The Pullman? More like 'the pool, man' because have you seen that spa pool?! It might possibly just be one of my favourite places ever.
I went on a much needed staycation for Queen's Birthday weekend earlier this month and I've just realised that this was my first one for 2018 too. Wow. Have I really been that busy?
Just goes to show that the long weekend and this staycation couldn't have come at a better time.
The Pullman was my choice of home away from home this time around. I'd never been before. Not even inside the lobby! But I've heard great things about their spa and have been meaning to try it for ages so it seemed like a great opportunity to indulge a bit more and stay for a couple of evenings. So at 3 pm on the first of June, I said sayonara to the office and took a short Uber drive to Pullman Auckland.
Now this isn't a collaboration like the one I did with Grand Mercure Auckland but because I spent so much time in hotels staycationing (seriously it's the one thing I get asked about the most), it just made sense to actually do hotel reviews and start a staycation series on here. So here we are! The first of many hotel reviews! YAY!
It was my first time at the Pullman and I was so glad to get the last few rooms available (first pro tip - don't leave booking to the last minute! On a long weekend even). I actually accidentally booked a different room and only realised it the week before my stay so thank goodness my lovely friends at the Pullman managed to switch my room for me! Not that it was too much of a drama - I would have just put the two queen beds together anyway.
Check in was a breeze and the lovely man at the reception (I was so frazzled at this stage from my crazy week that I forgot to ask his name. I usually introduce myself first and like to get to know who's helping me so I feel a bit silly I didn't get to do that this time around) helped me with my tiny bag and showed me to my room. I was staying on the 10th floor - Room 1014 - which suited me just fine because I like rooms that are higher up and have a great view. This one had a view of the water and buildings, as well as some greenery. So lovely!
I didn't take as many photos this time around because I wasn't technically there to 'work' and capture some content but you just can't shut the storytelling urges off so here we are! My first ever hotel review in a sort of more structured format. I feel #official.
What I Loved
The pillow menu. I'm someone that loves to sleep with a million pillows around me (sometimes when I wake up, the pillows are literally in a circle formation it looks almost sacrificial lol) so being able to choose different kinds of pillows was awesome! I had the same option in our hotel in Manila and it made such a difference. This is the first time I've come across it in all my staycations so I'm a happy camper. Literally! I highly recommend the tri pillow if you're single and want to feel like an arm is wrapped around you, as well as the memory foam ones.
The people! Everyone I crossed paths during my stay was lovely. Very polite and courteous, and so helpful! It was consistent throughout all touchpoints - from reception to the bar staff to the team who manages the phone lines. Special shout out to the awesome supervisor Tai. She checked up on me to see if everything was okay because I had a late check out, and we ended up chatting for a bit and having a bit of a yarn and some laughs! And as I was getting ready to checkout, I had this moment of panic of not being able to find my work phone. Which was flat so I couldn't exactly call it. I turned the whole room inside out and was freaking out. Legit so scared! I've never misplaced a phone before and usually quite careful with my stuff so I was very confused. I looked everywhere, tipped everything out. That kind of thing. I rung Tai and she just kept me calm and was so reassuring. She said we'd find it and I believed her. She helped me look for it too, rung housekeeping for me, looked under the beds with me. Above and beyond! And we did find it. Inside my fucking handbag!! That I had looked into several times!! And even tipped out on the bed!! Until now I have no idea where the heck it was hiding because I swear I looked in every nook and cranny of that damn handbag. But Tai was right! We did find it and we bloody held each other in a tight embrace when we did. Such a relief. Thank you, Tai. You are an absolute superstar and I want to be your best friend!
Food. Food. Food! Everything I ate was so darn good. The breakfast buffet was exceptional. I've had my fair share of hotel buffets and when I walked into Tapestry bar, I thought maybe the food selection was smaller than most but I was happily proven wrong when I actually went around. There was a smoothie bar and fresh coffee and all the juices. The hot food was amazing - the bacon not oily and cooked just right, the mushrooms still bubbling in butter (HI YES HELLO), and the roasted potatoes so fluffy yet crispy. I had 2 servings of this, not even going to lie. There was also a little menu of hot dishes hat you can order from. I got pancakes, of course! There's also an amazing selection of pastries, cheeses, cereals, and fruit. Honestly. This buffet had everything! I did a little tour on my Instagram stories and had so many replies asking where I was. The secret is out! Tapestry is where it's at for hotel breakfast buffet-ing. And at $37, it's so affordable for what you get I can't even believe it.
Bed. Because hotel beds really make for a great sleep! Mine was a king bed and you can bet your bottom dollar that I starfished in it.
Hotel robe! It was big enough to fit my boobs. A bit TMI but some hotels have really small robe sizings and the struggle is so real when you want to look cute like all those #instagirls styling their robes a bit off the shoulder and wrapped around them so nicely. Brownie points for the amenities too. It smelt so nice and felt so lux!
The elevator area. For some reason it reminded me of the elevators from Serendipity! There's just something so romantic about it that I'm in love.
The spa and pool area! The first time I went down there, I had just emerged from a 4 hour nap (possibly hungover and exhausted) and didn't even bother to look in the mirror after changing into my togs and going down. I walked in and an entire rugby team was there! They were so friendly, said hi and said nothing about how shite I looked (I wish I was kidding about this - my hair was literally sticking out and static-ky!). I also loved how friendly the people at the spa reception were. They showed me around the gym and pool, and confirmed my spa appointment that weekend and said I chose a really good treatment. I did, by the way. The Indian Head Massage was divine and put me to sleep! Now back to that spa pool. I've been waiting for it to be empty because I wanted to be alone and also be that girl who takes a million photos of it so Sunday afternoon rolled around and I found myself alone in the spa pool. It was a very rainy and cold day but the pool was warm and bubbling away. I snapped a quick photo and put it on the 'gram and my stories then put my phone away (in a waterproof container. I came prepared!). When I checked it again, my phone was going off. So many messages about the pool and where it was or was it even in Auckland because it looked unreal! So yes, #confirmed. I found heaven and it's at the Pullman.
What I Didn't Love
The movie selection in the TV was really blurry and quite grainy. I have had it looked at a couple of times to no avail. It was still the same. I gave up on the TV (I was there for peace and quiet anyway) and played music instead so wasn't a major issue for me. But I imagine a family with little kids would appreciate a non-blurry and grainy TV. Besides, I was heading out for the first night anyway because I went to a Niall Horan concert on my own for an assignment (here's the full piece). Here's a photo of me at the exact moment I almost dropped my phone on the bathroom floor and had a heart attack:
The Porridge Test
Now the fun bit! What the blimmin heck is a porridge test, you may be wondering... Well, the long and short of it is that when I first started staycationing a few years ago, I was at The Langham (RIP) quite early that my room wasn't ready yet so I waited in Palm Court where they were still serving breakfast. I ordered porridge because I didn't feel like eating much, and also because I don't really like eating early in the morning.
I still remember that moment now. The porridge came in a generous bowl with sugar, cream, cinnamon, and berry compote on the side. I took a bite and honestly was SHOOKT. I've had bowls of porridge before but not like that. Creamy and soft and warm and perfect. I couldn't believe it. I shit you not but after that bowl I started googling how to make porridge creamy like crazy and have since dabbled a bit on the art of porridge making (I've even tried mixing raw egg to one... surprisingly good).
So now I make it a point to always order porridge if it's on the menu when I'm staycationing at a hotel. Lucky for me it almost usually is.
Did the Pullman pass the oatmeal test? Yes! It was delicious and the bowl was so big it could feed two. I just wish they had included cream and sugar on the side. Maybe I had to specify? Not sure. But I also ordered a basket of custard danishes because I've been devouring them for breakfast during my stay and they are honestly to die for. I asked if I could get just those ones and they let me order off menu so that makes up for the porridge lacking cream and sugar. And yes, I did eat all that. I was so stuffed I didn't eat again until dinner!
Perfect for you if...
You like a good spa pool and you like to eat delicious food (both from room service and dining at the in-house restaurant). Also if you miss how charming The Langham was with the classic decor and want to be reminded of old world elegance. This is also the hotel for you if you like a nice view and like being close to greenery. Or if you're visiting someone at Auckland Uni!
Would I stay again?
Definitely!The Pullman isn't a new hotel so the decor and the rooms tend to err more on the classic side, but I think that's what I love about it. It reminds me of old school luxury. While the room isn't as modern as most hotels, I really like how cosy and charming it was. The room has a really nice layout too, good airconditioning and heating control in the room, and I love the marble tiles in the bathroom. ALSO the toiletries are lovely. I forgot my toothbrush and toothpaste (freaking typical to pack last minute and forget something, eh?) and I rung up guest services and asked if they had any spare packs and they sent one up immediately! The service is fantastic, the food is wonderful, you can order pillows, comfy bed, and that spa pool. I'm already dreaming about staying again!
What I Loved
The pillow menu. I'm someone that loves to sleep with a million pillows around me (sometimes when I wake up, the pillows are literally in a circle formation it looks almost sacrificial lol) so being able to choose different kinds of pillows was awesome! I had the same option in our hotel in Manila and it made such a difference. This is the first time I've come across it in all my staycations so I'm a happy camper. Literally! I highly recommend the tri pillow if you're single and want to feel like an arm is wrapped around you, as well as the memory foam ones.
The people! Everyone I crossed paths during my stay was lovely. Very polite and courteous, and so helpful! It was consistent throughout all touchpoints - from reception to the bar staff to the team who manages the phone lines. Special shout out to the awesome supervisor Tai. She checked up on me to see if everything was okay because I had a late check out, and we ended up chatting for a bit and having a bit of a yarn and some laughs! And as I was getting ready to checkout, I had this moment of panic of not being able to find my work phone. Which was flat so I couldn't exactly call it. I turned the whole room inside out and was freaking out. Legit so scared! I've never misplaced a phone before and usually quite careful with my stuff so I was very confused. I looked everywhere, tipped everything out. That kind of thing. I rung Tai and she just kept me calm and was so reassuring. She said we'd find it and I believed her. She helped me look for it too, rung housekeeping for me, looked under the beds with me. Above and beyond! And we did find it. Inside my fucking handbag!! That I had looked into several times!! And even tipped out on the bed!! Until now I have no idea where the heck it was hiding because I swear I looked in every nook and cranny of that damn handbag. But Tai was right! We did find it and we bloody held each other in a tight embrace when we did. Such a relief. Thank you, Tai. You are an absolute superstar and I want to be your best friend!
Food. Food. Food! Everything I ate was so darn good. The breakfast buffet was exceptional. I've had my fair share of hotel buffets and when I walked into Tapestry bar, I thought maybe the food selection was smaller than most but I was happily proven wrong when I actually went around. There was a smoothie bar and fresh coffee and all the juices. The hot food was amazing - the bacon not oily and cooked just right, the mushrooms still bubbling in butter (HI YES HELLO), and the roasted potatoes so fluffy yet crispy. I had 2 servings of this, not even going to lie. There was also a little menu of hot dishes hat you can order from. I got pancakes, of course! There's also an amazing selection of pastries, cheeses, cereals, and fruit. Honestly. This buffet had everything! I did a little tour on my Instagram stories and had so many replies asking where I was. The secret is out! Tapestry is where it's at for hotel breakfast buffet-ing. And at $37, it's so affordable for what you get I can't even believe it.
Bed. Because hotel beds really make for a great sleep! Mine was a king bed and you can bet your bottom dollar that I starfished in it.
Hotel robe! It was big enough to fit my boobs. A bit TMI but some hotels have really small robe sizings and the struggle is so real when you want to look cute like all those #instagirls styling their robes a bit off the shoulder and wrapped around them so nicely. Brownie points for the amenities too. It smelt so nice and felt so lux!
The elevator area. For some reason it reminded me of the elevators from Serendipity! There's just something so romantic about it that I'm in love.
The spa and pool area! The first time I went down there, I had just emerged from a 4 hour nap (possibly hungover and exhausted) and didn't even bother to look in the mirror after changing into my togs and going down. I walked in and an entire rugby team was there! They were so friendly, said hi and said nothing about how shite I looked (I wish I was kidding about this - my hair was literally sticking out and static-ky!). I also loved how friendly the people at the spa reception were. They showed me around the gym and pool, and confirmed my spa appointment that weekend and said I chose a really good treatment. I did, by the way. The Indian Head Massage was divine and put me to sleep! Now back to that spa pool. I've been waiting for it to be empty because I wanted to be alone and also be that girl who takes a million photos of it so Sunday afternoon rolled around and I found myself alone in the spa pool. It was a very rainy and cold day but the pool was warm and bubbling away. I snapped a quick photo and put it on the 'gram and my stories then put my phone away (in a waterproof container. I came prepared!). When I checked it again, my phone was going off. So many messages about the pool and where it was or was it even in Auckland because it looked unreal! So yes, #confirmed. I found heaven and it's at the Pullman.
What I Didn't Love
The movie selection in the TV was really blurry and quite grainy. I have had it looked at a couple of times to no avail. It was still the same. I gave up on the TV (I was there for peace and quiet anyway) and played music instead so wasn't a major issue for me. But I imagine a family with little kids would appreciate a non-blurry and grainy TV. Besides, I was heading out for the first night anyway because I went to a Niall Horan concert on my own for an assignment (here's the full piece). Here's a photo of me at the exact moment I almost dropped my phone on the bathroom floor and had a heart attack:
The Porridge Test
Now the fun bit! What the blimmin heck is a porridge test, you may be wondering... Well, the long and short of it is that when I first started staycationing a few years ago, I was at The Langham (RIP) quite early that my room wasn't ready yet so I waited in Palm Court where they were still serving breakfast. I ordered porridge because I didn't feel like eating much, and also because I don't really like eating early in the morning.
I still remember that moment now. The porridge came in a generous bowl with sugar, cream, cinnamon, and berry compote on the side. I took a bite and honestly was SHOOKT. I've had bowls of porridge before but not like that. Creamy and soft and warm and perfect. I couldn't believe it. I shit you not but after that bowl I started googling how to make porridge creamy like crazy and have since dabbled a bit on the art of porridge making (I've even tried mixing raw egg to one... surprisingly good).
So now I make it a point to always order porridge if it's on the menu when I'm staycationing at a hotel. Lucky for me it almost usually is.
Did the Pullman pass the oatmeal test? Yes! It was delicious and the bowl was so big it could feed two. I just wish they had included cream and sugar on the side. Maybe I had to specify? Not sure. But I also ordered a basket of custard danishes because I've been devouring them for breakfast during my stay and they are honestly to die for. I asked if I could get just those ones and they let me order off menu so that makes up for the porridge lacking cream and sugar. And yes, I did eat all that. I was so stuffed I didn't eat again until dinner!
Perfect for you if...
You like a good spa pool and you like to eat delicious food (both from room service and dining at the in-house restaurant). Also if you miss how charming The Langham was with the classic decor and want to be reminded of old world elegance. This is also the hotel for you if you like a nice view and like being close to greenery. Or if you're visiting someone at Auckland Uni!
Would I stay again?
Definitely!The Pullman isn't a new hotel so the decor and the rooms tend to err more on the classic side, but I think that's what I love about it. It reminds me of old school luxury. While the room isn't as modern as most hotels, I really like how cosy and charming it was. The room has a really nice layout too, good airconditioning and heating control in the room, and I love the marble tiles in the bathroom. ALSO the toiletries are lovely. I forgot my toothbrush and toothpaste (freaking typical to pack last minute and forget something, eh?) and I rung up guest services and asked if they had any spare packs and they sent one up immediately! The service is fantastic, the food is wonderful, you can order pillows, comfy bed, and that spa pool. I'm already dreaming about staying again!
Pullman Auckland is located on Corner Princes Street and Waterloo Quadrant, 1010 Auckland.
This post is not sponsored in any way nor was I compensated for my stay
The Pullman? More like 'the pool, man' because have you seen that spa pool?! It might possibly just be one of my favourite places ever.
I went on a much needed staycation for Queen's Birthday weekend earlier this month and I've just realised that this was my first one for 2018 too. Wow. Have I really been that busy?
Just goes to show that the long weekend and this staycation couldn't have come at a better time.
The Pullman was my choice of home away from home this time around. I'd never been before. Not even inside the lobby! But I've heard great things about their spa and have been meaning to try it for ages so it seemed like a great opportunity to indulge a bit more and stay for a couple of evenings. So at 3 pm on the first of June, I said sayonara to the office and took a short Uber drive to Pullman Auckland.
Now this isn't a collaboration like the one I did with Grand Mercure Auckland but because I spent so much time in hotels staycationing (seriously it's the one thing I get asked about the most), it just made sense to actually do hotel reviews and start a staycation series on here. So here we are! The first of many hotel reviews! YAY!
It was my first time at the Pullman and I was so glad to get the last few rooms available (first pro tip - don't leave booking to the last minute! On a long weekend even). I actually accidentally booked a different room and only realised it the week before my stay so thank goodness my lovely friends at the Pullman managed to switch my room for me! Not that it was too much of a drama - I would have just put the two queen beds together anyway.
Check in was a breeze and the lovely man at the reception (I was so frazzled at this stage from my crazy week that I forgot to ask his name. I usually introduce myself first and like to get to know who's helping me so I feel a bit silly I didn't get to do that this time around) helped me with my tiny bag and showed me to my room. I was staying on the 10th floor - Room 1014 - which suited me just fine because I like rooms that are higher up and have a great view. This one had a view of the water and buildings, as well as some greenery. So lovely!
I didn't take as many photos this time around because I wasn't technically there to 'work' and capture some content but you just can't shut the storytelling urges off so here we are! My first ever hotel review in a sort of more structured format. I feel #official.
What I Loved
The pillow menu. I'm someone that loves to sleep with a million pillows around me (sometimes when I wake up, the pillows are literally in a circle formation it looks almost sacrificial lol) so being able to choose different kinds of pillows was awesome! I had the same option in our hotel in Manila and it made such a difference. This is the first time I've come across it in all my staycations so I'm a happy camper. Literally! I highly recommend the tri pillow if you're single and want to feel like an arm is wrapped around you, as well as the memory foam ones.
The people! Everyone I crossed paths during my stay was lovely. Very polite and courteous, and so helpful! It was consistent throughout all touchpoints - from reception to the bar staff to the team who manages the phone lines. Special shout out to the awesome supervisor Tai. She checked up on me to see if everything was okay because I had a late check out, and we ended up chatting for a bit and having a bit of a yarn and some laughs! And as I was getting ready to checkout, I had this moment of panic of not being able to find my work phone. Which was flat so I couldn't exactly call it. I turned the whole room inside out and was freaking out. Legit so scared! I've never misplaced a phone before and usually quite careful with my stuff so I was very confused. I looked everywhere, tipped everything out. That kind of thing. I rung Tai and she just kept me calm and was so reassuring. She said we'd find it and I believed her. She helped me look for it too, rung housekeeping for me, looked under the beds with me. Above and beyond! And we did find it. Inside my fucking handbag!! That I had looked into several times!! And even tipped out on the bed!! Until now I have no idea where the heck it was hiding because I swear I looked in every nook and cranny of that damn handbag. But Tai was right! We did find it and we bloody held each other in a tight embrace when we did. Such a relief. Thank you, Tai. You are an absolute superstar and I want to be your best friend!
Food. Food. Food! Everything I ate was so darn good. The breakfast buffet was exceptional. I've had my fair share of hotel buffets and when I walked into Tapestry bar, I thought maybe the food selection was smaller than most but I was happily proven wrong when I actually went around. There was a smoothie bar and fresh coffee and all the juices. The hot food was amazing - the bacon not oily and cooked just right, the mushrooms still bubbling in butter (HI YES HELLO), and the roasted potatoes so fluffy yet crispy. I had 2 servings of this, not even going to lie. There was also a little menu of hot dishes hat you can order from. I got pancakes, of course! There's also an amazing selection of pastries, cheeses, cereals, and fruit. Honestly. This buffet had everything! I did a little tour on my Instagram stories and had so many replies asking where I was. The secret is out! Tapestry is where it's at for hotel breakfast buffet-ing. And at $37, it's so affordable for what you get I can't even believe it.
Bed. Because hotel beds really make for a great sleep! Mine was a king bed and you can bet your bottom dollar that I starfished in it.
Hotel robe! It was big enough to fit my boobs. A bit TMI but some hotels have really small robe sizings and the struggle is so real when you want to look cute like all those #instagirls styling their robes a bit off the shoulder and wrapped around them so nicely. Brownie points for the amenities too. It smelt so nice and felt so lux!
The elevator area. For some reason it reminded me of the elevators from Serendipity! There's just something so romantic about it that I'm in love.
The spa and pool area! The first time I went down there, I had just emerged from a 4 hour nap (possibly hungover and exhausted) and didn't even bother to look in the mirror after changing into my togs and going down. I walked in and an entire rugby team was there! They were so friendly, said hi and said nothing about how shite I looked (I wish I was kidding about this - my hair was literally sticking out and static-ky!). I also loved how friendly the people at the spa reception were. They showed me around the gym and pool, and confirmed my spa appointment that weekend and said I chose a really good treatment. I did, by the way. The Indian Head Massage was divine and put me to sleep! Now back to that spa pool. I've been waiting for it to be empty because I wanted to be alone and also be that girl who takes a million photos of it so Sunday afternoon rolled around and I found myself alone in the spa pool. It was a very rainy and cold day but the pool was warm and bubbling away. I snapped a quick photo and put it on the 'gram and my stories then put my phone away (in a waterproof container. I came prepared!). When I checked it again, my phone was going off. So many messages about the pool and where it was or was it even in Auckland because it looked unreal! So yes, #confirmed. I found heaven and it's at the Pullman.
What I Didn't Love
The movie selection in the TV was really blurry and quite grainy. I have had it looked at a couple of times to no avail. It was still the same. I gave up on the TV (I was there for peace and quiet anyway) and played music instead so wasn't a major issue for me. But I imagine a family with little kids would appreciate a non-blurry and grainy TV. Besides, I was heading out for the first night anyway because I went to a Niall Horan concert on my own for an assignment (here's the full piece). Here's a photo of me at the exact moment I almost dropped my phone on the bathroom floor and had a heart attack:
The Porridge Test
Now the fun bit! What the blimmin heck is a porridge test, you may be wondering... Well, the long and short of it is that when I first started staycationing a few years ago, I was at The Langham (RIP) quite early that my room wasn't ready yet so I waited in Palm Court where they were still serving breakfast. I ordered porridge because I didn't feel like eating much, and also because I don't really like eating early in the morning.
I still remember that moment now. The porridge came in a generous bowl with sugar, cream, cinnamon, and berry compote on the side. I took a bite and honestly was SHOOKT. I've had bowls of porridge before but not like that. Creamy and soft and warm and perfect. I couldn't believe it. I shit you not but after that bowl I started googling how to make porridge creamy like crazy and have since dabbled a bit on the art of porridge making (I've even tried mixing raw egg to one... surprisingly good).
So now I make it a point to always order porridge if it's on the menu when I'm staycationing at a hotel. Lucky for me it almost usually is.
Did the Pullman pass the oatmeal test? Yes! It was delicious and the bowl was so big it could feed two. I just wish they had included cream and sugar on the side. Maybe I had to specify? Not sure. But I also ordered a basket of custard danishes because I've been devouring them for breakfast during my stay and they are honestly to die for. I asked if I could get just those ones and they let me order off menu so that makes up for the porridge lacking cream and sugar. And yes, I did eat all that. I was so stuffed I didn't eat again until dinner!
Perfect for you if...
You like a good spa pool and you like to eat delicious food (both from room service and dining at the in-house restaurant). Also if you miss how charming The Langham was with the classic decor and want to be reminded of old world elegance. This is also the hotel for you if you like a nice view and like being close to greenery. Or if you're visiting someone at Auckland Uni!
Would I stay again?
Definitely!The Pullman isn't a new hotel so the decor and the rooms tend to err more on the classic side, but I think that's what I love about it. It reminds me of old school luxury. While the room isn't as modern as most hotels, I really like how cosy and charming it was. The room has a really nice layout too, good airconditioning and heating control in the room, and I love the marble tiles in the bathroom. ALSO the toiletries are lovely. I forgot my toothbrush and toothpaste (freaking typical to pack last minute and forget something, eh?) and I rung up guest services and asked if they had any spare packs and they sent one up immediately! The service is fantastic, the food is wonderful, you can order pillows, comfy bed, and that spa pool. I'm already dreaming about staying again!
What I Loved
The pillow menu. I'm someone that loves to sleep with a million pillows around me (sometimes when I wake up, the pillows are literally in a circle formation it looks almost sacrificial lol) so being able to choose different kinds of pillows was awesome! I had the same option in our hotel in Manila and it made such a difference. This is the first time I've come across it in all my staycations so I'm a happy camper. Literally! I highly recommend the tri pillow if you're single and want to feel like an arm is wrapped around you, as well as the memory foam ones.
The people! Everyone I crossed paths during my stay was lovely. Very polite and courteous, and so helpful! It was consistent throughout all touchpoints - from reception to the bar staff to the team who manages the phone lines. Special shout out to the awesome supervisor Tai. She checked up on me to see if everything was okay because I had a late check out, and we ended up chatting for a bit and having a bit of a yarn and some laughs! And as I was getting ready to checkout, I had this moment of panic of not being able to find my work phone. Which was flat so I couldn't exactly call it. I turned the whole room inside out and was freaking out. Legit so scared! I've never misplaced a phone before and usually quite careful with my stuff so I was very confused. I looked everywhere, tipped everything out. That kind of thing. I rung Tai and she just kept me calm and was so reassuring. She said we'd find it and I believed her. She helped me look for it too, rung housekeeping for me, looked under the beds with me. Above and beyond! And we did find it. Inside my fucking handbag!! That I had looked into several times!! And even tipped out on the bed!! Until now I have no idea where the heck it was hiding because I swear I looked in every nook and cranny of that damn handbag. But Tai was right! We did find it and we bloody held each other in a tight embrace when we did. Such a relief. Thank you, Tai. You are an absolute superstar and I want to be your best friend!
Food. Food. Food! Everything I ate was so darn good. The breakfast buffet was exceptional. I've had my fair share of hotel buffets and when I walked into Tapestry bar, I thought maybe the food selection was smaller than most but I was happily proven wrong when I actually went around. There was a smoothie bar and fresh coffee and all the juices. The hot food was amazing - the bacon not oily and cooked just right, the mushrooms still bubbling in butter (HI YES HELLO), and the roasted potatoes so fluffy yet crispy. I had 2 servings of this, not even going to lie. There was also a little menu of hot dishes hat you can order from. I got pancakes, of course! There's also an amazing selection of pastries, cheeses, cereals, and fruit. Honestly. This buffet had everything! I did a little tour on my Instagram stories and had so many replies asking where I was. The secret is out! Tapestry is where it's at for hotel breakfast buffet-ing. And at $37, it's so affordable for what you get I can't even believe it.
Bed. Because hotel beds really make for a great sleep! Mine was a king bed and you can bet your bottom dollar that I starfished in it.
Hotel robe! It was big enough to fit my boobs. A bit TMI but some hotels have really small robe sizings and the struggle is so real when you want to look cute like all those #instagirls styling their robes a bit off the shoulder and wrapped around them so nicely. Brownie points for the amenities too. It smelt so nice and felt so lux!
The elevator area. For some reason it reminded me of the elevators from Serendipity! There's just something so romantic about it that I'm in love.
The spa and pool area! The first time I went down there, I had just emerged from a 4 hour nap (possibly hungover and exhausted) and didn't even bother to look in the mirror after changing into my togs and going down. I walked in and an entire rugby team was there! They were so friendly, said hi and said nothing about how shite I looked (I wish I was kidding about this - my hair was literally sticking out and static-ky!). I also loved how friendly the people at the spa reception were. They showed me around the gym and pool, and confirmed my spa appointment that weekend and said I chose a really good treatment. I did, by the way. The Indian Head Massage was divine and put me to sleep! Now back to that spa pool. I've been waiting for it to be empty because I wanted to be alone and also be that girl who takes a million photos of it so Sunday afternoon rolled around and I found myself alone in the spa pool. It was a very rainy and cold day but the pool was warm and bubbling away. I snapped a quick photo and put it on the 'gram and my stories then put my phone away (in a waterproof container. I came prepared!). When I checked it again, my phone was going off. So many messages about the pool and where it was or was it even in Auckland because it looked unreal! So yes, #confirmed. I found heaven and it's at the Pullman.
What I Didn't Love
The movie selection in the TV was really blurry and quite grainy. I have had it looked at a couple of times to no avail. It was still the same. I gave up on the TV (I was there for peace and quiet anyway) and played music instead so wasn't a major issue for me. But I imagine a family with little kids would appreciate a non-blurry and grainy TV. Besides, I was heading out for the first night anyway because I went to a Niall Horan concert on my own for an assignment (here's the full piece). Here's a photo of me at the exact moment I almost dropped my phone on the bathroom floor and had a heart attack:
The Porridge Test
Now the fun bit! What the blimmin heck is a porridge test, you may be wondering... Well, the long and short of it is that when I first started staycationing a few years ago, I was at The Langham (RIP) quite early that my room wasn't ready yet so I waited in Palm Court where they were still serving breakfast. I ordered porridge because I didn't feel like eating much, and also because I don't really like eating early in the morning.
I still remember that moment now. The porridge came in a generous bowl with sugar, cream, cinnamon, and berry compote on the side. I took a bite and honestly was SHOOKT. I've had bowls of porridge before but not like that. Creamy and soft and warm and perfect. I couldn't believe it. I shit you not but after that bowl I started googling how to make porridge creamy like crazy and have since dabbled a bit on the art of porridge making (I've even tried mixing raw egg to one... surprisingly good).
So now I make it a point to always order porridge if it's on the menu when I'm staycationing at a hotel. Lucky for me it almost usually is.
Did the Pullman pass the oatmeal test? Yes! It was delicious and the bowl was so big it could feed two. I just wish they had included cream and sugar on the side. Maybe I had to specify? Not sure. But I also ordered a basket of custard danishes because I've been devouring them for breakfast during my stay and they are honestly to die for. I asked if I could get just those ones and they let me order off menu so that makes up for the porridge lacking cream and sugar. And yes, I did eat all that. I was so stuffed I didn't eat again until dinner!
Perfect for you if...
You like a good spa pool and you like to eat delicious food (both from room service and dining at the in-house restaurant). Also if you miss how charming The Langham was with the classic decor and want to be reminded of old world elegance. This is also the hotel for you if you like a nice view and like being close to greenery. Or if you're visiting someone at Auckland Uni!
Would I stay again?
Definitely!The Pullman isn't a new hotel so the decor and the rooms tend to err more on the classic side, but I think that's what I love about it. It reminds me of old school luxury. While the room isn't as modern as most hotels, I really like how cosy and charming it was. The room has a really nice layout too, good airconditioning and heating control in the room, and I love the marble tiles in the bathroom. ALSO the toiletries are lovely. I forgot my toothbrush and toothpaste (freaking typical to pack last minute and forget something, eh?) and I rung up guest services and asked if they had any spare packs and they sent one up immediately! The service is fantastic, the food is wonderful, you can order pillows, comfy bed, and that spa pool. I'm already dreaming about staying again!
Pullman Auckland is located on Corner Princes Street and Waterloo Quadrant, 1010 Auckland.
This post is not sponsored in any way nor was I compensated for my stay
Booking myself on now!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a fab staycation girl, need that breakfast buffet in my life.
xx