Review: Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour

Review: Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour
By Alexandra Coulton


From the first ‘bonjour’ to ‘au revoir’, the Sofitel Auckland Viaduct is a luxury experience you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.

Aesthetics and service: 8/10

The aesthetics of the hotel are in theme with the clashing of two elements the city is famous for: fire and water. The fire from the volcanic nature of much of New Zealand’s terrain, and the water of the beautiful harbour the hotel is perched on the edge of.

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Upon entering the hotel, you get the impression you’re walking into some kind of beautiful underwater paradise, only to be heated up by the plush furnishings and warm vibe of the Lava Dining area, which lives up to its name visually representing a glass case protecting its inhabitants from surrounding layers of lava.

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Amongst it all, the staff still manage to sprinkle the experience with the brand’s classic French vibe, incorporating baguettes and bonjours wherever possible. And it works astoundingly well.

The room: 8/10

The room stayed in was one of the Superior Rooms and it had everything you want out of a luxury hotel room, with a tidy 35 square meters of plush surfaces and muted silvery blue tones, set off nicely with a floor to ceiling wall of glass leading onto the balcony.

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The queen-sized bed was so comfortable we had trouble leaving it and the prompt and thoughtful turn-down service made us excited to return at the end of the day.

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And the bathtub! We won’t lie, we spent a good hour soaking in this baby, which was almost big enough for us to swim laps in. To be fair, we’re quite small and generally go out of our way not to swim laps so this might not apply for all customers.

Food and drink: 9/10

We spent our mornings sipping tea and munching on one of the best hotel breakfasts we’ve had in the Lava Dining room, overlooking Waitemata Basin and city skyline.

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We also attended a bespoke evening at the Cellar, which is one of the hotels private events rooms made to look like you’re dining in the middle of a wine cellar with beautiful antique vibes and earthy tones. The food was incredible, to say the least. Particularly the dessert which was beautifully presented and dangerously delicious.

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Also on offer is the 21 VIaduct Cafe, which is a very cute little dockside French-style cafe, serving all-day breakfast, French patisseries, fresh salads and snacks packed with mouth-watering local ingredients.

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And how could we forget the Sabrage bar? Encased in floor-to-ceiling glass, the hotel bar is the perfect place to soak up some beautiful city or marina views while sipping one of their delicious cocktails. Alternatively, you can cosy up on a very comfortable couch in front of the fireplace.

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Overall: 8/10

It’s the small touches that make the Sofitel Auckland Viaduct shine. It has everything you could want from a luxury hotel experience plus a sprinkling of unique Auckland meets France vibes. The staff were lovely, the food was fantastic and did we mention we’re in love with the bed?

What more could you want?

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