I also like the Hyatt, especially if you reserve a room on the Club Floor. The views are great, especially from the Club Lounge. We were there over a weekend at the end July, and the staff were very attentive. The only caveat is the hill you will have to climb to get to the hotel, but we got used to it.

The Mercure Windsor is a nice boutique hotel. I stayed there in 2002. It's on Queen Street, so you'll be close to all the shopping and dining in central AKL. (There's also a Mercure at the end of Queen Street that used to be a Novotel.) Check the Accor Hotels website for deals, because they occasionally have good rates including breakfast on the weekends. If you stay at the Windsor and are a light sleeper, make sure you get a room that does NOT face Queen Street.

http://www.accorhotels.com.au/