We arrived at the Cordis Hotel in Auckland curious to see what our two night stay in the hotel’s Pinnacle Tower would be like. The last time we visited this city was pre-COVID and the Pinnacle Tower was still being built. The plans looked great at the time but we couldn’t help but wonder what our stay would be like? Many hotels have cut back substantially on their Club Lounge offerings. Would the Cordis Hotel in Auckland be the same?

The modern and tastefully designed lobby certainly announces you’ve arrived in a luxury 5-star hotel. It is a far cry from the formal and very traditional style of the former Langham hotel which the hotel was previously. Both hotel brands are part of the same hotel group, but the Cordis Auckland is a more modern brand than the very traditional Langham. One standout feature that remains is the signature chandeliers which fit in perfectly with the new Cordis hotel’s decor of soft taupe, grey and white with touches of orange. Orange is the Cordis brand’s signature colour and you’ll see it throughout the hotel.

Our Cordis Auckland Pinnacle Tower room

The Cordis is a large hotel, especially by New Zealand standards, with more than 600 rooms and suites. The rooms and suites at the Cordis range from standard rooms to junior suites with a kitchenette, and Club Rooms which include access to a Club Lounge on Level 14 in the Pinnacle Tower where we were staying.

Our Club Executive King room was on the same level as the Club Lounge and impressively large, with a comfortable king size bed, a chair, work desk, large flat screen television and minibar. The bathroom had a spacious shower cubicle and also a deep bathtub. The room was terrific and had a wonderful view of Auckland’s famous Sky Tower out the window. This was especially pretty at night.

One of the extra benefits that came with our room was the ‘Wake Up Call’ which involved a staff member bringing your choice of juice, luxury tea or barista coffee to your room at a pre-appointed time. We loved this and ordered two lattes which arrived at the appointed time. It was nice to enjoy them in bed overlooking the city skyline before we headed out for the day. There’s also light pressing of three garment per person per stay and a shoe shine service included but we didn’t need to use these.

Is the Cordis Auckland Club Lounge worth it?

As I mentioned above, many Club Lounges around the world have cut back on the offerings available in their club lounges. The quality of the wines have dropped, there are only ‘deep fried deadlies’ (pre-packaged samosas and dried out sausage rolls) available during the evening cocktail hour, and they have cut back on staff. However, this is definitely not the case at the Cordis Auckland.

The food and drink offerings at the Cordis Auckland Club Lounge are extensive. There is also a great choice of seating, from bar tables and stools so solo travellers can enjoy a drink with harbour views, cafe style seating for breakfast and various types of lounges to accommodate different types of groups. It’s a space that caters equally well to leisure travellers, business types and everyone in between.

Breakfast is a generous spread that’s only available on weekends. It’s worth timing your visit so you can take advantage of this, as the atmosphere is lovely and the eggs cooked to order are great. Barista coffee is available in the Club Lounge as well. The staff at the lounge are perfect: friendly, warm and they can’t do enough for you.

Unlike some Club Lounges, the Cordis Auckland Pinnacle Tower Club Lounge also includes a high tea with a huge choice of sweet and savoury items. If you’ve had a late breakfast, the afternoon tea could double as lunch as it’s so generous.

The Cordis Auckland Club Lounge cocktail hour isn’t an hour – it goes from 5.30pm to 8pm! The pre-dinner canapes are more like dinner, with hot dishes, delicate cold canapes, sushi, a cheese board with an impressive choice of different types of crackers, charcuterie, and loads of delicious cakes for dessert. It was beautifully presented and delicious Club Lounge offering. In fact, I’d go so far as to say this was the best Club Lounge experience we’ve had in years.

Do you follow us on Social Media?
Let’s connect on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or Facebook.

Cordis Auckland restaurants

Dining is a big drawcard at the Cordis Auckland, especially at the hotel’s signature Eight Restaurant. This is one of Auckland’s most impressive buffets with eight separate live kitchens on offer. Each one produces different types of dishes such as Italian, Indian, multiple Asian options, seafood, and the famous Eight chocolate fountain (which is also available at breakfast!). Eight Restaurant was very popular during our weekend stay with lots of multigenerational groups enjoying a meal together. If you can’t get a table or would prefer to have dinner somewhere less busy, the Chandelier Lounge also serves dinner.

Cordis Auckland high tea

Another signature experience is the Cordis High Tea. This is served in the aptly named Chandelier Lounge under the huge chandelier which takes pride of place in this sunken lounge area. The high tea includes an array of sweet and savoury treats served on a stunning 3-tier stand with sandwiches and fluffy scones, artisan jam, and clotted cream. If you’re celebrating a special occasion (or just feel like a treat), there’s also the option to add a glass of award-winning Louis Roederer Brut Champagne to your high tea experience.

Cordis Auckland swimming pool and spa

We didn’t get the chance to have a treatment but the hotel’s Chuan Spa looked fabulous. Chuan Spa also has a heated pool and hot tub on an outdoor terrace. This lovely area is complimentary for hotel guests and was popular during our visit. However, everyone must have been locals who didn’t notice the chilly wind. As a couple of Aussies, it was way too cold for us to even contemplate swimming!

Our Verdict on the Cordis Auckland Pinnacle Tower

We enjoyed our stay at the Cordis Auckland and the Pinnacle Tower Club Lounge blew us away. Overall, this versatile hotel is an upmarket yet affordable 5-star option that is perfect for business, family holidays, or celebrating a special occasion. If you’re thinking of splurging on a Pinnacle Tower room, do it! You won’t be disappointed.

Disclosure: The writers visited the Cordis Auckland as guests of the hotel. They highly recommend booking a room in the Pinnacle Tower and would not hesitate to stay at this hotel again at their own expense.

Want to travel smarter and save money? Check out our tips for flying a low cost airline, keeping your luggage safe, visiting Europe in peak season, getting a great car hire deal, avoiding travel scams, saving money at the airport, staying at an Airbnb, finding cheap five star hotel deals, catching public transport overseas, staying safe in a big city, getting the best round-the-world airfares, making the most of a five star hotel stay, travelling during low season, using a travel eSIM, visiting a theme park in peak season, packing a carry on bag, visiting a wine region, planning a romantic getaway, early morning flights, visiting the Great Barrier Reef, multigenerational travel, travelling in a motorhome, buying the best souvenirs, going on safari, visiting the Eiffel Tower, travelling with pets, holidaying with adult children, travelling with teens, and sleeping on a plane.