Grand Millennium Auckland

After this stay I’m relieved I booked only one night and have gone elsewhere. The Grand Millennium Auckland advertises five-star luxury, but the Premium Deluxe Room and service fell well short. We ordered room service that arrived cold, soggy and unappetising, served on a tin camping-style plate. Reception said they had changed from their usual plates to camping tins. We were both too hot to sleep because the room had no working air conditioning. In the morning there was no hot water in either the bath or shower. Reception said maintenance would come, but after more than two hours nobody arrived and nobody updated us. With checkout getting close, I had to take a cold-to-tepid shower just to leave. Whether it was a system failure or poor management, the result was unacceptable. Cold food, unsuitable serving ware, no functioning climate control or hot water, and maintenance that didn’t respond are fundamental failures. Afterward, we checked into The Grand by SkyCity. It cost a fraction of the Premium Deluxe Room and had working air conditioning and modern luxury amenities, a stark difference in value, comfort and delivery. The arrival was disappointing too. We asked reception if we could leave the car parked so my husband could help with the luggage, since nobody was at the concierge desk. They said everyone was busy. The room looked nothing like the website photos. The promised “city views” looked straight into apartments next door. The air conditioning unit looked like it was from the 80s and had to be adjusted by hand; the Kelvinator fridge brought back primary school memories. I’ve provided photos. This was a special occasion, so I called reception and politely asked if we could move to a more modern room. I could have booked a cheaper three-star hotel, but chose the Grand Millennium for its reputation. I was told there were no rooms available. I even offered to downgrade so we could experience the five-star service, but was told the only available room was a twin room for my husband and me on our special occasion. We could move to a more modern room for an additional cost as an upgrade. All I could say was, “OMG.” The occasion was supposed to be special, but this was a very disappointing experience.

The car park made getting around easy: it’s connected to the hotel by elevator, parking was simple, and the flat $25 fee covered 24 hours. We left the car there at check-in and walked around the CBD until checking out the next morning. The lobby is lovely, full of natural light, plants, seating, a bar with coffee and snacks, and a great view from the upper floors. Our Deluxe king room was large, clean and bright, with a comfortable bed, a mini fridge and a decent-sized bathroom with a large counter, walk-in shower and soaking tub. There’s also a small gym and a heated swimming pool. The Grand Millennium is beautiful, modern and clean, and the staff we met were all great. It’s a prime CBD location with lovely views, and well worth a stay in Auckland city.

The room was quite large and comfortable, and did the job for our two nights in Auckland, but we wouldn’t stay again. Our flight from Perth landed very early, so we got to the hotel at about 4:30am after being awake for nearly 24 hours. We understood the room wouldn’t be ready, but the desk staff member was blunt about it. He asked if we’d pay for the previous night to check in and rest, and we said yes and asked the price. After a quick check he said the hotel was full and there were no rooms, after getting our hopes up. We weren’t offered water or refreshments, just told the room would be ready at 3pm and to check back at 1:30pm. We sat in the cafe/lobby for two or three hours, then went for a walk around Auckland. Just before leaving, we asked about the room again and got another unfriendly, curt response that it was still early. At 1:30pm we spoke with a friendly, helpful woman at reception. The air conditioning was dated and didn’t cool the room. We drank the bottled water provided, without realizing it cost about $8 a bottle. Most of the staff weren’t friendly or helpful during our stay.

At checkout we raised the issue again and got an apology, but no meaningful financial gesture. For a premium-priced hotel marketed as five-star, that doesn’t really cut it. The room itself was adequate, but the air conditioning wasn’t working. We told reception and a technician came up, checked the control panel and assured us it would be fixed, but nothing changed. We then called to follow up and couldn’t get through. The whole of level 10 was noticeably hot, so this wasn’t just our room. Basic climate control seems a reasonable expectation. From the ineffective technician visit and unanswered calls to no offer of a room move or rate adjustment, it felt as though the complaint was managed rather than resolved. At the current prices, it would be hard to recommend.