FIVE STARS
The Hilton Auckland has the best location in the city. Make sure you get a room on the waterside for the best views of the harbour. Lunch on the terrace at their seafood restaurant, FISH, or cocktails at their Bellini Bar is a great way to spend a few hours. Just a five minutes’ walk away is the ferry terminal where you can take the ferry across to beautiful Waiheke Island.

Princes Wharf 147 Quay St.
+64 9 987 2000
www.hilton.com

DINE ABOUT TOWN
My favourite spot in Auckland when I’m after a slow and luxurious dining experience is The French Café. The beetroot tart is my must-have but they never put a foot wrong with the food. The full degustation is always excellent, but it’s equally lovely for a shorter lunch or dinner. If you’re with a group, their private dining room (The French Kitchen) is superb.

210 Symonds St., Eden Terrace
+64 9 377 1911
www.thefrenchcafe.co.nz

LUXURY SHOPPING
While the northern end of Queen Street has all the big brands (Louis Vuitton, Prada, Dior, et cetera), it’s nearby Britomart that has the vibe. Great indie fashion is mixed with some of the city’s best dining: Ostro Brasserie & Bar, Ortolana and Milse are all wonderful.

Te Ara Thuhu Walking Street
+64 9 914 8431
www.britomart.org

HAPPY HOUR
Ponsonby’s full of cool little dives but my local, The Golden Dawn, does it best. It has a neighbourhood-y, unpretentious and cool vibe that’s impossible to beat. The food’s terrific (kale dumplings are especially good) and their wine and cocktail list is fantastic.

Ponsonby at Richmond Rd.
+64 9 376 9929
www.goldendawn.co.nz

LOCAL CULTURE
While you don’t necessarily want to fly halfway around the globe to go to the movies, if you’re in Auckland in July [14-31], the New Zealand International Film Festival is a real treat. It’s two weeks of the best cinema of the year as well as some oldies and some classics, and a great way to escape the [austral] winter blues.

+64 4 385 0162
www.nziff.co.nz

ARTFUL AFTERNOONS
We have a wonderful collection of national and international art at the Auckland Art Gallery, plus the gallery itself is a joy to be in. The modern New Zealand art and the Victorian New Zealand art (Charles F. Goldie!) are my favourites.

Kitchener at Wellesley St.
+64 9 379 1349
www.aucklandartgallery.com

DAY TRIPPING
Just a 25-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland, Waiheke Island is my number-one weekend escape. The boat ride itself never gets boring – Auckland [Waitemata] Harbour is one of the best in the world – and once you get to the island, the setting, the wine and the food (The Oyster Inn a must) make it a heavenly escape. If you’re staying overnight, my favourite is always to take a private house – Azure on the cliff edge above Oneroa Beach is my top spot. A 40-minute drive from downtown Auckland, Bethells Beach (Te Henga) is intensely beautiful and overwhelming.

Vast, impressive, primal, unspoiled black-sand beach – it’s phenomenal for a dramatic coastal walk. Stay at Bethells Beach Cottages and eat at The Bethells Café nestled among the sand dunes. Auckland has some of the best coastline in the world, especially at its North Shore beaches. Just five minutes’ drive from downtown, head to Takapuna Beach, lunch at the Takapuna Beach Café or just get one of their amazing ice creams and then walk the coastal path north, which passes plenty of hidden, tiny gems of beaches. Stop by The Department Store on the way home for some of Auckland’s best retail.

Waiheke Island
www.waiheke.co.nz

Bethells Beach
regionalparks.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Takapuna Beach
www.takapunabeach.co.nz

HIGH-FLYING LUNCHEON
Take a chopper to Waiheke [Inflite Experiences can arrange upmarket trips] for lunch at one of the vineyards. Poderi Crisci vineyard, which also has an incredible garden of fresh ingredients, is a wonderful choice. Cable Bay and Stonyridge vineyards are also fantastic wining and dining options.

+64 9 377 4406
www.infliteexperiences.co.nz