Created in Partnership with Hotel Indigo
Think of New Zealand and the mind conjures up images of snow-capped mountains and sweeping panoramas. It’s a place so otherworldly it served as the real world’s answer to J.R.R.Tolkien’s Middle Earth.
Spend a weekend in its biggest city, though, and you’ll find there’s a whole other side to Aotearoa.
Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland is home to theatres frequented by Bob Dylan, Dua Lipa’s favourite underground Japanese listening bar, and rich Māori art and culture.
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Right in the heart of the CBD, rising from the remains of a 100-year-old Cadillac showroom, Hotel Indigo Auckland is the best place to play conduit to the city’s energy. The neighbourhood was once the playground of stars and Māori sopranos, but today, it’s the perfect spot to spend a weekend tracing the ridge lines and laneways of Auckland.
Party Like a Pop Star
When Dua Lipa wrapped up her New Zealand shows on her Radical Optimism tour, she had one thing in mind: a party. To find it, she and her crew set their sights on Commercial Bay, one of Auckland’s sleek shopping and dining precincts. Dua Lipa chose Kemuri Hi-Fi, an intimate, underground vinyl bar with a bespoke high-fidelity sound system designed by Aotearoa’s finest, Tub’s Audio.
Other pop star-worthy Auckland bars include Caretaker, a refined speakeasy that hides behind an unassuming door and is a beloved local spot. For something more lowkey, Ground Wine Bar is a beloved local haunt home to one of the city’s most interesting wine lists.
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Relive the City’s Gritty Past
At the close of the 19th century, handkerchiefs weren’t simply handkerchiefs. They were designed with instructions that told you everything from how to kill a man with a sword to how to use your trusty hanky as a tourniquet. To learn how to save a drowning man or survive a nasty squall, head to the New Zealand Maritime Museum to learn Auckland’s naval past.
The hankies hail from New Zealand’s early days as a far-flung colony when the wharves were overrun with sailors. Read about Auckland’s grungy past at the city’s indie bookshops: Unity Books, Time Out Bookstore, and Hard to Find Books. Pick up one of Ngaio Marsh’s whodunnits or get lost in the stanzas of local poetry from author Anna Jackson.
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Follow the Stars
New Zealand is one of music’s great muses. Lorde’s Solar Power was an ode to the country, with local cicadas acting as backing vocals and spots like Bulli (on the shores of Lake Taupō, around three hours from Auckland) featuring in the lyrics. When Lorde’s in town, she likes to play at The Powerstation. One of Auckland’s most revered live music spots is found along the road to Mount Eden in an unassuming black building. Don’t visit without checking who’s playing — Sleaford Mods and The Brian Jonestown Massacre are on the bill in the coming months.
To see how Auckland did music in its Golden Age, catch a show at The Civic Theatre. The venue is a relic of the 1930s with golden, giant elephant friezes and a gilded stage. Bob Dylan, Bette Davis, and even the Dalai Lama have performed here.
Soak Up the Culture
No matter when you visit, the streets around Hotel Indigo are likely to be celebrating something. Every two years, the Auckland Arts Festival spills out across the city. Performances, exhibitions, and music from Māori, Pasifika, and contemporary Auckland bring new life to the city and are worth planning a trip around. Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki is accessed through majestic kauri tree columns and is home to four levels of Aotearoa’s best art.
The Perfect Base
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When your step count is nearing new heights, Hotel Indigo Auckland makes for the perfect place to rest your tired feet. The hotel’s historic home, The Motor House, plays the role of muse. At its base, the former Cadillac showroom retains its facade and blends seamlessly into the hotel’s contemporary tower. On the ground floor, past the art-filled lobby, you’ll find Bistro Saine. A modern take on the classic European bistro that feels perfectly at home framed in the 1900s facade. Leather banquette seating, antique tableware and perfectly cooked steak makes it easily to forget you’re not in Paris. Keep exploring, and you’ll find nods to the past in each corner of the hotel: scaffold-inspired wardrobes, vintage fixtures, and a factory facade still bearing the names of its former owners. Step out from the lobby and you’ll be met with a view of the Sky Tower and an easy stroll to the neighbourhood’s beloved local haunts.
Want to stay in the thick of it? Find out more about Hotel Indigo Auckland.
