Park Hyatt Auckland in New Zealand [In-depth Review]

I was in Auckland in December 2022 as part of a larger trip to New Zealand, thanks to a fantastic award sale offered by United Airlines. My intention was to start my journey in Auckland, travel to the somewhat nearby town of Rotorua, and then down to Wellington. I had never been to New Zealand before, and given my limited time for the trip, I decided to just visit the North Island and save the Southern Island for a future trip.

Each year, I try to go somewhere exotic to celebrate New Year’s. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Sydney a few years back, so I wanted to try Auckland, and thereby the Park Hyatt Auckland, for this special evening since I had heard great things about the city and New Zealand itself.

If you’re looking for a luxury hotel in the area, the Park Hyatt Auckland definitely fits the bill— it’s one of the nicest and newest hotels in the city. Visiting about a year and a half after the property opened, I found it to be a great value for the price point, especially when using World of Hyatt points.

Hotel Location

The Park Hyatt Auckland is located in the Wynyard Quarter neighborhood of Auckland, about a 5- to 10-minute walk from the central business district. The Wynyard Quarter used to be an industrial area, but it’s recently been revitalized with shops, restaurants, apartment buildings, and the newly opened Park Hyatt Auckland.

Getting to the hotel from the airport can be a challenge, though. Unfortunately, no train runs between the airport and the city, so you’re forced to take either an Uber, taxi, or bus. It’s about a half-hour car ride or so ride from the airport into the city, and it’s worth noting that cabs and Ubers can be costly depending on the time of day of your ride. I took an Uber from the airport to the hotel, and the cost was roughly $40.

Many major museums, restaurants, and high-end shopping are within walking distance of the hotel, and for the stuff you can’t walk to, there’s a CityLink bus that will take you around town. The closest stop, Wynyard Quarter, is about a 2-minute walk from the hotel. Keep in mind that while Auckland is certainly a large city, the public transit options there are far less extensive than what you’d find in most other major Western cities.

Booking

The Park Hyatt Auckland is a Category 5 World of Hyatt hotel, which means a room will cost 20,000 World of Hyatt points per night on standard dates, while off-peak dates go for 17,000 World of Hyatt points per night and peak rates cost 23,000 World of Hyatt points per night.

During my stay cash rates were well north of $600 a night, making this a fantastic opportunity to use my points. I was able to snag a room at the standard award rate for all 4 nights of my visit, so my total cost was 80,000 World of Hyatt points. We value Hyatt points at 1.5 cents each, but I was able to get about 3 cents per point in value from this redemption!

I was staying over New Year’s, so cash rates were naturally higher, though you can expect similar prices at some other times throughout the year. Had I paid with cash for my stay, I would have put the charges on The World of Hyatt Credit Card which earns up to 9x points total for Hyatt stays: 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels and up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member.

The World of Hyatt Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The World of Hyatt card offers a fast track to Hyatt elite status, an annual free night, and up to 9x points per $1 on Hyatt stays.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

The World of Hyatt Credit Card

The World of Hyatt card offers a fast track to Hyatt elite status, an annual free night, and up to 9x points per $1 on Hyatt stays.

Welcome Offer

Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points. Earn 30,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months. Plus, up to 30,000 more points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, up to $15,000 spent.

Up to 60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$900

Annual Fee

$95

APR

20.99% - 27.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The World of Hyatt Credit Card makes your Hyatt stays more rewarding and helps you get coveted World of Hyatt elite status faster. This card is a must-have for any traveler who regularly stays at Hyatt hotels, or even for anyone who’s able to take advantage of the card’s annual free night certificate.

When you factor in all the benefits the World of Hyatt card offers, it’s easy to see why it is one of the best co-branded hotel credit cards on the market.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays – 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
• 2x points per $1 at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, local transit, rideshares, and fitness clubs/gym memberships
• 1x point per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $95 annual fee

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Card Highlights

• Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points. Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
• Enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open.
• Get 1 free night each year after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
• Receive 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening, and each year after that for as long as your account is open
• Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
• Earn 2 qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
• Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays – 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
• Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.99% - 27.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

World of Hyatt

Since I’m a World of Hyatt Globalist, I got several extra perks during my stay, including:

• Complimentary bottled water (and I was able to request more water as I wanted it)
• Complimentary breakfast (daily)
• Complimentary early check-in
• Complimentary 4 p.m. checkout
• Complimentary upgrade to the best available room, which in my case was a Harbour View King room
• Complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi

Remember, you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Bilt Rewards points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.

Checking In

My Uber pulled up under the hotel’s outdoor awning leading into the lobby and the driver helped me unload my luggage. The front desk was right inside, and as soon as you stepped into the hotel, you noticed a huge atrium, which really made this hotel feel much larger than it actually is.

Checking in was fairly painless, and I was told I had been upgraded to the best available room, which was a Harbour View King room on the seventh floor. Since I was staying over New Year’s I wasn’t expecting much of an upgrade, so that was a nice bonus.

I was informed that breakfast would be complimentary daily and that I should just tell the restaurant host my room number and all costs would be waived.

One of the neat things about this hotel is that it has a resident canine concierge, Beau. He sits off to the left of the front desk and has a bed there where he relaxes. You can catch him “on duty” occasionally throughout the day.

Lobby

The property’s lobby is actually quite simple. The hotel is a giant cube, so everything is pretty easy to find. There’s limited seating in the lobby: a few curved couches are in the center, but other than that there’s not much.

Immediately to the left of the front desk is the concierge desk, and I had nothing but great experiences with the staff here. They were very helpful in planning day trips, pointing out landmarks of the city, and recommending places to eat.

On the first floor of the hotel, you’ll find the lobby bar, the hotel’s main restaurant, and a banquet room.

Amenities

This hotel has lots of amenities for guests to use.

Electric Vehicle Charging

I saw several people charge their electric vehicles during my stay, and you can leave your car with the bell staff who will take it to be charged for you.

Pool

The shaded pool was located outdoors on the second floor of the hotel and was open from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. It was a nice rectangular outdoor pool with deck chairs surrounding the sides.

Spa

Located adjacent to the pool was the The Spa at Park Hyatt Auckland where you could book treatments or get a massage.

Fitness Center

The fitness center was open 24 hours a day and was located right next door to the pool. Inside you’d find all the typical cardio and workout equipment you’d expect from a standard hotel gym.

The Room

I was assigned a 1 King Bed Harbour View room during my stay. As I was visiting over New Year’s Eve, the hotel was understandably sold out, but I appreciated this upgrade over the standard 1 King Bedroom I had booked. The room I received is essentially a standard king room but with a view of Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour.

As I entered the room, I walked through a small entryway, and then immediately to the left was cabinetry where the refrigerator and minibar were.

A coffee maker and accoutrements were also housed here.

This hotel was fantastic about providing more complimentary water than what was already in the room, and I never had trouble requesting more water.

Right next to this bar area was a small powder room with a toilet and sink.

Next to that was a walk-in closet, and this is where I stored my bag during my stay. I really appreciated the large closet, as this kept my suitcase out of the way and not in the main area of the room.

Inside the closet were robes, storage drawers, laundry supplies, a safe, and a full-length mirror.

In the main room, the king-sized bed was flanked by 2 nightstands.

There was a welcome chocolate that greeted me when I entered the room, which was a nice touch.

The bed stands featured lighting controls and power outlets.

Next to the bed was an “L” shaped couch and a large dining/working table with a single chair. I actually liked the concept of this sitting area, as the table was perfect to work from, and it could easily serve as a dining table if you had multiple people. That said, laying on the bench couch wasn’t entirely comfortable.

The bathroom in this standard room was nicely sized, with an enormous walk-in shower, a vanity, and a separate soaking tub. While there was a window in here overlooking the harbor, you could easily close the blinds for privacy.

While this room didn’t have a balcony, it did feature a sliding glass door to the outside where you could get plenty of air and see outside. The room featured unobstructed views of the Auckland Sky Tower and the nearby harbor buildings. I didn’t find the room’s location to be noisy at all, though there are boats and pedestrian traffic down below, so you may want to close the blinds at certain hours of the day.

Food and Beverage

The hotel has 5 dining options on-site, and I had the chance to try several of them. I found the dining options at this hotel to be fantastic — not only was the food great, but the prices were extremely reasonable … something I didn’t expect for a 5-star hotel in the middle of a major city.

Hot Tip:

Reservations are encouraged at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Onemata.

Onemata

Onemata is the hotel’s main restaurant, and I had the chance to visit here for both breakfast and dinner. For breakfast, as a Globalist, I was entitled to coffee and juice, a selection of 1 main entrée off of the menu, and the opportunity to visit the buffet line.

The Onemata menu offered many basic Western options, including eggs Benedict, omelets, yogurts, breakfast sandwiches, and more. The portions were decently sized, too.

If you’re not a Globalist and wish to pay for breakfast, the continental buffet costs NZ$40 (~$25), and entrees range from NZ$16 to NZ$27 (~$10 to $17).

The buffet line included pastries, cheeses, meats, bread, and other continental items. Throughout my stay the options on the buffet line never seemed to change, so for variety, you’d want to select from the entrée menu.

For dinner, I visited the restaurant with some friends and I had a steak along with some sides. All in, with some appetizers and wine, I spent about $75 or so on dinner, which felt like a steal considering the quality of the meal, and likely less than what you’d pay for such items back in the U.S.

Onemata was open from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (11 a.m. on weekends) for breakfast, lunch was 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday to Sunday, and dinner was offered Monday through Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

The Living Room

The Living Room is the hotel’s all-day dining option, and you can visit here for coffee, lunch, or dinner, too. There are couches scattered throughout the space, as well as some outdoor seating, and it makes for the perfect place to relax if you need a break from exploring the city.

The Living Room was open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Captain’s Bar

Captain’s Bar is the main bar at the hotel, and I found it extremely busy during peak times. While I was there for New Year’s, I understood the space to be busy at other times, too, so it’s best to head there early to grab a table. While there’s a huge selection of alcohol, there’s also a small bar menu with burgers and the like if you’re looking for a quick meal.

The Captain’s Bar was open from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily and until midnight on weekends.

The Pantry

The Pantry, which was closed during my stay, usually offers grab-and-go type items in a casual atmosphere. It’s great to have this option if you don’t have the time to sit down and enjoy a meal. This facility is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. most days.

Room Service

Room service operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Normally I don’t avail myself of room service at hotels due to the price, but the room service menu here was extraordinarily reasonable. Because of the jet lag one day, I decided to order a club sandwich at an off-hour, and all-in it came to around $12. There was no delivery fee, and no extra add-ons, which I thought was quite remarkable. Essentially, things on the room service menu seemed to have “normal” pricing.

Frankly, I’ve never seen a more reasonably-priced room service menu, and wouldn’t hesitate to order from it again. Plus, the sandwich was tasty!

Service

I found the service at the Park Hyatt Auckland to be great, though I was staying with friends in other rooms and I know they had noted some issues.

The concierge team was absolutely fabulous and recommended some stellar places to eat, as well as local attractions and scenic drives. Without the hotel staff, my trip would not have been nearly as enjoyable, so I thank them tremendously for their assistance.

This hotel feels almost brand new, and it’s just under 3 years old, so you’ll still find the hotel in near pristine condition.

Visiting Over New Year’s Eve

Since I visited over New Year’s Eve, it’s worth mentioning how this hotel operates during that occasion. First off, if you want a room with a balcony or facing the Sky Tower, where the fireworks shoot off from, you’ll want to book and confirm one way in advance, as these rooms will sell out first. Luckily, one of my traveling companions had confirmed a suite in advance, so I was able to watch the fireworks on his balcony.

The walkways around the hotel became incredibly busy that evening, as it’s one of the best viewing areas for the fireworks. In an effort to prevent non-hotel guests from accessing the property, the hotel issued wristbands that you wore to show you’re a guest, which helped the hotel not get crazy busy.

The hotel restaurants had special menus and reservations for dinner, and these tables tended to sell out as well, so if you’re interested in dining at the hotel on New Year’s Eve, you’ll want to make those reservations early. There’s both indoor and outdoor seating, and since New Year’s falls over summer in New Zealand, you’ll likely want to request an outdoor table.

Hot Tip:

If you’re planning on booking this hotel over New Year’s, you can book as early as a year out.

Final Thoughts

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at the Park Hyatt Auckland, and wouldn’t hesitate to return here given the opportunity. I really appreciated how sleek this hotel was, but attribute that to a somewhat recent opening. It’s near all the major Auckland attractions and provides the perfect mix of luxury with convenience.