Aspen Hotel – Auckland affordable small hotel

A hotel that really does live up to its friendly name is Aspen House. On checking in guests are offered the Aspen Guide to Auckland that the locals in the hotel have put together! At Aspen House bed and breakfast this  is exactly the friendly service you can expect from its team – along with advice on how to get around and where to go depending on your age, stamina and price!This bed and breakfast hotel is in the heart of Auckland City. Its staff are born and bred ‘kiwi’ so they know what sights are on the hotel’s doorstep. Aspen’s 1^st pick  -Albert Park   A five minute walk away from the hotel, past some historic buildings is Albert Park, the lungs of the CBD. The park stands on a ridge built up from ash from a volcano that was once below the park that erupted over 60,000 years ago.A maori village (papakainga) was on the site before European settlement. In 1945 Albert Barracks was built here. Today in one corner is the Auckland City Art Gallery (which will soon house some of Josie and Julian Robertson’s wonderful art collection). On the other is a park keepers cottage which is a museum of memorabilia. The park has a range of statutory. Memorials, formal flower beds, Victorian fountain and some beautiful mature trees. Opposite the park is the University with its impressive clock tower.No 2. the Auckland tourist bus  It doesn’t matter what city in the world you are in, these touristy trips do give you a good quick insight into a city’s sights and sounds. Auckland’s tourist bus is no different with stops at the Ferry Building, along the waterfront to Kelly Tarltons. The bus also goes through Parnell Village a shopping district with lots of galleries, the Rose Gardens, Auckland War Memorial Museum (well worth a visit) before heading into the City to Queen Street, the Sky Tower and more.

No 3 The Waterfront   You can visit the next destinations on the ‘expolorer tourist bus’, other public transport or a taxi. Auckland has a magnificent waterfront, your first stop should be Bastion Point Lookout – an iconic lookout point over the Waitemata Harbour with magnificent views. It is also  a significant area for its Maori protests in the 1970’s against forced land alienation by non-Maori New Zealanders. Further along is Kelly Tarltons with its penguin Antarctic Adventure and Underwater World, a short walk to sandy beaches, coffee shops and lots of eating choices. No 4 – A ferry trip  No one should leave Auckland without getting on a ferry and going to either Devonport (10 minutes) for lunch and shopping, Rangitoto (20 minutes) for an adventure walk up an extinct volcano or to Waiheke ( 40 minutes) to lunch at a vineyard and walk along a surf beach and admire the coastal views.  No 5 – Adventure   For those keen to take stories home try either the America’s Cup experience, Bridgeclimb (a walk over the Auckland Harbour Bridge), a bungee off the Sky Tower, a walk around the Sky Tower or for those not into adrenalin rushes just have lunch or dinner at the top of the Sky Tower and admire the 360 views of Auckland.