Best Historical Hotels in New Zealand
As a long-established luxury travel publication, The Luxury Editor is known for showcasing hotels that go beyond star ratings alone and focus on what really matters to discerning travellers seeking a memorable stay in a historical hotel in New Zealand. Service, design, atmosphere, sense of place and the overall quality of the guest experience all play a part in whether a property earns its place in our curated list.
Whether you are at the early stages of planning or already comparing a shortlist, our choice of historical hotels in New Zealand is a credible and useful guide, with easy booking options too.
Let us help you make searching for the perfect place to stay more inspiring, more informed and more enjoyable.
Wellington, Wairarapa
Wharekauhau Country Estate
(5 stars)This country estate may be set on a working sheep and cattle farm, but it’s one of the most exclusive and fancy around. The Relais & Chateaux property sits above Palliser Bay. It comprises 16 cottages (one with four bedrooms and its own pool), the main lodge, a gym, Hauora Spa, a tennis court, a games room, a 24-metre indoor heated swimming pool, a library and pretty gardens. Guests drink water from a natural spring and feast on produce grown and reared on site, sumptuously prepared by the able kitchen team. Meals are akin to a high-end dinner party, with a personal feel.
Auckland Region, Auckland, Auckland CBD
Fable Auckland, MGallery
(5 stars)Sleep in one of 70 bedrooms (king and queen sized, or suites with separate living areas) within this 1928 Heritage Listed building, one of the city’s original skyscrapers. Set on a precinct in a lively pocket of the Downtown area, Fable highlights the building’s period elements, while maintaining a contemporary feel through grounding tones of grey, earthy brown and deep plum. Guests can feast on an array of nutritious international dishes packed with wholefoods, or hunker down in the lounge with a drink, at its Cookes Restaurant and Bar. Fable became a five-star hotel in 2017.