The plane was a little late but we arrived in Auckland only about half an hour behind schedule so got to City Garden Lodge about 3.50pm. The taxi was very expensive, next time I will book a shuttle.
City Garden Lodge is located in Parnell which is beautiful
. There are streets of old renovated houses - some are commercial and some are residential. The gardens are lovely with lots of hydrangeas and roses and other flowers. We went out walking around the streets and in the Parnell Village we found small alleys leading to restaurants and small boutiques. The shops were interesting and unique so window shopping was great fun.
We had dinner at an Italian restaurant called Non Solo Pizza (NSP) which was tucked down an alley beside a bar. It had a lovely covered outdoor dining area with ivy covered walls and a water feature. Gorgeous atmosphere and great food. We had Ravioli di Pollo (Tara's choice) and it was fantastic.
Afterwards we went to the Chocolate Shop - Tara had a chocolate milkshake and I had hot chocolate. The whole shop smelt of chocolate and it was a really nice place.
City Garden Lodge is a little run-down (could probably use some paint) but clean and charming. The staff were welcoming, the other guests friendly and the room and facilities quite reasonable. The kitchen was very clean and well stocked with equipment, plates, cutlery etc. There was even a resident cat.
First Day in Auckland
Thursday, January 03, 2013
Auckland, North Island, New Zealand
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2025-02-14