Air New Zealand Air Points - Hotels in AKL for Transit purpose

I thought that most of you in the NZ forum would be able to give the best advice on this.

I will be arriving in AKL on TG in the early afternoon and leave next day on a 8.00 am departure to NOU on NZ.
I have in all 3 transits through AKL from Novemeber to January.
First 2 transits are only one night each but in January I am planning to spend 3 nights on my way back as I have never been to NZ.
Can any of you give advice on a hotel to stay in for the two one night transits?
I have planned to stay at the Hyatt in downtown but wonder if I should stay closer to the airport. I think there is a Comfort Inn and a few others.

I'd prefer staying at the Hyatt but don't know how long it will take me to get into town with traffic etc.
I am comparing it a little bit with Vancouver but guess that Auckland is smaller in size and easier and faster to get around.
In Vancouver traffic can get very slow with all it's bridges and no highways from the airport into town.
Would really appreciate any advice.

The airport hotels are very average at best. Time to get into the central city varies widely from 20 minutes to over an hour. Depending on where exactly in the central city you would stay, I'd allow 45 minutes - more if travelling in peak hours (7-9am, 3-6:30pm) and more still if you happen to be travelling at the start or end of a long weekend or school holidays. These times are based on taking a cab. Taking a shuttle allow another 15 minutes for the extra drop-offs, and for the airbus allow more or less depending on which hotel (it zig-zags around the central city stopping at most hotels and backpackers).

The airport hotels are very average at best. Time to get into the central city varies widely from 20 minutes to over an hour. Depending on where exactly in the central city you would stay, I'd allow 45 minutes - more if travelling in peak hours (7-9am, 3-6:30pm) and more still if you happen to be travelling at the start or end of a long weekend or school holidays. These times are based on taking a cab. Taking a shuttle allow another 15 minutes for the extra drop-offs, and for the airbus allow more or less depending on which hotel (it zig-zags around the central city stopping at most hotels and backpackers).

Thanks Kiwi Flyer, always there when needed, really appreciate it.
I would be arriving on Nov. 17th (Friday), flight gets in at 1.20 pm, have to clear immigration customs. I am leaving on the 18th at 8.00am.
As mentioned in my original post I am thinking about the Hyatt as they have somewhat good rates which is located on the Corner Princes St & Waterloo Quadrant.

My second time around will be on Dec. 26th arriving from NOU at 10.15 am, leaving next day for PPT at 4.10pm.
I didn't think from what I saw online that the hotels around the airport are anything to write home about but thought it might be practical.

3rd time in January I definetly go into the city as I will have enough time.

First visit - arriving middle of day Friday and leaving early Saturday should be quick (about 35 minutes by cab). Note the Hyatt is one of the last stops for Airbus so allow an hour if you take that.

Second visit - December 26th is a busy travel day so expect delays at immigration, and heavy traffic on the roads (but will mainly be heading out from city). Next day traffic should be light.

With the amount of time you have I would definitely head into the central city each time.

First visit - arriving middle of day Friday and leaving early Saturday should be quick (about 35 minutes by cab). Note the Hyatt is one of the last stops for Airbus so allow an hour if you take that.

Second visit - December 26th is a busy travel day so expect delays at immigration, and heavy traffic on the roads (but will mainly be heading out from city). Next day traffic should be light.

With the amount of time you have I would definitely head into the central city each time.

Thanks again. I will take that advice and do exactly that. :)

BTW, the nicest airport hotel is the Jet Inn, but in the new luxury wing.

Also, for a three day stay in January consider the Nautilus Resort at Orewa.

It's 45 minutes north of Auckland on the beach - you can drive to and from the Bay of Islands as a daytrip - and has great units with fantastic views.

And after all, AKL itself probably only merits a few hours: go up Mt Eden, up the Sky Tower and take a ferry to Devonport - you could do that from Orewa too.

BTW, the nicest airport hotel is the Jet Inn, but in the new luxury wing.

Thanks DCF. I just checked out their website.
http://www.jetinn.co.nz/home.html
It does look very nice, probably nicest I have seen so far of any hotels close to AKL.
And their rates, even for the suites are very reasonable.
I will check out your suggestion about Orewa next.

Second visit - December 26th is a busy travel day so expect delays at immigration, and heavy traffic on the roads (but will mainly be heading out from city). Next day traffic should be light.

With the amount of time you have I would definitely head into the central city each time.
Note, too, that December 26th is a public holiday in New Zealand, and plenty of shops and the like will be closed. Probably even more reason to head into the city on that visit.

Thinking about it more, arrivals immigration should be okay on 26th (since flights from asia and US would have left on 25th December - a low travel day).

By the way, when in Noumea don't even consider staying anywhere except Le Meridien. It has a lovely beachfront location (admittedly next to the derelict Club Med). In contrast, the Ramada Plaza is a couple of blocks inland and the Nouvata Park (or whatever the Parkroyal calls itself these days) is as expensive as a good rate at LM, but nothing like as good. And don't miss the Isle of Pines if you can go. I like New Caledonia in January: nice warm weather, but not too much rain.

Auckland and Northland have good weather in January, but Auckland city really has little to offer someone from Vancouver other than the things I listed earlier. If you don't fancy Orewa, consider basing yourself in Auckland but going to Rotorua for a daytrip one day.

And if you don't mind driving a lot, how about just going straight up to Paihia in the Bay of Islands and spending all three days there, maybe at the Copthorne Hotel at Waitangi?

If you choose to stay near the airport, avoid the Centra. Tired decor, and the loudest aircon unit I've ever encountered.

One of my favourite city hotels is the Langham (former Sheraton) which has just been renovated. Nice rooms, good dining, & decent pool & gym. The only downside is the location, on the edge of the CBD, but they do have a free shuttle service to Queen St.

Skycity Grand is nice too, especially the suites with the two plasma TVs :D The Hilton is, IMO, substantially overrated, bar the location, and not worth the high room rates. I haven't tried the Hyatt so I can't report on that.

justakiwi

By the way, when in Noumea don't even consider staying anywhere except Le Meridien. It has a lovely beachfront location (admittedly next to the derelict Club Med). In contrast, the Ramada Plaza is a couple of blocks inland and the Nouvata Park (or whatever the Parkroyal calls itself these days) is as expensive as a good rate at LM, but nothing like as good. And don't miss the Isle of Pines if you can go. I like New Caledonia in January: nice warm weather, but not too much rain.

Auckland and Northland have good weather in January, but Auckland city really has little to offer someone from Vancouver other than the things I listed earlier. If you don't fancy Orewa, consider basing yourself in Auckland but going to Rotorua for a daytrip one day.

And if you don't mind driving a lot, how about just going straight up to Paihia in the Bay of Islands and spending all three days there, maybe at the Copthorne Hotel at Waitangi?

Thanks DCF for all your information. I was definetly planning on staying at the Le Meridien in Noumea. I have heard good things about it and now with your review I will definetly stay there. The stay there will also requalify me for SPG Plat. for 2007.
I haven't decided yet on the 3 days I have in Auckland. As most of this trip will be on business including New Caledonia and Papeete, I want to have 3 relaxing days in New Zealand before heading back home. Since Kiwi Flyer also recommended Rotorua and the Taupo area I am considering going there as I'll be getting a rent a car.
By the way, it looks like I will have to go to Ile de Pins and Iles Lloyaute.
Most people have no idea what I am talking about when I tell them about New Caledonia, so it's nice to have someone here who has actually been there.

If you choose to stay near the airport, avoid the Centra. Tired decor, and the loudest aircon unit I've ever encountered.

One of my favourite city hotels is the Langham (former Sheraton) which has just been renovated. Nice rooms, good dining, & decent pool & gym. The only downside is the location, on the edge of the CBD, but they do have a free shuttle service to Queen St.

Skycity Grand is nice too, especially the suites with the two plasma TVs :D The Hilton is, IMO, substantially overrated, bar the location, and not worth the high room rates. I haven't tried the Hyatt so I can't report on that.

justakiwi

I have seen the Langham but didn't know that it was a former Sheraton.
I did hear in other threads that the Hilton isn't that great, the rates are really high compared to even the Hyatt, probably because of the location. I don't care to much staying at hotel in the city just because it's by the harbour as DCF mentioned I have that here in Vancouver, I much rather go out into the country if I can and experience the "real" New Zealand.
Staying in Auckland it will be more about comfort and convenience after weeks of work and travelling.
I hope I don't offend anyone in New Zealand, don't mean to compare Vancouver and Auckland as I am sure that each city has it's own character and I am very much looking forward to experience NZ. I wish I had more time to explore the South Island but I am sure after this trip I'll be back.

a) New Zealand
I think of Taupo as a sort of "great place, but mainly for locals, not the one NZ place you would choose to visit if you were from overseas". Last January I visited Noumea, Isle of Pines, Bay of Islands, Orewa, Coromandel and Taupo from Australia, and the last two were the least special.

When I lived in Auckland, I thought that the Coromandel and Taupo were great places for a weekend, like a Los Angeleno goes to Palm Springs or Las Vegas. But I wouldn't make either of them a destination for my first trip to NZ as a foreigner.

b) Auckland
The Langham is much better than it was as a Sheraton - really luxurious, and cheap and upgradable if you join LHW Leaders Club, but it's still at the wrong end of town. Of the city hotels, I prefer Quay West.

c) New Caledonia
If you go to the Isle of Pines, make sure you take the sailboat excursion on the bay. It's just marvellous. I did it both ways: didn't fancy the long trek to the "natural swimming pool" which I don't really rate anyway. New Caledonia is kind of as good as you're willing to pay to make it. The Le Meridiens are good and not expensive for what they are, the rest of the accommodation is pretty poor. On Lifou in the Loyalty islands the Drehu Village is in a magnificent location, but is a pretty average hotel. Likewise the sister hotel on Mare.

If you pay to stay in the right places (I'm thinking Le Meridien Isle of Pines, at $500 per night), New Caledonia is almost as good as French Polynesia, and on a much, much higher plane than Hawaii, Fiji or Rarotonga. So much better than those places that words can't do the gulf justice. But too many people just visit Noumea on a cruise-ship and don't understand that it's a bustling little city, not a cute little banana republic shantytown.