Naumi Auckland Airport Hotel

Naumi Auckland felt like a work of art, from the modern exterior covered in huge plants to the funky lobby and decor throughout. I love art, so it was a great place for our first night in the Auckland area. The room was cozy, with jewel-toned walls, funky carpet, blackout curtains and a beautiful view of big trees and plants through the sliding door. The bathroom was massive, with a rain shower head, shower hose and a huge soaking tub. There was a gym and pool, plus a coffee bar in the lobby, and the room was clean. The decor gave it a fresh feel compared with all the cookie-cutter hotels with white walls and square beds. We paid around $40 for early check-in after a red-eye flight. We arrived about an hour before that time because I'd misjudged it, and they let us in even earlier, which was a huge help when we were so tired.

The hotel and its carefully chosen artwork and decor made for a calm, luxurious feeling, even though the surroundings outside seemed to disappear. I was there for a conference, and the room was beautiful. I think I'm in love with the bath. All the food was amazing and the service was top quality. The bed was a little too firm for me, but otherwise it was an amazing place to stay.

Breakfast was decent for the price, and the hotel was clean overall, with a decent gym and pool. We might stay again depending on the situation. Although it's advertised as an airport hotel, it's around a 10-15 minute drive away, so don't expect to walk there. Our room was also a long way from reception, which was a struggle with luggage. It would've helped if they'd mentioned that at check-in or had luggage trolleys easier to find.

The breakfast was good, but we wouldn't stay here again. We had quiet places to stay all through our three weeks in NZ, and this was the one exception. The room they called an upgrade, from a double queen to a king, was noisy because it was near the road. It was 18 degrees when we arrived, so we set the thermostat to 23 and went to dinner. An hour and a half to two hours later, it was still freezing and the AC was blasting. After our call got no response for 20 minutes, my husband went to the desk. The clerk said she hadn't heard about it and would contact the manager. He came about five minutes later and told us to set it as high as it would go, 27, to get the heat on. That did start the heat, but it doesn't seem like the thermostat should need to be set that way. In hindsight, we wondered whether the room was really an upgrade.