A PLACE WITH PERSONALITY
SO/ AUCKLAND remains true to the SO/ brand’s service ethos, personalized and localized hospitality that embodies the location’s definition of an exquisite and comfortable home
For the discerning well-traveled individual, staying in superb hotels is a priority, but sometimes it can become a blur of experience. While most accommodations have modern designs, functional amenities, and attractive features, only a few are really worth it to stay for more than a night. Such a hotel should be in a central location, have a well-thought-out design story, provide excellent service, and should be an experience in and of itself, elevating your whole trip to a new level. One such hotel that possesses these distinctions is SO/ Auckland in New Zealand.
When we arrived at SO/ Auckland, we were greeted with, “Hello fabulous people, welcome to our fabulous hotel.” Right there and then, I already knew that I chose the right hotel for our stay in Auckland. Opening its doors just about two years ago, SO/ Auckland is located by the city’s harbor, in the chic and bustling district of Britomart. The hotel is flanked by boutiques, restaurants, and exquisite views left, right, and center and just a few steps away is the Queen’s Wharf where you can take a breezy stroll by the water.
Inside the hotel is where the excitement truly begins. The place was designed in partnership with the renowned New Zealand design firm World, known for its fashion innovation. World was chosen for its similarities with the SO/ brand: “energetic, social, and bursting with individual character.” For context, other SO/ hotels in other cities were designed in partnership with Kenzo Takada (Mauritius), Christian Lacroix (Bangkok), Viktor & Rolf (Berlin), and Karl Lagerfeld (Singapore). Each SO/ hotel has its own emblem, and for Auckland, World, led by its designer and director Benny Castles, created a stylized topographical map of Auckland, heavily featuring the role of New Zealand’s volcanoes.
The hotel’s lobby was designed and fitted by the Dutch design house Moooi. The result is a dark, moody, and eclectic space that welcomes you into the hotel. Custom-made pieces adorn the area: the first thing you notice is the mega chandelier that dominates the room with its show-stopping resplendence. Then there is the Charleston by Moooi’s co-founder Marcel Wanders, a classic black sofa mounted vertically on its side. In case you’re wondering—yes, it is a functional piece of furniture.
Of course, the rooms are an equally exciting prospect. Each room is themed, and like the hotel’s emblem, they reflect the volcanic landscape of Auckland. For most rooms, you can choose between three themes: solid, which features tones of black and gold; liquid, where fiery walls harken to molten lava; and vapor, which features an openplan space framed by stonewall tiles that reflect volcanic mist.
The higher-end rooms, on the other hand, come with their own unique design. The SO/ Lofty, which features a private dining room and bar and access to the hotel’s Club Signature Lounge, comes in caldera, with luxurious tones of gold and turquoise that will remind you of a volcanic oasis. The penthouse, called SO/ VIP, comes in a special exposure design. The room is replete with tailor-made artistic pieces, curated with innovative furniture, and exhibits a harmony of warm and cool hues that “fully embody the energetic level of lava exposure.”
All of these high-quality elements continue through to the hotel’s restaurant. Named Harbour Society, the restaurant serves French cuisine reimagined by the renowned Michelin-starred chef Marc de Passorio. There’s also HI-SO, the hotel’s rooftop bar that opens at 4 p.m. so you can enjoy a nice sunset drink while looking onto the panoramic view of Auckland’s landscape.
From the rooftop terrace, you’ll realize that Auckland is such a breath of fresh air (most often, quite literally so), and SO/ Auckland enhances the experience so much more. Central location? Check. Modern amenities? Check. Interesting design? Check. An experience? Check.
SO/ AUCKLAND is located on the corner of Customs Street East and Gore Street, 1010 Auckland, New Zealand. For more information,