state-of-the-art features such as automated window shades and external screens on the balcony. And the view was incredible.

The room featured one large king bed, a separate table with a chair, and a seating area.

There was also a paid minibar at the entrance, though I didn’t partake.

The large balcony had a nice table with a couple of chairs, though the low height meant staring through the fencing, which was awkward.

Inside the walk-in closet were a pair of robes and slippers, which I used while in the room.

However, the most remarkable feature was the bathroom, which was separated into two distinct areas.

The first area was a stand-alone powder room with its own sink and a toilet, while the main bathroom featured a huge soaking tub, two marble sinks and a shower.

Toiletries in the bathroom were by Citron and Vetiver. I don’t often use hotel toiletries, as I find the quality pretty low (even at really nice hotels), but these smelled nice and were good enough to detangle my hair.

I spent the majority of my time in Auckland in the room, catching up on work, so I deeply appreciated the chocolate bar left on the bed.

A few minutes after I arrived, I was also surprised with a welcome amenity of Pavlovas with cream and lemon curd. It also included two additional bottles of water.

I'm not ashamed to say these freebies constituted my dinner for the evening, especially since the Park Hyatt Auckland doesn’t have its own executive lounge.

» Learn more: The pros and cons of the World of Hyatt program

Food and beverage

Globalist members and their guests receive complimentary breakfast at Hyatt hotels, either in the club lounge or the hotel’s restaurant. As there was no club lounge, instead I enjoyed breakfast at Onemata, the hotel’s signature restaurant.

Globalist members are entitled to both the breakfast buffet and an entree from the menu, as well as hot drinks.

Breakfast hours vary based on the day:

• Monday to Friday: 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

• Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.

I’ll admit, I went a little wild.

The buffet wasn’t huge, but it included high-quality items such as:

• Smashed avocados.

• Burrata with tomatoes.

• Oatmeal.

• Cold cuts.

• Fresh fruits.

• Yogurts.

• Chocolate milk.

• Pastries.

When was the last time your local breakfast buffet came with kiwifruit, a caprese salad, avocado toast and locally produced chocolate milk? I rate this one a 10 out of 10.

I also ordered eggs Benedict from the main menu, but didn’t end up eating much of it. I blame the chocolate milk.

The hotel also has a few other dining options, including a lobby bar and a quick-service spot:

• The Living Room: Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• The Pantry: Open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., or 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., depending on the day of the week.

• Captain's Bar: Open 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. or midnight, depending on the day of the week.

The Living Room, which is essentially a lobby bar, looked like a great place to take in the view over drinks.

Otherwise, Onemata is also open for lunch and dinner.

» Learn more: The best credit cards for Hyatt

Amenities

Pool

The pool area isn’t huge, as you’d see at a resort hotel, but that's expected given that you're in the middle of a city. What it lacks in size, it makes up for with its great view.

The pool area is open from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Gym

For those looking to get in a workout, the hotel gym is open 24 hours and has a wide range of equipment, including treadmills, free weights and resistance machines.

» Learn more: Questions to ask before joining a hotel loyalty program

How to get to the Park Hyatt Auckland

New Zealand is an interesting beast when it comes to flights. It’s decently connected to the U.S. with nonstop flights operated by Air New Zealand, United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and more.

If you’re looking to travel with points or miles, one solid option is using Virgin Atlantic points to fly on Air New Zealand. A one-way business class flight from the U.S. to Auckland costs 62,500 Virgin points. Although these seats can be hard to find, Virgin Atlantic points are easy to earn compared with other airline award currencies. They’re transfer partners with the following points programs at a 1:1 ratio:

• American Express.

• Capital One.

• Chase Ultimate Rewards®. 

• Citi ThankYou.

• Bilt Rewards.

The Park Hyatt Auckland is located about 13 miles from Auckland's airport. Trains from the airport into the city stop a little over a half-mile from the hotel, but I opted to take a rideshare since I had luggage with me. The ride took about half an hour and cost around $35.

» Learn more: How to earn Hyatt points

If you’re looking to stay at the Park Hyatt Auckland

I spent just over 24 hours at the Park Hyatt Auckland, and I was very impressed overall. Although I didn’t manage to snag a suite upgrade, the modern amenities and generous breakfast made it well worth my while.

Coupled with the incredible location and reasonable cost in points, this is one property I'll be happy to revisit.

(Top photo courtesy of Hyatt)