The Hotel Britomart (Auckland, New Zealand)

Smart, soulful and contemporary, The Hotel Britomart welcomes guests to the best of downtown waterfront Auckland. Designed by Cheshire Architects with a striking exterior of hand-made brick, New Zealand’s first 5 Green Star hotel has beautiful timber-lined, cocoon-like rooms with elegantly tiled bathrooms, built-in sofas and hand-made ceramics. Downstairs, an intimate laneway connects the hotel with the historic warehouses of the vibrant Britomart neighbourhood, now refurbished to house an unforgettable array of the country’s best restaurants, bars and cafes. Just a few steps from the hotel lobby, sunny, plant-lined, pedestrian-friendly streets are full of stimulating shopping, an unrivaled mix of local and international brands At the centre of the precinct, Takutai Square hosts food truck days and offers space to lounge on bean bags on a verdant lawn. Underground, the Britomart Transport Centre offers easy public transport connections to every part of the city and the airport. Plus, it’s an easy stroll to Auckland’s beautiful waterfront, concerts at Spark Arena, the central business district, the world-renowned art gallery, and the ferry terminal offering day trips to the alluring islands, vineyards, walking paths and beaches of the Hauraki Gulf.