Rydges Auckland

Hotel review

No problem if you get lost in the city when staying at The Rydges; just aim for the Sky Tower. The rocket-shaped building - a telecommunications and observation tower with, amongst other attractions, viewing platforms, restaurant and bar, and the tallest building in New Zealand - is metres from the hotel, and dominates city views. It's also, like the hotel, in a pitch-perfect central location whether you want to explore the harbour, browse the shops and museums, or catch a ferry to one of the islands.

The hotel style is bright and breezy with an open-plan ground floor where a colourful bar segues into a light and contemporary restaurant with pale-wood tables, sky-blue-panelled walls and soft-grey banquettes. Dinner offers well-priced and filling local classics such as pan-fried snapper with shrimps, and smokey pork ribs as well as a good selection of steaks and burgers. Breakfast, too, offers a decent buffet with eggs cooked how-you-like on request. The staff here, as throughout the hotel, are cheery, friendly and eager to help.

All the rooms, apart from the suites, follow the same simple, slightly corporate, style - block-patterned carpet, blue feature wall, wood-veneer furniture and shower-only bathroom. But while they may lack character, the showers are powerful, the large windows give plenty of light and they're extremely good value for such a central location. Opt for a harbour view if you can.

Helen Pickles