QT Auckland

With a fleet of experiential accommodation strewn between NZ and east-coast Australia, you can bet good money QT Hotel has its signature style down to a fine art.

The Auckland branch takes left-field inspiration from its harbourside digs – specifically the oyster trawlers cruising in with their pearlescent hauls of the city’s famous aphrodisiac. Much like an oyster, the rooms are a Yin-Yang of smooth and raw textures in a bold contemporary design by Australian-based firm Nic Graham.

If variety is the spice of life, then QT is bringing heat with 13 different rooms to crash in, ranging from a luxurious (though affordable) king-sized basic to a three-bedroom number akin to a small apartment. And at the premium end, a top-floor harbour suite comes equipped with its own sleek cocktail bar for Gatsby-level entertaining.

Even if you’re not staying here, there’s a destination to be found in Esther, the hotel’s all-day Mediterranean eatery. The flavours of Morocco, Italy and the French Riviera are drawn together across a menu that – naturally – hinges on locally caught seafood and sustainable NZ produce.

That Mediterranean energy continues on the hotel’s rooftop with a selection of meze and cocktails backdropped by stellar Auckland panoramas. Whether you’re opting for the CBD skyline or harbour views, an Espresso Martini on tap or an Old Fashioned twisted with Four Pillars gin, you’ll have a few tough decisions to make up here.