Testimonials

Visitors to Auckland from all around the world share their experiences as guests at The Great Ponsonby:

Thank you so much for having us at the Great Ponsonby. You were both incredibly gracious and generous hosts and made us feel completely at home. And thank you so much for letting us hang out in our room a little longer due to our bizarre flying schedule - that helped us out enormously, and it meant that I could get back to work after 14 hours flying with at least a little rest under my belt - I can’t tell you what an enormous favour that was. I look forward to coming back to stay with you guys at the earliest opportunity.

Oxfam Coffee Break
A Fairtrade breakfast at the Great Ponsonby arthotel whipped up by the hotel team including Kirsten Morrell. "Have to say the pancakes were divine as you can tell from the eager way everyone was tucking in." - Julia, All Good News
Read more about it here.
View photos of the event here.

Go Green, Travel Green, (Review)
The Great Ponsonby Art Hotel is one of Auckland’s best bed and breakfasts. It’s a medium sized bed and breakfast located in the Ponsonby neighborhood. When looking for a place to stay in Auckland we found them because they are the first Auckland hotel to be listed in Lonely Planet’s Greendex.
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Check out what the Tourism Energy Efficiency Programme says about us!
"Energy Audit confirms the Great Ponsonby is right on track"
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"The 11 room Victorian villa with garden apartments is located just 300 metres from Ponsonby Road in Auckland, arguably the best breakfasting street in New Zealand. Despite the gourmet competition this guest house has enjoyed an international reputation for its breakfast, since opening in 1996, that other B&Bs should take notice of."
Alan Tichall, Tourism Business, Spring 2007
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"Thank you all so much for your warmth and hospitality during our recent stay. We truly enjoyed meeting all three of you. Sue was so grateful to Gerry for the car ride to the Jade shop and Jeff remembers the neighborhood walk as one of the trip's highlights. The breakfast was wonderful and the luxury of having our room until we headed to the airport was really an unexpected pleasure." Sue and Jeff James, Seattle, WA 2008

"We want to thankyou both & all your staff for a fantastic stay in Auckland. We would highly recommend your B & B to all our contacts.Our Auckland experience began at the Auckland International Airport when you had kindly organised Uncle to pick us up & see us safely to our accommodation at your place..it meant no worries about finding a cab & then directing to your door, getting in etc etc. Wonderful, absolutely wonderful especially at 2am in the morning, where else would you get this kind of service????? Our accommodation exceeded all our expectations & every conceivable item that we would’ve liked or thought of, was there plus your breakfasts were sensational. We thoroughly enjoyed being at The Great Ponsonby B & B , it was ideally located & within walking distance to restaurants, boutiques, Art Galleries & all facilities."Margaret & Adrian Lee, Perth, 2007

"We knew the moment we were greeted with the news of our newly elected president that the great Ponsonby arthotel was the perfect place for us! You are very gracious hosts. Our room [upstairs] was very quiet and comfortable. I especially liked the shampoo and conditioner, towel warmers and the Tongan[?] decoration. The entire package made the Ponsonby the best b&b we’ve stayed in. Your breakfasts are beyond belief-we appreciate the fresh fruit/cereal buffet and are astounded with the specially cooked orders. Thank you, thank you." Bob & Lucille Schmitt

"The Great Ponsonby Bed & Breakfast, is a restored 1898 villa, tucked away on a quiet residential street in one of Auckland's funkiest neighborhoods. The five villa rooms and six self-contained studios feature colorful but understated modern design. The owners operate a bar on the honor system and stock a wide selection of New Zealand wines."
New York Times 26/1/03

Jason Cochrane senior editor of Arthur Frommer¹s Budget Travel magazine Nov 2002 article on Auckland accommodation says "But my top choice is Great Ponsonby B&B."

"Style; outside white, inside a riotous profusion of colour. Art from the pacific Islands and colourful rooms make the early twentieth century villa comfy and cosy." GQ August 2001

"Friendly place with comfy rooms decorated with original art in gay neighbourhood, Ponsonby. Walk to the bar Surrender Dorothy, as well as the fantastic Women¹s Bookshop."
Curve magazine 2002

"This is a great place and Bill Clinton should have stayed there.:" J Ramos Horta East Timor

"The Great Ponsonby is significantly lacking:- no air conditioning , no gorgeous, slightly vacant , fawning staff on reception, no extravagantly coloured pool, not even a chocolate on your pillow at night. Then again , it has windows that open, a resident dog, an eccentric owner, staff/proprietors old enough to have a personality and a true sense of service, great rooms and it puts on a mean breakfast. As a regular visitor to Auckland I stay nowhere else." Roger Armstrong, Company director.

Joseph Kula
The Province
British Columbia Canada

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Where to stay: Accommodations range from backpacker digs to apartments such as the Waterfront Suites I stayed at in Paihia to B&Bs such as the Graelyn Villa at Whangarei and the Great Ponsonby Arthotel in Auckland. The proprietor of the restored 1809s heritage villa, Gerard Hill, is a fountain of information not only about attractions around Auckland but the arts as well.

Thanks, Gerry, for suggesting the Maori and South Pacific exhibits at the Auckland Museum.

"The Auckland B&B they're all talking about."