Staying in Auckland and looking for accessible perfection? Look no further than the luxurious SKYCITY Grand Hotel, for whilst it’s not quite perfect, it’s about as close as anything I’ve ever experienced. Keep reading for the full rundown!

Located right in the heart of Auckland City, the SKYCITY Grand Hotel is about as central as it gets, walking/wheeling distance to heaps of Auckland’s fantastic tourist attractions, nightlife, as well as the waterfront tranquility of the Viaduct Harbour. Funnily enough, though, you can – and I did – have a hugely entertaining weekend by simply indulging in all the comforts offered within the SKYCITY complex which surrounds the Grand Hotel. Everything from restaurants, to bars, to movie theatres, to the landmark SKYCITY casino, are all literally on your doorstep. So in a nutshell – you don’t have to travel far for a great night out!

The Grand Hotel itself is definitely a step up from the previously-reviewed SKYCITY Hotel, both in terms of service and quality. Even the foyer itself is beautifully adorned with leather furniture, a grand piano, and some gorgeous artwork. The concierge staff were really polite and friendly; they took our bags and led us up to our room, just another example of truly getting what you pay for.

I’m used accessible rooms in hotels being rather second rate; poor views, lower quality, the last ones to get refurbished, that sort of thing. Not so with the Grand’s accessible room! The view is stunning, check out the picture on the right – truly city views! It was beautifully furnished with soft white carpet underfoot (which my ‘winter wheels’ got a bit dirty – sorry guys!), and even included a combination-lock safe for housing your valuables.

The SKYCITY Grand’s accessible room came in two configurations – twin share or double, I chose the double option (one bed) but it was massive enough to sleep three of us after a long night out so it more than passed the size test! The television set was wall-mounted but, for a change, was low enough that I could reach it if need be. Similarly, the desk was at a great height, and even the thermostat was at a lower-than-usual height. Sometimes it’s the little touches that make all the difference.

Now, onto the make-or-break part: the bathroom! You’ve seen how even in the nicest of hotels, a simple oversight such as the positioning of the shower faucet can turn a great accessible room into a pretty average one. Well I’m delighted to say that the SKYCITY Grand Hotel ticks every. single. box. As far as I’m concerned, anyway.

Firstly, it’s really spacious. Plenty of room to turn my hulk of a power wheelchair. As you can see from the photo on the right, the sink is perfect for slipping under in your chair, and the toilet is built to standard specs. Nothing fancy here – just does the job perfectly. The push-button flush mechanism is debatable – personally I prefer those big fat levers, as they’re a lot easier to push with my somewhat spastic fingers. But hey, each to their own.

The shower is, of course, an open-style wet area shower, with a delightfully deceiving non-slip flooring. It looks really pretty, but is also really non-slip! A difficult marriage, it must be said. Anyway, the shower is set up with one of those fold-down plinth seats, but unlike other ones I’ve tried this was long and wide, meaning there was plenty of room and not once did I feel like I was going to fall off! As you can see, the handrail is placed at right-angles to the seat, making it easy (and safe!) to control temperature. You can’t see it in the photos, but there’s also a big curtain you can pull around the shower square for added privacy. Given the wall-to-wall mirrors the Grand features in the bathroom it might be advisable! (Unless you’re as vain as I am, haha)

I just waWhat more can I say?! Apart from touting the hotel’s other amenities which include both indoor and outdoor pools, a sauna, gym, and on-site day spa. They pretty much thought of everything. So if you’re visiting Auckland, or just feel like an extremely pampered – and accessible! – weekend getaway, I cannot recommend the SKYCITY Grand highly enough.

THE LOWDOWN:

• Luxury, comfort, and service of the highest order
• Great accessible bathroom
• Attention to accessible detail – lots of handrails, lowered thermostat, reachable TV set
• Plenty of stuff to do within the SKYCITY complex
• The only potential barrier here is the price – but you certainly get what you pay for!
• Overall accessibility rating: 5 / 5