Auckland has become a playground of rooftop bars and Spy has the inside word of where to see and be seen on high this party season.
There are six swish locations where A-listers, celebrities and people-watchers alike, can take in the views — five atop of boutique hotels and onein a refreshed business tower.
Bar Albert softly opened a few weeks ago before its official opening on Thursday night — and queues are already forming to get behind the velvet curtains. It takes the award for being the city's highest bar at 38 floors up.
In the Voco Hotel on Wyndham St, the vantage has the Sky Tower looking like your own personal concrete lollipop.
The hotel's food and beverage manager, Julie Woodyear-Smith, tells Spy the bar is far more intimate than people might think with lounge settings to nestle in away from the bar. It has capacity for 50 and boasts an outside deck for summer nights.
Such is the standard of the space and its unique seductive elegance, that Spy knows of rich-listers and celebrities intending to book out the adjoining private room for their more intimate Christmas parties.
Woodyear-Smith hired Chelsey York as bar manager and says she is as much a chef as bartender — the mixologist is delivering seasonal cocktails that complement the bar's food offerings among the Art-Deco-inspired decor.
The Sunset Bar. Photo / Supplied
The Sunset Bar at the Sudima Hotel on Nelson St has seen a flurry of A-listers since opening in late July. The hotel nabbed hospo icon Andrew Glenn, of Waiheke Island Oyster Inn fame, for his expertise in their food establishments. He brought on board a long list of creatives for its Californian-vibed interiors through to bar and music, including long-time friend Dana Johnston of 46 & York and Pineapple in Parnell fame. Where Johnston goes the cool crowd follows.
The pair says anyone can walk in, but Spy suggests booking a table to be sure of the VIP treatment.
Glenn and Johnston were inspired by the best rooftop bars of the world, with a vibe they say you could easily find on LA's Sunset Strip.
"Like its name suggests, its northwest harbour and city views ensure the best sunsets in town. It's sophisticated but not pretentious, a perfect cocktail of style with a point of view," says Johnston.
Palmer Bar. Photo / Supplied
The architectural gem Albert St "West Plaza" at 1 Albert St is home to another recent opening, Palmer Bar. Although not as high as others, it has an expansive terrace with outlooks across downtown to the waterfront and has a Sydney vibe from design by Australian studio ACME.
At lunchtime, PR and advertising movers and shakers will be found enjoying new-generation chef James Kenny's offerings and the bar has become a favourite for folk before heading out to parties and clubs downtown.
HI-SO Bar. Photo / Supplied
The two original rooftop bars HI-SO at the SO/Auckland on Customs St and The Churchill at Four Points Hotel by Sheraton on Queen St have recently returned with sophisticated vengeance, after their hotels were repurposed for quarantine over the past two years.
HI-SO was already a favourite of influencers around town. The bar has a line-up of DJs to suit the atmosphere specially curated by music maestro Dick Johnson. The hotel has a secret weapon in its Social Club Terrace on Level 3 and will also be available for private events once it gets a bit warmer.
The Churchill. Photo / Supplied
With gin being the on-trend drink this summer, The Churchill is too, boasting more than 200 gin styles alongside their bespoke Sir Winston Churchill-themed cocktail menu.
General manager Scott O'Connor is enjoying seeing his locals come in at pace to enjoy the luxurious international-style bar.
"Our regulars are enjoying being back and enjoying our service style, which is somewhat like fine dining but with the relaxed finesse of a vibrant bar environment," says O'Connor.
He says their shared-plate style menu using local high-quality produce, rivals some great restaurant dishes.
And the views … the bar has decks on both the East and West sides, and from its vantage high on Queen St, the view to the west could be any metropolis in the world.
Rooftop at QT. Photo / Supplied
Last but not least is Rooftop At QT, which since it opened in 2020 has been able to become Auckland's most established rooftop bar.
Perched on the sixth floor of QT Auckland at the Viaduct, regulars are the business people and millionaires of the neighbourhood with a good mix of hot, young things to keep the bar rocking.
QT General Manager Doron Whaite is proud of the bar's reputation for being the perfect spot for afternoon sundowners that seamlessly flow late into the evening, complemented nicely by chef Sean Connolly's Mediterranean tapas menu.
Whaite points out the QT bar and deck are equal in size, with a 200-person capacity making it the biggest deck of the hotel rooftop bars.
