The new SOHO Auckland hotel, developed in Mt Roskill. Photo / IPG Corporation
The new SOHO Auckland hotel, developed in Mt Roskill. Photo / IPG Corporation
OPINION
A brand new Art Deco-inspired hotel has popped up in bustling Mount Roskill. Lifestyle and travel editor Jenni Mortimer checks in to the new opening with her 5-year-old to see what the fuss is about.
Location: 180 Stoddard Rd, Mount Roskill, Auckland 1041.
Soho Hotel is right in the heart of Mount Roskill township - around 10 minutes’ drive from the CBD and 20 minutes from the airport.
Perfect For: A luxurious place to stay if you have a business trip, a stopover, a large group looking for a spot for conferences, or even a romantic staycation.
First Impressions: On arrival, it was instantly clear that the developers had an eye for detail - the entrance was striking, with string lighting and a water feature sign, and ultra-luxe finishes throughout the lobby area. There was easy parking right at the front and check-in was a breeze with friendly staff making sure our needs were met and our room was sufficient for both of us. Before heading up to our room, my son was mesmerised by the screen floor in front of the elevators and we happily missed our ride up several times due to joyful screams as the graphics changed.
The entrance at SOHO is welcoming and modern. Photo / Supplied
The room: We were in a SOHO superior room with two very comfortable single beds, an Art Deco design aesthetic with urban touches and a relaxed vibe. The superior room also included a smart TV, mini fridge, coffee maker, desk, safe, USB charger and Wi-Fi. Overall the room was comfortable and perfect for me and a mini-me to pop on dressing gowns and enjoy some room service and streaming. The room also had a balcony for al fresco relaxation, however, our particular balcony view of urban Mount Roskill wasn’t quite as luxe as the room’s general vibe. Due to our room’s positioning, we also experienced some road noise during our Friday night stay.
Bathroom: The modern bathroom had a large shower, slick vanity, backlit mirror, hair dryer and oh-so-trendy Swedish brand Verso amenities on offer.
Facilities: The hotel has a sauna, small gym, spa - with Onsen hot tub - and significant conference centre. Parking is also available onsite for $35 a day.
Food and drink: Tiger Bar & Restaurant is SOHO’s onsite food offering, serving some pretty innovative dishes with an Asian-fusion twist. We opted for room service in our robes for a 5pm dinner. While there weren’t any kids’ options on the menu, the chef was happy to customise some fried chicken bites and chips for my son, which he loved. I opted for the beef brisket, miso butter and truffle oil bao buns with Taiwanese fried chicken and a glass of rose. We finished with a chocolate mousse with mascarpone and hazelnut brittle that I barely got a look at because my son demolished it and left evidence on his oversized dressing gown.
For breakfast, we headed down to the Tiger restaurant, where my trim flat white was perfectly executed and the french toast and an omelette filled our tummies ahead of an action-packed day.
Our bed was split into two singles in the Superior room. Photo / Supplied
Accessibility: There is lift access to each floor with two accessible rooms per floor. The restaurant and bar are fully accessible and conferencing areas are all fully accessible and accessible bathrooms are available on the mezzanine floor. For more information on accessibility, contact the hotel’s customer service team.
Sustainability: The bathroom came complete with refillable amenities and refillable water bottles were available in the room.
Jenni Mortimer is the New Zealand Herald’s lifestyle and travel editor. Jenni started at the Herald in 2017 and previously worked as an education publication editor. She’s also mum to a 5-year-old son who she loves taking on adventures across the globe.
