Secret Hotel deals on 4-5 star hotels?

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RedSMS

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Hey guys, I will be heading to AKL midweek. I have not yet booked accommodation. Past few trips I've been on I have either found cheap lodging due to off-peak or have lodged with family.
I remember when I used to work in Canberra around 2010, there was a link via lastminute.com.au and a similar site that offered "secret hotel deals." They didn't tell you the name of the hotel or it's EXACT location until you booked but the descriptions were extremely accurate. Yes, they told you roughly where it was and if you were smart you could pretty much bet your bottom dollar that you could suss out which hotel it was. I travelled to Sydney fairly frequently throughout my work tenure in Canberra and always got 5 star luxury at bargain prices. Sometimes the rooms were huge.

Anyway, obviously, there would be hundreds of if not thousands of vacant hotel rooms mid week next week in AKL. Having never been there before, an considering I ONLY have a maximum of a day and a half to do some sightseeing, I want to be fairly close to the city centre/harbour/commercial hub and close to all the attractions.

I want something comfortable,4 or 5 stars. Size of the room is more important than the star rating. I can't stand being in a 20sq M room. I'm looking for 30-32+ centrally located in AKL and for the cheapest price possible. Wouldnt rule out serviced apartments.

Considering my exploits with great secret hotels was successful (got a great room at the Radisson Blu in Sydney in 2016 for half of what it would have been.

I'm assuming there are apps for this thing now.


Can anybody help me with both my queries?

Thanks!
 
I thought it was Wotif that did the 'secret hotels'. We were in AKL in March and prices were pretty steep mid week. There is a lot of road works in central AKL at present as they are building the metro (or similar) which makes it hard to get around. We ended up staying in the Viaduct area which was convenient for restaurants etc.
 
Last edited:
Luxury Escapes had one today in AKL

Luxury Escapes - Handpicked Holidays at the Best Prices on Earth

SKYCITY Grand Hotel
Auckland, New Zealand
SKYCITY Grand Hotel logo
High-End Getaway in the Heart of the City
A truly five-star experience in the heart of the city - have the best of Auckland on your doorstep and the vibrant Viaduct Harbour within easy walking distance at the elegant SKYCITY Grand Hotel. Indulge in a chic city escape with daily a la carte breakfast, daily beer or wine each, NZ$100 credit to spend at any of the 20 on-site restaurants, guaranteed 1pm check out and an exclusive Experience Passport offering you discounts on local experiences.


2, 3, 4 or 5 Nights From
$449
/room
Valued up to $1,021
 
I usually hang out here - CBD VIADUCT HARBOUR You would be surprise at how full Auckland can be and it's not cheap. But you are certainly centrally located here. They have up to 130m2.
 
wotif and lastminute used to do the secret hotels but they don't do them anymore
 
Luxury Escapes had one today in AKL

Luxury Escapes - Handpicked Holidays at the Best Prices on Earth

SKYCITY Grand Hotel
Auckland, New Zealand
SKYCITY Grand Hotel logo
High-End Getaway in the Heart of the City
A truly five-star experience in the heart of the city - have the best of Auckland on your doorstep and the vibrant Viaduct Harbour within easy walking distance at the elegant SKYCITY Grand Hotel. Indulge in a chic city escape with daily a la carte breakfast, daily beer or wine each, NZ$100 credit to spend at any of the 20 on-site restaurants, guaranteed 1pm check out and an exclusive Experience Passport offering you discounts on local experiences.


2, 3, 4 or 5 Nights From
$449
/room
Valued up to $1,021
If you can get this, it’s a good price.
 
You must be lucky with your apartment. TripAdvisor reviews are consistently poor. The positive reviews on their own site are duplicated several times.

Yes, those Tripadvisor reviews are certainly damming! This has not been my experience though. Stayed in “Penthouse Two-Bedroom Plus Study with Sea View”…153m2(not 130m2 as I said) four times now. It has become my go-to(if the price is right) whenever I’m in Auckland. Have also stayed at Hilton, Sofitel, Cordis, Stamford Plaza for comparison.
 
Good luck getting cheap accommodation inAKL midweek. It is NZs commercial hub and occupancy is typically quite high and there is if anything a shortage. There are also often multiple events such as concerts and rugby games that result in little accomodation and sky high prices.
While you might be lucky at the last minute you probably won't be but good luck.
 
I haven't had a good run in Auckland myself especially on work trips, we have a limit of 280 aud per night, and each time I am in Auckland it is over that, I had to pay 380 a night for a Quest on Hobson, in early 2018, and even a few months ago, I booked the Crowne Plaza on the cusp of 280 aud a night and it was full, no upgrade for a IHG Spire Elite either.
 
We also used those secret deals quite regularly with last minute and got some absolute bargains such as the Park Plaza Tower Bridge in London for $80 a night and the Mayden in Dubai for less than $100 per night. It's a shame they aren't offered anymore.
 
I have had some great deals over the years!

Hotwire and Priceline still have, Agoda, Groupon, Scoopon also from time to time.
 
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AGODA !!! - $200 p/n

I ended up booking a 38 Sq M room at Avani Metropolis on Kitchener St adjacent to Albert Park. 2 min walk to cnr Victoria and Queen and 5 mins to skytower. Amazing building. Room on 29th floor facing east with balcony and really pretty view. Fully self contained with washing machine/dryer/microwave/fridge/freezer/kettle/toaster/iron/ironing board/electric stove/cutlery and crockery. Also a very spacious bathroom with separate bath and shower. Awesome location.

Am heading to Perth tomorrow, have used Agoda again and have received same type of gig in Northbridge at a place called Attika Hotel. Rated 9.2 on Tripadvisor. Also 38 Sq M room with same in room amenities as what I described in AKL, and get this.... $127 p/n !!!
 
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