Located just off the Southern Motorway near the Manukau exit, and a hop, skip and a jump from Rainbow's End, is the Sebel Auckland Manukau.
The hotel which opened in October last year is in the ideal location for those visiting Auckland and want to base themselves in South Auckland, as well as travellers with a layover who want to get away from the busy vibe of the airport precinct.
With decent sized rooms, you feel more like you're in an apartment than a hotel room. The room I stayed in had one bedroom, a spacious lounge, a kitchen and a large balcony.
Although small, the hotel's restaurant 'ORA' has a great menu for its size, as well as a bar with an impressive wine selection.
It gets a tick for me for being flexible with its menu for guests with food allergies.
One of the standouts of this hotel was the amazing breakfast - it's a must have if you plan on staying here. It covers off all the bases, with sweet pastries right through to the good old avocado on toast.
They also have a selection of freshly made fruit smoothies for those who like to start the day on a healthy note.
Despite its compact appearance from outside, the hotel has over 150 rooms, all of which are non-smoking.
The Sebel Manukau Auckland also passes one of the most important hotel room tests, water pressure in the shower, and the room's temperature is totally at your control for those like me who like a lower temperature.
Just about every customer review of this hotel have one thing in common, they praise the friendly nature of its staff, and with good reason.
From beginning to end I found the youthful and energetic staff went out of their way to make sure everything ran smoothly and any specific requirements were met without any fuss.
The Sebel Manukau Auckland has a 4.5/5 star rating on Trip Advisor and rooms start from around $150, making it an affordable option for families and those travelling alone.
Newshub Travel's stay at the Sebel Manukau Auckland was complimentary.
