Windy Wellington and the quirky QT

[love_the_life]

A couple of days ago we spent a few days in Wellington NZ primarily to try the SQ direct flight from CBR, which actually was pretty good even in Y. When deciding where to stay, we were drawn by the location of the QT Museum Hotel, virtually opposite the Te Papa Hongawara (museum). This is a quirky hotel that had a lot going for it, but also came up short in a few areas.

A bit of trivia; the hotel was originally on the other side of the road on the site of what is now Te Papa. It was moved in 1993 to its present location lock stock and barrel on rails. Earlier this year it was refurbished and opened under the QT label.


Exterior on the day the sun was shining! The building at the rear is an apartment block linked to the hotel


Balcony of the junior suite was narrow but quite deep.


Although advertised as a sea view, you have to look past the car park

 

[love_the_life]

The hotel has an extensive and eclectic art collection, curtesy of its previous owner.

In the foyer

It is also home to Hippopotamus restaurant, listed as one of the city's best, though we didn't try it.

 

[love_the_life]

Minibar though we didn't partake

A bit hard to read but virtually everything in the room was for sale...for a price

 

[love_the_life]

I was a bit slack and didn't take many photos of the room but there was a good king size bed, two very uncomfortable chairs and a dangerous TV which MrLtL walked into.


Ouch

 

[love_the_life]

Hot Sauce is their new Asian tapas style bar and the food here was excellent. I can recommend the port pot stickers and the chicken yakatori (Yum)

 

[love_the_life]

Ok, so this was a quirky and fun place but there were a few areas where I think it could be better.
1.The colour scheme of black/charcoal and downlights is OK for a while but it is very very dark. After a while it sort of became oppressive.
2.The bathroom (sorry no photo) needed much better lighting for shaving or make-up. The lights just weren't bright enough. You know, if they added a lit magnified shaving mirror like lots of other hotels it would have been fine.
3. Only one of the sliding wardrobe doors actually moved, the other two were off the guides and the hanging lamp had an unravelled cord, could have been quite dangerous. The safe was locked shut which was no biggy but did necessitate a trip to reception.
4. Staff at reception also looked after the lobby bar so whenever they were busy with check-ins/outs there was no one to serve there. I must say though that Hot Sauce staff were all excellent.

Anyway, there are certainly worse places to spend a few days and in the scheme of things it was fine. Next time though we might try the Intercontinental instead.

 

[Daver6]

View attachment 110145
A bit hard to read but virtually everything in the room was for sale...for a price

That's certainly one of the dearer hotel robes I've seen. Was it amazing? I've always wondered, who buys a hotel robe...until I was at Macq01 in Hobart. The best robe I've ever seen. I almost purchased it...until I realised I'd never used it at home.

 

[love_the_life]

That's certainly one of the dearer hotel robes I've seen. Was it amazing? I've always wondered, who buys a hotel robe...until I was at Macq01 in Hobart. The best robe I've ever seen. I almost purchased it...until I realised I'd never used it at home.

It was black, fluffy (but not towelling) with a hood. Not overly large though. MrLtL looked like a cross between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars (though daughter thought the photo was of the grim reaper)
I was much more taken by the fact that ornaments in the room were for sale, and of course the Bose bluetooth speakers!

 

[Cossie]

I always thought it was to let guests know that if anything 'walked', they would have to pay for it. One place in Singapore had just about every item in the room listed.

 

[Daver6]

It was black, fluffy (but not towelling) with a hood. Not overly large though. MrLtL looked like a cross between Obi-Wan Keobi and Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars
I was much more taken by the fact that ornaments in the room were for sale, and of course the Bose bluetooth speakers!

Sounds just like the one I wanted to buy