Thanks to Barbara Hart for this great review!

The Rendezvous Hotel was great. It has an underground walkway to the Aotea centre which is why I chose it. I booked a twin disability room as I had a friend staying with me. Best thing was the parking, large disability parking close to the door to the reception, and it cost $10 a day. A very helpful concierge took my bag to my room for me. The room was huge. Plenty of space for the chair though the plug for the charger wasn’t in the best place.

The bathroom was huge and certainly a different design than any I have stayed in. It included a bath with the shower at the end and the toilet was just by the door so it was really good, if I was in the shower my friend could use the loo, didn’t have a seat though I don’t need one yet and I suspect you could sit on the end of the bath.

Once I had arrived I thought I would check out the walkway. The concierge said there were a few steps but not too worry he would show me and he was sure we could work it out. I was very sceptical however. Once I got down there I found six stairs and said no way and then notices to very large garage doors. Can you open them I said, so he check and he could so it was a simple matter of going back a level and going down the car park ramps, piece of cake. He left the door open for me and I said I would let him know when I got back so he could lock them. Any problems he said, lift the reciever and we will come. And come they did, if the doors weren’t open they would come and open them. My timing was bad, the parking area lift was being revamped and one day the lift was not available, however one of them would escort me down the parking building, walking in front in case any traffic came, it was great. Certainly the best treatment I have ever received. It certainly gets four and a half stars out of five from me.

• Official website: The Rendevous Hotel
• Average room rate: $100-$150/night

Aotea Centre wasn’t quite as good, what bozo, decided to build a huge building like that and only have lifts at one end. Five levels with disability ramps in out of the way places, and some of the disability toilets that were really too small. Went to one that was at the top of a flight of stairs so of course the AB’s (“able bodieds”) would use it. So of course I would have to find a lift and go to another floor. I found it really infuriating and was always worried I would run my battery down. And there were odd things, like no signage in the lift, if you forgot what floor you needed you had to guess and get out of the lift and go round the corner to read what was on the floor. Sorry, didn’t like it at all.

But did have a lovely time in the big smoke though struggled to find the disability access to some places, Sky City Cinemas was great once you found your way in whcih wasn’t easy, and I had to ask how to get down to the food court. because there were no signs.