MGallery · Superior Room, 1 King Bed · Oceania›New Zealand›Auckland

Fable Auckland

Name: Fable Auckland Review
Item: Fable Auckland
Rating: 3.1
Author: Janko Zehe

Price / night€187 (about $220; I stayed five nights; breakfast included)Check current rates →
ALL StatusGold: macarons and sweets, no upgrade
WalkabilityHarbour, marina, Sky City and the Harbour Bridge on foot
Airport / TrainAirport bus to the Sky Tower, then a walk (downhill to the hotel)

The sign above the entrance on Queen Street at night. The hotel is right in the middle of the city, yet the street around it stays surprisingly quiet.

The hall with two blue armchairs and the staircase. The old Grand Hotel is still obvious here, and the stairs are also why the entrance is not barrier-free.

A corridor with patterned wallpaper and frosted windows. This plush look is exactly what some guests will love; to me it felt dated.

My king bed with warm bedside light. The room was nicely kept and quiet, but clearly from another time.

Cushions and a grey headboard on the bed. It looks cosy, and I slept well, but there was no upgrade even after a five-night stay.

The open wardrobe with slippers and an umbrella. Tidy and practical, though the fittings in the room felt old.

The view over the city buildings from my room. I had no noise problems, even though I was in the middle of Auckland.

A round vessel sink on a dark marble counter. The bathroom looks good in photos, but the age of the fittings shows.

Two white bathrobes waiting in the bathroom. A nice touch, and the fluffy towels were just as welcome.

Fluffy towels folded on the bathroom shelf. The marble bathroom is smart, but the technology behind it is from another era.

Soap and amenities on a marble tray. Everything was clean and well kept, I just expected a bit more sparkle from an MGallery.

Three Marihi dispensers for shower gel and hand wash. The amenities were one of the nicer details in an otherwise dated bathroom.

Macarons and decorated tea cups, my Gold welcome gift, with the Cooke's menu beside them. Sweet, but no upgrade came with it.

A framed award hanging in the hotel, a reminder of the old Grand Hotel. The pretty facade and history are the best parts of the building.

The crossing near the hotel in downtown Auckland. The location is the real plus here, and the harbour is a short walk away.

The Auckland skyline with the Sky Tower on a sunny day. I came in by airport bus to the tower and walked downhill to the hotel; the way back with a suitcase is uphill.

I booked the Fable Auckland for five nights and was looking forward to something special. An MGallery in a historic building, that sounded great. It wasn't quite what I expected, and I left a bit disappointed.

Quick verdict: A central former grand hotel with a great breakfast buffet and a quiet street. But the rooms are dated, there's no desk, and the price is high. JCI Score 3.1 out of 5.

Location

The hotel sits in the middle of the city. You can walk to the harbour, the marina, Sky City, the parks and the Harbour Bridge. That's a real plus.

Getting there is a bit of work. I took the airport bus to the Sky Tower and walked from there. It's downhill to the hotel, but with a suitcase on the way back it's uphill.

The city felt poorer than I had expected. There are homeless people on the streets, also around the hotel.

Getting There & First Impression

The building used to be the Grand Hotel (Hotel Grand Windsor). It got a facelift, but you can't hide that it's an old building. The look is plush, with patterned wallpaper and thick carpets. Some will love that. To me it felt dated.

The entrance has stairs, and so does the way to reception. It's not barrier-free. Reception is a small desk in a corner. The staff were friendly, but not especially warm.

Check-In & Loyalty Experience

No upgrade, even though it was a long stay. As a Gold member I got a small welcome gift: macarons and sweets in the room. A welcome drink is only available during restaurant hours, so it depends on when you arrive.

The Room

My room was a Superior Room with a king bed, 28 m². It was nice and well kept, but dated. The building technology, the fittings and the bathroom are all from another time. The bathroom is clad in marble and comes with Marihi amenities and fluffy towels. It looks good in photos, but the age shows.

It was quiet. Even though the hotel is in the middle of the city, the street around it is traffic-calmed, so few cars pass by. I had no noise problems.

There is no desk in the room. You only get a tiny table where you can sit, and it isn't really suited for work. I ended up sitting on the bed with my laptop on my lap. If you need to work, this is not the right hotel for you.

Food & Drink

Breakfast was included, and it was great. It's a buffet. After weeks of à la carte breakfasts in Australia, I was happy to have a buffet again. It was fun.

Digital Customer Experience

Nothing digital to report.

The Bill & Value

Five nights, €934.77 (about $1,102) in total (a one-night booking at €150.06, plus four nights at €784.71). That's about €187 (about $220) a night. I earned 2,869 Reward points and 1,939 Status points. It was definitely expensive. Auckland has plenty of other Accor hotels, and next time I'd look at those first. The Novotel Auckland Airport, for example, was cheaper per night. I had expected something really special here, and this wasn't it. You can check current rates and availability on the official Accor page for the Fable Auckland.

Verdict

What I particularly liked

The central location on a quiet street, the breakfast buffet, the character of the old building, and the welcome sweets.

What I didn't like

The dated technology, fittings and bathroom, no desk to work at, the stairs and the small corner reception, the price, and the fact that it didn't feel special for an MGallery.

Would I come back? No. I'd look at the other Accor hotels in Auckland first. This one is a pretty facade on an old building, and for that money I expected more.