InterContinental Auckland debuts swish new Club Lounge

IHG is taking things up a notch in Auckland with the opening of a new Club InterContinental lounge. As the name suggests, you’ll find the Club Lounge at the InterContinental Auckland hotel. From first impressions, travellers are in for a treat.

Sure, there are the usual amenities that premium travellers expect. For instance, private check-in and check-out, along with being a place to enjoy breakfast and twilight canapes. But there’s more to look forward to inside Club InterContinental in Auckland.

On the food front, the in-lounge menu has been curated by chef Gareth Stewart of Auckland’s Advieh Restaurant and Bar – located inside the hotel. This includes an afternoon tea service for Club InterContinental guests that goes beyond what’s usually expected of a hotel lounge. Menu items reflect a contemporary tilt on Middle Eastern-style dining, drawing on fresh New Zealand produce.

Help yourself to the all-inclusive offerings of Club InterContinental.

Enjoy breakfast in the Club Lounge.

Stop by for afternoon tea, also included with a Club InterContinental booking.

As for Club InterContinental itself, the experience begins with views of the Waitematā Harbour. After all, the hotel is positioned near the harbour and within easy walking distance of sights like the New Zealand Maritime Museum.

The colour palette is a subdued mix of browns, creams, gold and subtle green. In this sense, it bears some resemblance to high-end airport lounges such as Cathay Pacific’s The Pier First Class in Hong Kong, and Qantas’ Chairmans Lounge in Brisbane. Artwork in Auckland’s Club InterContinental is sourced from NZ photographer Fiona Pardington to add a local touch.

Settle back and relax in Auckland’s newest hotel lounge.

Visit the lounge by booking an eligible room or selecting a Milestone Reward via IHG One Rewards.

Venture up for breakfast, afternoon tea, evening drinks… you name it.

Other services available to Club InterContinental guests in Auckland include a dedicated in-lounge concierge. Welcome drinks are also provided on arrival and those in Club rooms receive a nightly turndown service. Complimentary pressing of two garments is also included with each eligible stay.

Accessing Club InterContinental in Auckland

InterContinental Auckland’s new Club Lounge opens between 6:30 am and 10:30 pm, seven days a week. Access requires an eligible room booking or membership.

For the former, Club InterContinental opens its doors for guests booking Club-branded rooms and suites at the hotel. When it comes to eligible memberships, though, IHG takes a quirky approach not typically mirrored by the other major chains.

By default, even top-tier Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite members of IHG One Rewards don’t receive hotel lounge access as standard. Members can only unlock this perk by earning ample ‘qualified nights’ each year and then choosing a ‘lounge membership’ as a specific benefit from a list of perks. IHG calls this a Milestone Reward.

Lounge membership is available as a Milestone Reward at 40 nights and at 70 nights. As it happens, 40 nights is the usual way to qualify for Platinum Elite. But Platinum Elite can also be earned by notching up 60,000 ‘qualified points’ instead. It means that members who earn Platinum through the ‘points’ path don’t get the option of lounge access, unless they also stay at least 40 nights per year.

IHG One Rewards also regularly runs status match offers. By keeping hotel lounge access as an add-on perk, it keeps the privilege for those who truly earn it via travels with IHG. That said, the lack of lounge access by default could be a deterrent for some in pursuing IHG status at all.

Nonetheless, for those who do qualify, Club InterContinental in Auckland is sure to be a treat.

Also read: Jet to Auckland in style on points