The JW Marriott on Auckland's Albert St has officially reopened after a $30 million renovation.
The JW Marriott on Auckland's Albert St has officially reopened after a $30 million renovation.
Stephanie Holmes stays at JW Marriott Auckland, an inner-city hotel that has undergone an extensive renovation and is now ready to show off its new look.
Location: Albert St in central Auckland. This was formerly the site of the Stamford Plaza.
Style: A three-year phased renovation, designed by renownedSingaporean architecture firm O37, is now complete. The upgrade gives the hotel a modern, stylish, high-spec look and feel, with a distinct NZ flavour.
Price: From $400 per night.
Perfect for: A slick city break or staycation, in a hotel that feels like an urban sanctuary.
The JW Marriott's Forum Bar provides a welcome respite from the busy city, just steps away from Auckland's Albert St.
First impressions:The hotel’s grand entrance opens into a spacious lobby, with the Forum bar at the heart of the action. Reception desks have been moved to the far right of the space, so as not to take up any valuable floor space.
There’s a living moss wall providing a connection with nature, even when you’re inside, and striking black and white etch-style artwork of a Waitākere forest scene at the back of the bar. Both make an impression.
Rooms: There are 271 rooms and 15 suites across 10 floors. The top-tier accommodation is the 133sq m Presidential Suite, with features including a private balcony, a large dining table designed for hosting guests, and a living area with a fireplace.
We were in a 66sq m one-bedroom Executive Suite on the 10th floor.
A golden-hour view from a one-bedroom Executive Suite at Auckland's newly reopened JW Marriott. Photo / Stephanie Holmes
An abundance of windows across three sides of the suite give views of differing cityscapes – we could see the Sky Tower, city terraces and rooftops, and out to the harbour.
The sitting room and bedroom both have large flat-screen TVs, with coffee tables, sofa, dining table and chairs, free-standing lamps, and a leather stool with a foot rest in the living area.
Blonde wood laminate floors are made cosier with stylish rugs. The muted cream, grey, white, and black colour palette is visually calming, while large photographic artworks of NZ scenery and ceramic vases add some style.
The one flaw I experienced was that the curtains let light escape at their top – unusual for hotels these days, which usually offer complete blackout blinds for peaceful sleeps. Fortunately, silk eye masks were provided at turn-down service.
Bathroom: It’s relatively small compared with the suite space, but large enough to house a walk-in shower, bath tub, single vanity unit with ring-light mirror, and separate toilet.
Toiletries are Aromatherapy Associates London brand.
During our stay, it took a long time to bring hot water through to the shower and basin taps, which meant a lot of water wastage.
Chef Wallace Mua is at the helm of Trivet, the hotel's flagship dining venue.
Food & drink: Formerly a Thai restaurant, the hotel’s flagship dining venue is now called Trivet and is helmed by executive chef Wallace Mua. It opened about nine months ago and has received great reviews – including from Viva’s Jesse Mulligan. On special occasions, book a “Front Row” seat for dinner; a 90-minute dining experience seated at a counter in the heart of the restaurant, with Mua and team cooking right before you. You’ll dine on bespoke mini-versions of some favourite Trivet menu items, and might even get to taste-test dishes Mua is trialling for a new menu (he changes them every three months).
We loved chatting to Mua over courses – he even invited us out of our seats to help shuck oysters and fillet fish. Dishes were wine matched by Argentinian sommelier Tony Suarez. It was fun, interactive, casual and unique, and we left incredibly full and happy.
Trivet also serves breakfast, with either an a la carte menu or an extensive buffet.
We enjoyed innovative cocktails at Forum bar, thanks to Chilean expert mixologist Vanessa. During the day, Forum serves barista coffee and baked goods from Wild Wheat.
In-room food and drink amenities included a Breville barista-style Nespresso machine with milk frother, and a mini bar stocked with Tea Total herbal teas, exclusive edition craft beers by Urbanaut Brewing and half-bottles of wine.
The JW Marriott's 14m pool has views of the Waitematā harbour.
Facilities: Valet parking is available. There’s free, fast Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. In-suite facilities included TVs with Chromecast, plus in-built streaming apps, and a bag of Technogym equipment (yoga mat, foam roller, resistance bands).
The Wellness Centre on the 11th floor has state-of-the-art Technogym equipment, a 14m pool, cold plunge pool, hot tub, steam room and sauna, with floor-to-ceiling windows.
The JW Marriott on Auckland's Albert St has officially reopened after a $35 million renovation.
In the neighbourhood: Commercial Bay, the Ferry Building, the Viaduct, Wynyard Quarter, and Queen St are all within easy walking distance, and there’s the Britomart public transport hub nearby for everything else.
Family friendly: Larger rooms can fit a “teepee tent” the kids will love, and a chaise longue that can double as a bed for children. Adjoining rooms are available.
JW Marriott hotels offer the Family by JW programme; curated experiences for travellers from all generations. The Auckland property has Celestial Dreams, a bespoke astronomy experience based on Maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar; and Birds & Beaks, an educational session about weaving harakeke and other nature-based activities. Bookings are essential at least seven days before arrival. The hotel also has a dedicated book menu featuring books by New Zealand authors, including Sally Sutton, Tim Tipene, Nan Blanchard, and Kat Quin.
Accessibility: Accessible guest rooms have widened doorways, roll-in showers, grab rails, and lowered light switches. There is step-free access throughout the property. The reception and dining areas have flexible seating arrangements and space for mobility devices, and there’s designated accessible parking. Staff are trained to sensitively assist all guests, wherever required.
Sustainability: You can opt out of towel and linen changes during your stay. There were no plastics in the mini bar, but the provided amenities included dental and vanity kits in plastic wrappers.
The hotel’s rooftop has a herb garden and rescue bee hives. There are still and sparkling water stations on every floor for refilling drink bottles.
