First impressions:
Tutukākā is much closer to Whangārei and Auckland than we expected, thanks to the new motorway providing a smooth passage north. The hotel is immediately obvious as you pull into Tutukākā if you can take your eyes away from the view out over the marina to the Poor Knights Islands. The hotel’s brightly coloured facade brings to mind a British seaside village. We chose the off-season for the peace and quiet and when we were able to park right outside the door, we knew we had found what we were looking for.
The two-bedroom apartment at Quality Hotel Oceans overlooks the bush.
The room:
The hotel has 29 rooms of various sizes, offering either bush or seaviews. Ours was a two-bedroom bush-view suite with its own laundry and a well-resourced kitchen. We spent our evenings stretched out on sofas (which can pull out into beds) chatting and watching TV, after days spent exploring and eating out. Ranch sliders opened to our private deck that looked out at the dark greens of lush native bush. Quality Hotel Oceans sprawls across the top level of a series of boutique shops offering clothing and art, still open and trading despite the low season.
Bathroom:
We each had our own roomy bathroom with an over-bath shower. Water pressure and temperature were strong and hot, just as we like it. We had plenty of room to unpack our potions and lotions. The hotel provides fitted bottles of body wash and shampoo and conditioner. We used the former (nicely scented) but not the latter.
Facilities:
Although the hotel had Wi-Fi, we found we didn’t use it much because there was so much to do and see outside. Plenty of guest parking was provided at the rear of the hotel and accessible through automatic doors without having to go through the lobby every time we wanted to go somewhere. The guest pool was a short stroll away, although the winter chill kept us out of that. Our room also had heat pumps – neither of us really got the hang of making them work – and we had everything we needed to make tea and coffee in the well-equipped kitchen. We could have cooked there too, but why would we, when the Te Ākau Roa Restaurant was onsite?
Dinner at Quality Hotel Oceans restaurant Te Akau Roa. Photo / Helen van Berkel
Food and drink:
The suite’s kitchen had the usual selection of teas, coffees and hot chocolate but we got most of our sustenance at the warm and welcoming Te Ākau Roa Restaurant downstairs. It offered a seasonal menu of the best local produce and with the pure Northland waters almost lapping at the door on one side and fertile farmland on the other, succulent seafood and melt-in-the-mouth beef made it onto our dinner plates. And being the off-season, we had the full attention of the staff who were delightfully friendly and engaging, even going off-menu to create us a few bespoke meals.
Tutukākā’s marina is practically on the hotel’s doorstep.
In the neighbourhood:
The Tutukākā marina is directly across the road and the attached yacht club seemed to be the centre of the local social scene. We wandered to the Woodfired Pizza joint for dinner on our second night. We sat in sheltered warmth, immersed in Northland friendliness as a gentle rain dimpled the marina waters outside.
There are plenty of walking opportunities in the neighbourhood, from rambles around Tutukākā Bay to the more challenging track to the lighthouse. Whangārei is less than half an hour away and historic Russell is worth a visit, about two hours up the road, then call in to the Ngawha Springs on the way back.
Sustainability:
Te Ākau Roa Restaurant emphasises local produce, so much of the mealtime goodness is sourced locally; not only reducing air miles but also providing employment. And rather than the tiny plastic tubes of toiletries, the hotel provides free large-sized body wash and conditioners.
Accessibility:
Accessible rooms with a walk-in shower are available, handily located near the elevator.
Price: From about $196 per night.
Contact: For more information, call 09 470 2290 or visit oceansresorthotel.co.nz.
New Zealand Herald Travel visited courtesy of Choice Hotels.