I’m back at the Spencer again, because, inexplicably, my head office still chooses to book us here for work visits. I hope our rooms are free. So, this is a multi story hotel on Auckland’s North Shore. We as a nation are just coming out of a pandemic which decimated our tourism industry. Our national borders are about to fully open for the first time since Covid started. I last stayed here in 2017. My review of my last visit is a long and detailed description of the myriad failures of this hotel to meet its most basic expectations. Yet here I am again. I’ll keep it brief this time. Nothing about the hotel has changed since I was last here in 2017, except the staff. That and there’s currently no bar or restaurant due to ‘renovations’. So, room service is a microwave meal and over priced bottles of whatever alcohol you might choose from the limited selection available. Also, as I came back to my room, after being out all day, and finding my room unserviced, not visited by house keeping at all, I phoned housekeeping to ask why they hadn’t visited. It seems they don’t service your room until you’ve been here 3 days, apparently due to lack of staff, because of covid, but last time I was here, before covid, they didn’t service my room either. However, despite a lack of staff, who can’t service my room, because they don’t exist, due to covid or work visas, if I found an extra $35 a day, they COULD find some staff to make up my room. Which let’s face it fellow travellers, is a pretty basic expectation, to have your room serviced, when you are paying for hotel accommodation. But not at the Spencer, on Byron. So, dejected, thoroughly defeated by the utter indifference of a large, premium (for no good reason at all, except maybe, potentially, a nice view) Auckland hotel, to its valuable clients, corporate guests of a local company who give them a decent amount of repeat business, because the options locally, within walking distance of our head office are limited. Or frankly any human being who walked through the door, simply looking for accomodation somewhat approximating the amount they were expected to pay for it. I ordered one of the crappy microwave meals they called room service for 7:15pm. The only member of staff on duty arrived at my door at 7:05pm with my frozen microwave room service meal and over priced bottle of wine, in an expensive Auckland hotel, having travelled up in the lift, and walked through the hotel corridors, not wearing a mask. I had a few choice words about her hotel, hotel management, reassuring her it wasn’t her fault. I told her of my previously unsatisfactory experiences with the hotel and how now it’s inexplicably worse, rather than better, while reminding her it wasn’t her fault. That’s before I talk about the unsatisfactory, uncomfortable rooms, tired furniture, slow wifi, and frankly half arsed, and sub standard everything. On the single plus side. There’s possibly a good view of Auckland city or Waitemata harbour, depending upon which room you get. It’s literally the only redeeming feature of this hotel. According to the signs about ‘body corporate meetings’ in the lift, people also actually live in apartments in this building. That’s truly grim and sad. The Spencer on Byron has to be the worst value, biggest missed opportunity to be something awesome, in New Zealand.…
Clean and tidy, great views from the dirty windows, 1990’s decor. Bed not very comfortable but the suite I stayed in was large and spacious. They didn’t do breakfast or lunch and the one meal they usually did, dinner, was cancelled as the head chef didn’t come in - do they only have cook?
We have stayed twice before, so thought since we had a family function in Devonport we would stay here. Unfortunately it's abit rundown since last stay. Unfortunately the bar only opens at 5pm. Free voucher for drink was a lovely suprise, Unfortunately the beer taps weren't working and the house wine wasn't nice. We had to ask front desk to ask guests in 801 to turn thumping music down after 12 as our bedroom wall was vibrating. Then they talked loud all night. Unfortunately for us we got no sleep. And upon check out were told they are permanent guests. Unbelievable. Won't be back for sure
Upon arrival front desk made it near impossible for a smooth check in. My husband asked about parking and was told it would cost $30 for the one night to park his work van in their basement. When he said how ridiculous that cost was for one night, the lady threatened to phone the police on him for saying “f*** that’s a bit ridiculous for one night”. When he finally got to his room after parking his work van on the street, he walked in and there was a dirty toenail on the floor 🤢 so gross. The room was dated compared to other 5 star hotels we are used to and we wouldn’t be returning. Not welcoming and a dirty room are two things you don’t want when paying for a hotel that’s meant to be 5 star.
The room that I had was very comfortable and had a lovely view of Auckland city. It was clean and comfortable overall. The night that I stayed on wasn't too busy, so noise wasn't an issue. The only thing that I can comment on is staff were not very friendly. They were polite but the staff I encountered upon check in and check out, none of them even smiled at me. ( I am not seeking much validation here, but just think this is one of the basic paramount of good customer service) The staff personnel who took my reservation over the phone was professional and friendly enough. I am also in the service industry, so I can understand the pressures of the job. But it would make a world of difference if staff are a bit more welcoming to guests, no matter who they are. Hope future encounters with the hotel will see an improvement in this.…
The room had a lovely view and it was spacious. The staff were polite and welcoming which is always nice. The location is great, close to everything. The furniture really needs an update as a lot of it was old and worn. We ordered room service for dinner and breakfast and it was really disappointing. The desserts were premade and not as described. They tasted like flour! We ordered 3. The burgers were tasteless and had no salad inside. We really wished that we had ordered Uber Eats! When I ordered breakfast, eggs benedict, it came with lettuce which was really strange! I wouldn't eat from the restaurant again. We did let reception know and they kindly took off some of the charge.
We have stayed here several times over the last couple of months. We've had several different rooms depending on price. All the rooms were very clean and tidy and spacious. Service was great especially at the front desk.
Our room was spacious enough, clean, had what should, and the view was superb. Reception was friendly and helpful. The overall feel of the place is that it is on the edge of needing a major refurbishment. The high traffic area of the floor in reception is not good, the finish in our bathroom shows temporary use of silicone filler, and one wonders what sort of a staff attitude would allow an ironed bed sheet to be put on a bed with a rip in it. Overall it feels like it is in some sort of holding zone trying to make up it's mind as to whether it should go down market or find a lot of cash and smarten up. My guess is it will end up as apartments.
Ok so Spencer on Byron is located in a great spot in Takapuna, easily walkable to Parks, Beaches, Rock Pools, Bars and Restraunts which is a major plus point. The gym and pools are great and the Tennis court looked good to if your into that sort of thing. We have stayed in the Family 1 bdrm Suite and a standard 1bdrm suite and both rooms were fine albeit a little dated. There are a few comments re. the poor communication of the reception staff. This is true however on all our stays todate the staff have been great and ensured our needs were met. One thing to note is you have to pre book parking spaces which we didnt know but the reception staff sorted this for us without any fuss.
Hello, all staff is working at Reception should not be working there: very rude service, don't know anything, can't fix any problem, look like each staff give you different solution for the same problem and we would not stay over there. Very unpleasant experience with Reception and never seen any Manager (any girl call herself as manager), but can not provide polite service.
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