I was lucky enough to fly business class with Air New Zealand from Melbourne to Wellington and had the opportunity to use the lounge facilities.

Air New Zealand Lounges
Air New Zealand lounges are a restful haven for Air New Zealand First Class and Business Class customers, Airpoints Gold Elite and Gold Members and for Star Alliance Gold customers. In restful surroundings enjoy complimentary refreshments. Utilise the business facilities to catch up on some last minute business. Above all, relax away from the crowds.

Air New Zealand Business Class
Beginning with streamlined check in, increased luggage allowance and then, of course, an invitation to the international lounge. Business class offers plenty of room and solitude for concentration and relaxation. Providing a full recline, adjustable lumbar support and oversize pillows for added comfort. Not to mention plenty of space to enjoy the excellent brasserie-style cuisine accompanied by award-winning wines. If that’s not enough there's always your personal video system with nine channels of entertainment, and the unique aromatherapy kit to help soothe your mind and body. Whether you want to work or relax, Business class will definitely meet any needs.

We stayed at the recently opened 4 star Novotel Capital Wellington which is in a great location and has a contemporary style, with direct lift access to Lambton Quay, the premier-shopping precinct. The amazing waterfront, the vibrant nightlife of Courtney Place and Westpac Trust Stadium, home to many of Wellington’s sporting events, are only a stroll away. The buffet Breakfast at the Novotel is a fantastic way to start the day, nothing is missed. Freshly ground coffee, squeezed juices, poached eggs and fresh fruits with yoghurt, cereals, toast and bacon. I am sure that you would agree!

We then caught a Tranz Metro train over the Rimutaka Ranges to Featherston, the gateway to Wairarapa.

Wairarapa
The Wairarapa is seen by Wellingtonians as a ‘trendy’ weekend rural escape. With a population of less than 40,000 it’s a peaceful retreat from city life. The quaint townships, thriving café scene, art and culture and many nature walks, combined with the fact that it’s one of the ten main wine growing regions in New Zealand, makes it an attractive destination for both domestic and international visitors.

On arrival we were met by Les Cockeram our Tranzit Coachlines - Wairarapa Gourmet Wine Escape coach and driver. On the way to Martinborough Wine Village we visited Lady Featherston Café for a complimentary coffee or tea. This is a cute and cosy café located in the heart of Featherston, with extremely friendly staff. Even after the huge buffet breakfast it was hard to refuse the amazing savory and sweet pastries, it is a fantastic place to stop for morning tea.

Martinborough Wine Village
Nestled in a river valley beneath the Tararua & Rimutaka mountain ranges, and just over one hour’s drive north of Wellington, the Martinborough area produces some of the world’s top wines, particularly the Pinot Noir variety. The boutique scale of the village, with its leafy square, numerous restaurants and heritage architecture, has made it a retreat for people seeking to get ‘off the beaten track’ in style. And with 26 boutique wineries within walking distance of the square, it has become popular with wine lovers and walkers alike.

Murdoch James Estate
One of Martinborough’s largest family owned wineries with a strong focus on Pinot Noir and Syrah. Growing from just 6 acres in 1986 to nearly 70 in 2002, adoption of a bio-sustainable philosophy in the management of the vineyards has been a central part of their development strategy. They recently won gold and silver awards at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards for the Fraser Pinot Noir and Blue Rock Pinot Noir respectively. The winery also has a café where you can relax and enjoy delicious food matched with an award winning wine whilst taking in the wonderful views across the Dry River Valley.

Martinborough Wine Centre
Martinborough Wine Centre is New Zealand’s first regional wine centre provides visitors with the unique opportunity to taste wines from most of the region’s 32 wineries under one roof. The centre has a café, retail outlet to purchase wine & wine accessories and a function centre at the rear of the building.

Martinborough Hotel
A complete refurbishment in 1996 has recaptured the former colonial elegance of the Martinborough Hotel and it now offers sixteen individually designed rooms, which open out either onto the private verandah, or into the flower-filled courtyard. Each suite has a deep claw-footed bath or shower.

The Martinborough Bistro
Featuring a la carte dining with a huge wine list with French, Australian and US wines resting beside award winning local vintages, The Bistro offers simple, honest cuisine using fresh seasonal and local ingredients and classic French culinary techniques.



Te Kairanga Vineyard
Fondly known as ‘TK’, Te Kairanga prides itself on being Martinborough’s most welcoming vineyard. Te Kairanga is committed to producing wine in the high quality varietal end of the market, with special emphasis on Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.

After lunch at The Martinborough Bistro we wandered around the town square exploring the galleries and gift shops and visited ‘A Taste of Martinborough Café & Delicatessen’ for a delicious cheese platter and coffee before departing for Featherston Railway Station and the journey back to Wellington.

We had dinner at ‘One Red Dog’ on Blaire Street, located near Courtney Place and they have the most amazing pizzas. After dinner we ventured out to a couple of bars all located on Blaire Street, I really loved this area it was retro, classy and had a really nice vibe to it. Amber Bar was a Brazilian club that was beautiful and had a really nice crowd with live music. The Hummingbird was definitely an experience; also located on Blaire Street it was a contemporary bar that had very generous alcoholic servings. The music was from the Gene Pitney era likewise were the gentlemen although they were very smooth and oozing class. It is definitely worth a visit if only for a giggle.

The next morning we did site visits of the Mercure and Ibis hotels utilising the Novotel's courtesy van.

Mercure Hotel
The thing I will remember most about the Mercure Hotel is the view from the breakfast bar. You have a birds eye view of central city and the Harbour. This is definitely a hotel that is dedicated to looking after its business clients. Although the hotel is approximately a 20-minute walk from the city centre a complimentary shuttle service is provided during peak hours, morning and night. The hotel also offers free car parking, a business centre with a dedicated business manager, a new gym with 12.5m lap pool and conference facilities. A major focal point for the hotel is natural light and windows that open.

Ibis Hotel
This is the most popular hotel in Wellington and the most unique Ibis in the world. The Ibis has adapted to the high demand of its corporate clients. Ironing boards, alarm clocks and fridges (although no mini bar) have been installed as well as a form of room service to increase comfort and convenience to guests. Room service can be ordered and prepared for your room but you have to collect the meal from the restaurant yourself. Another point to note about the Ibis is that all of the 01 rooms i.e. 201, 301 are substantially larger then the other rooms. The Ibis is a well priced and well-presented and located hotel for both corporate and leisure clients.

Te Papa Tongarewa
Enjoy a guided tour of Te Papa Tongarewa, Museum of New Zealand and discover New Zealand’s largest cultural attraction. Te Papa is a showcase of New Zealand’s treasures and reveals the stories of their nation. The past, present and future are exhibited in provocative, challenging and entertaining ways. I really enjoyed Te Papa Museum it was fantastic! It is a cross between Scienceworks, Timezone and a traditional museum. You could easily spend a day just wandering through the exhibits and playing with the virtual reality. The museum is located on the waterfront and there are loads of café’s where you can sit and enjoy the view back towards the city.

We spent the rest of our time exploring Downtown Wellington’s "Four Quarters".

Four Quarters
The best range of quality shopping in the country is offered within a very compact area of Downtown Wellington. Four richly different shopping experiences can be found in the four downtown quarters – all within easy walking distance of each other and liberally interspersed with great cafes. Experience the shopping intensity and indulgence of Lambton Quarter then continue on to Willis Quarter and let the intellectual lifestyle of this area charm you. The Cuba Quarter is home to the alternative and innovative while the unique entertainment atmosphere attracts people to the Courtenay Quarter.

Café Culture
With enough cafes and restaurants per capita to rival New York City, it isn’t any wonder the capital has become a mecca for foodies! Take your pick from a melting pot of eating choices along Courtenay Place, Wellington’s true restaurant sector, or sample the great coffee at any of the fantastic cafes in Wellington! From award winning Pacific-rim cuisine to cheap and cheerful ethnic cafes there is something for every taste.

We were transferred to the airport with AP Shuttles for the one hour flight with Air New Zealand to Auckland.

Auckland
Auckland is regularly voted one of the best lifestyle cities in the world. An on-the-water experience in the City of Sails could be as thrilling as a race on board a grand prix racing yacht, or as laid-back as a ferry cruise to one of the dozen idyllic islands. Built on an isthmus of 48 volcanoes, Auckland's fertile valleys and islands are home to award-winning wineries. Family attractions abound and the city has plenty of adrenaline for adventure lovers. Indulge in Auckland's shopping, nightlife and unrivalled cuisine. Discover why Auckland is one of the best places in the world to live - and visit.

On arrival we were transferred by Super Shuttle to the Sky City Auckland Hotel.

Sky City Auckland Hotel
Located below the Sky Tower the hotel is extremely easy to find. When we arrived at the hotel there was an amazing buzz in the lobby; this was due to the hotel sponsoring the rugby in town. Rugby players and spectators were all staying at the hotel; this with the casino crowd made the atmosphere very busy and full of hustle and bustle.

This very modern hotel contains everything you would expect from a five star hotel and has the most amazing views out over the city. We did a site inspection and dinner hosted by the hotel at Tamarind Restaurant, this fine dining restaurant had my stomach doing backflips with excitement just reading the menu. The food was brilliant, as was the wine.

After dinner, we decided to have a night out on the town! There are two distinct areas in Auckland each providing a different atmosphere. The Viaduct, located along the Wharf is a classy area that has a strictly "no denim" dress code and is where the celebrities hang out. Whereas on K-Road anything goes, many clubs had guest International DJ’s and the atmosphere was awesome. This was definitely my type of place to go out for a really big night.

After an "Express Corporate" breakfast, we went up Sky Tower which is definitely worth a visit if you are in Auckland. It is the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere and at 328 metres gives you a great view of the city.

After lunch we were transferred by Super Shuttles to Auckland Airport for our Air New Zealand flight home.

I really loved Wellington and Auckland which combined with the people and the sights made for an amazing experience!

Thanks

Sam