The Hotel Britomart Landing Suites: A Tribute to Time and Place
In the movie Interstellar, astronauts travel through a wormhole in search of a new habitable planet to save humanity. One of them returns to his daughter’s room by manipulating gravity and time, pushing a bookshelf to send a message across space and time. Sorry if this is a spoiler for you. This concept lingered with me for a long time after watching the movie. Not only is it another work of art by Christopher Nolan, but there is something powerful in the concept that connection isn’t linear and direct.
The reason I bring up this strange movie reference in relation to a story about luxury retreats in New Zealand is that it is the best way to describe a fundamental part of the DNA of The Landing Suites at The Hotel Britomart – five very special retreats that are not only luxury boltholes in the heart of Auckland but also have a very special link to another place and time.
To give some context, we need to travel 270 kilometers north to The Landing, a mind-boggling, stunning 1000-acre waterfront property located in New Zealand’s Bay of Islands. It’s the type of retreat where celebrities and former US Presidents will fly in. Barack Obama described it as magical when he was there in 2018. The location is beautiful and has been developed in a way to enhance that beauty with the skillful work of Cheshire Architects, who designed the property’s houses.
The Gabriel residence is a modern four-bedroom home inspired by traditional New Zealand farm buildings that sleeps up to eight guests. The Cooper Residence has six bedrooms and 360-degree views of the landscape and houses a remarkable private collection of Māori artifacts and historic photos, the largest collection outside a museum in New Zealand. The newest residence is the Vineyard Villa, a striking contemporary house with three bedrooms situated in the middle of the vineyards. It has heavy glass doors that slide open on virtually all sides to bring in the landscape and the views of the water in the far distance.
The Boathouse, once a colonial shearing shed, is now an airy gabled residence right on the waterfront with expansive outdoor and indoor entertaining areas and a magnificent view across the bay.
The cuisine is derived largely from the surroundings, including the property’s two vegetable and herb gardens, chicken coops, and a bay of seafood, so there’s a chance that a combination of location, architecture, and food contributed to his description of “magical.” But I think there’s also a sense of magic that comes from the history of the place too.
The Bay of Islands in itself is one of New Zealand’s most historic regions, a place where the first settlers landed and traded with the local Māori tribes, and it is, of course, where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840. The Landing itself has 43 archaeological sites on the property, including the remains of an old mission house. The property overlooks the foreshore, and an imposing Norfolk Pine planted in 1817 to celebrate the first European child born in New Zealand stands tall. In a cove next door is Marsden’s Cross, a monument to original settler Samuel Marsden, who planted the first grapes there.
The Landing offers a glimpse of New Zealand’s rich history and stunning natural beauty, with Māori history intertwined with the property’s story. With luxurious accommodations, breathtaking views, and personalized services, it is the perfect escape for those who seek seclusion, beauty, and comfort. This same magic is somehow connected back to Auckland and The Hotel Britomart. On the surface, there are obvious links including the design elements of Cheshire Architects in collaboration with Lucas Design Associates out of Seattle, and each suite is named after bays from The Landing.
The Wairoa Suite, located at the western end of the top floor, boasts expansive views of the harbor from its 59 sqm penthouse. The suite opens onto a sunny 27 sqm terrace with lush plantings and an outdoor fireplace. The Te Puna Suite, located at the top of the hotel, offers a front-row seat for taking in views of the harbor all the way to the slopes of Auckland’s North Shore. The Rangihoua Suite, also located on the top floor, offers breathtaking views of the Waitemata Harbor and Auckland’s North Shore to the north, and the sunny public space at the heart of the Britomart neighborhood to the east. The 65 sqm suite features a beautifully planted 35 sqm terrace with an outdoor fireplace. The Hohi Suite is located in a brand-new pavilion atop the heritage Buckland Building, which adjoins The Hotel Britomart. The 60 sqm suite has dramatic, loft-like ceilings, lavish linen drapes, and views eastwards towards Takutai Square. The Poraenui Suite is a beautifully kept secret, occupying a sleek and glassy pavilion on the rooftop. The 74 sqm loft-like suite blends heritage and modernity seamlessly and offers fantastic views across neighboring heritage rooftops to the city and Takutai Square. The living room and bedroom open onto a private 28 sqm terrace.
Each of these suites is unique but with a real sense of connection to The Landing and its reverence of history and place, with details including Shane Cotton artwork, books, and artifacts. But it’s more than that – you just feel it. I wish I had a better way to describe it, but I have to go back to Interstellar. Somehow, through a curve in the spacetime continuum, all of the history and magic from The Landing seems to flow through the Landing Suites at The Hotel Britomart. There is a sense of welcome, or “nau mai haere mai,” that comes with this respect for the past and place. And it very much shows with the way guests are catered to.
Ciaran Molloy, Guest Relations Manager at The Hotel Britomart, focuses on offering guests “exceptional experiences that aligns with some of the top luxury lodges and luxury villas in New Zealand based in the heart Tāmaki Makaurau.” This involves curating experiences for guests that go beyond their accommodation. The hotel is located in the Britomart neighborhood, which has many Kiwi eateries and designers that guests can explore, and for a more bespoke experience, Molloy will often arrange private viewings and fittings at high-end luxury brands like Trelise Cooper, Deadly Ponies and Tiffany & Co.
And it’s also the little things. “On a daily basis, we try to create exceptional experiences for our guests in any way that may be, whether that’s just a little bit of engagement with figuring out why they’re in New Zealand, and where they’ve come from. Tell us their history, tell us their background. It doesn’t necessarily need to be anything that takes place outside of the hotel. It’s a highly personalised approach making the guests feel welcomed and treated like an individual,” says Molloy.
“As a New Zealander, I truly believe that we have something special that sets us apart. We don’t need to pretend to be anything other than ourselves because our country and our people are truly unique. We’re welcoming and open, always ready to assist and engage with visitors. We want them to feel at home, not like they’re just a transaction. That’s why we avoid using the term ‘customer’ at our hotel. We want people to feel like they’re acquaintances, who are soon to become friends. It’s all about creating a welcoming atmosphere and making people feel at ease with our truly Kiwi style of hospitality.”
And even if you are coming from the other side of the world, it’s this sense of home that connects with this gateway to incredible vast history, natural beauty and things of generational importance and combining them with bespoke experiences and an intimate sense of welcome.
