The setting
One thing Wellington has been sadly lacking is a 5-star hotel the likes of Los Angeles’ Roosevelt or London’s Standard: something luxurious, with premium rooms, luxe detailing, and a great bar, in the centre of town.
Seems like the owners of The InterContinental realise that too. So, they’re in the middle of turning the bronze-glass monument to 1980s architecture into a modern luxury oasis.
Set in the heart of the capital’s CBD, the InterContinental could not be more perfectly placed. It’s a 15-minute drive from the airport, a two-minute walk to Queen’s Wharf, five to Parliament, and three to the city’s prestige department store, David Jones.
Top tourist spot Zealandia – a must see destination on any visit to the capital – is only a 15-minute drive, too. Many of the 234 rooms and suites – including the spectacular Presidential Suite – have gorgeous city and harbour views.
The space
While there’s still a hint of the 1980s about the rose terrazzo floors, the lobby of the InterContinental has evolved far beyond its brassy past.
The newly-carved out Lobby Lounge could compete with the chic comfort of the Connaught Hotel’s Coburg Bar in London. The velvet smoking chairs seem custom-made to sink right into while sampling the bar’s extensive whisky list, or trying a cocktail designed by chief mixologist Juan Gomez.
Next to the long gas fireplace is a wall feature the hotel is extremely proud of: an on-trend stack of 240 wooden logs from the set of Wellington-produced blockbuster, The Hobbit.
Meanwhile, what was once a chrome, tourist-class breakfast spot next to the reception has been utterly transformed into the mid-century deli-inspired Chameleon Restaurant. Marble table tops and Kai Kristianseninspired chairs are complemented by railway tiles and – above the open kitchen – jars of preserved lemons and pretty tins of sardines and hungarian paprika. It’s fresh, airy, and could be Hoxton, Brooklyn, or even Oslo.
With all plates portioned between a starter and a main, Chef de Cuisine Paul Limacher’s menu celebrates themes that can be mixed and matched . Share them, or dine traditionally with entree and mains.
The Lobby Lounge’s newly minted High Tea is more than a match for other local offerings, with extremely generous sweet and savoury options.
The TWG tea was also of a good quality, though perhaps a little subtle for the strong flavours on offer in the sandwich selection. The usually robust Lapsang Souchong was completely overpowered by the miniature salmon bagels. The china, by Australian designer Cristina Re with its gilt detailing was sufficiently opulent to compensate, however.
The private lounge, Club InterContinental, on the 7th floor, also offers food. It feels like something from a mid-century Bond film with its floating fireplace and cream leather sofas.
There’s a heated indoor pool with an outstanding view of the city and harbour – behind one-way glass for privacy – gym, and a spa space.
The kit
The rooms are spacious too, without being over-generous. Unlike the beds, which are generous to a fault – it’s almost cruel to have to haul yourself off those pillow-topped mattresses.
Our room had a magnificent view of the wharf and the harbour and, though only a few floors above Aotea Quay, was quiet and cosy. But it’s the newly refurbished bathrooms that are the biggest treat – large rain shower heads and a power shower take the place of a bath. The shower has a cheeky window into the bedroom too, which can be made opaque, with the touch of a button.
You won’t have much time for channel surfing with the city on your doorstep, which is just as well because the film service was costly and had limited options. The TV did have a USB port, however, so Netflix and your laptop could solve that. Wellington’s CBD wifi was available in the hotel, along with the InterContinental’s own wifi, which could be yours for a small fee.
The hotel’s most outstanding piece of kit, however, is the Bentley Flying Spur. The word luxurious was created to describe this car, which is yours for the mere trifle of $300-an-hour. That’s a bargain for a car that has a massage function in each of the seats. The hotel also has a BMW 7 Series in its fleet.
Comfort factor
From the beds to the cushions on the couches, the hotel is lush. The staff are friendly and genuinely enthusiastic, which makes for a relaxed atmosphere.
Worth stepping out for
There are not many places in New Zealand that can get the right blend of Kiwi hospitality with an international edge. The InterContinental crew have worked overtime to make that happen. It’s fresh, inviting, comfortable and very New Zealand – without a single item of cliche Kiwiana to be seen.
I felt like the food tried a little too hard and maybe took itself a little too seriously – but that’s testament to the people at the hotel, who seem genuinely dedicated to the hotel and their work and providing an excellent experience to their guests.
Having a gym, heated pool and spa facility on site is a a wonderful luxury you don’t get anywhere else in Wellington. Add to that an excellent bar, comfortable lounge and top restaurant, and the InterContinental pretty much leaves other large hotels in the city behind in terms of bang for buck and convenience.
The verdict
If you’re looking for a a place to indulge yourself, without feeling like you’re out of place or in over your head, the InterContinental is perfect. It’s relaxed, without being casual, and luxurious without being stuffy. Also, it’s worth the money, with the cost matching the experience at every level.
It’s hard not to be blown away by the options at the hotel. We were treated to a lunch in the presidential suite, prepared in front of us by chef Jason and his team. It was a once-ina-lifetime experience I imagine the world’s high flyers take for granted.
Jason created dishes for us that looked like they had come straight from the pages of Saveur or Eating Well. In fact, the scallop crudo on edamame puree with pickled apple, cucumber, puffed rice, nori salt, salmon roe, and micro coriander was the most beautiful plate of food I have ever been served anywhere. It tasted divine, too.
Yet the atmosphere was relaxed, chatty, and informative – making sitting in the $900-a-night room less daunting than it might have been.
How to get there
The hotel is in the heart of the city, at 2 Grey St, so you have a number of options depending on your budget – a cab or Uber from the airport could be less than $20 depending on the time of day and the traffic, while the airport flyer stops a mere half block away from the hotel entrance.
If you’re blowing the budget, a pickup at Wellington airport to the hotel in the Bentley Flyer will set you back a mere $150.
Essentials
The rooms start at about $250 a night for a double room. Rooms with breakfast start at about $300. Pay from $50 to $70 for dinner, without wine, at the Chameleon.
More information
See ihg.com or call 04 472 2722.
The writer stayed courtesy of the InterContinental Hotel Wellington and Zealandia.