People Behind the Scenery. Hotel Britomart

People Behind the Scenery - The Hotel Britomart

Hattie’s First Taste of New Zealand at The Hotel Britomart

Nestled into the streets of Auckland, 5-star accommodation -The Hotel Britomart has been crafted by New Zealand locals to be your sustainable getaway date with the city.

Hattie has ventured to all corners of the world, mostly outfitted with just a backpack carrying her essentials- a pair of hiking pants, hiking boots, some top layers, and an adventure dress for dinners out (the kind that you can stuff to the bottom of your pack and it is rumored to never wrinkle or carry smell). She’s one of those women who – no matter your age - you want to be when you grow up. It’s simple, she’s a trailblazer.

Living in Estes Park, CO, she usually describes her weekends as a mix of rock climbing, live music, and backcountry skiing. As a manager, she comes to work at Macs everyday with two attitudes - one business mindset, and the other when she asks us “If you could be any kitchen utensil what would you be?” as a brain break for busy days.

Last fall, Hattie and her husband, Colby, went on the Highlights of New Zealand trip with Macs. I remember sitting down with her one day, the summer before she left, over ice coffees that were perspiring in the strong Denver sun as I reeled off every single place I NEEDED her to visit. I’d spent 5 months on the South Island of New Zealand studying abroad, and by the end of our chat, she had serious word whiplash, a watered-down iced coffee, and three pages of suggestions.

The geographical location of New Zealand has led to the evolution of highly specialized species that aren’t found anywhere else in the world. As a result, many native plants and animals have evolved in a delicate balance, and they aren't as adaptable to changes or threats introduced from the outside world. So, upon arrival in Auckland, when the security officer asked Hattie to pull out her hiking boots so they could be cleaned of any speck of US dirt, she sat unpacking her entire bag on the floor of the airport – regretting putting her shoes at the very bottom. Once through the airport, Hattie and Colby just wanted to rest. Their seamless transfer brought them through downtown Auckland, and pulled up to The Hotel Britomart, the location for their first overnight.

As Hattie opened the door of the taxi, ready and excited to feel the sun on her skin after over 24 hours of traveling, she bumped into a man carrying a shopping bag of oysters and just-harvested potatoes.

Hattie later discovered that this man was Andrew Lautenbach, head chef at Kingi, the hotel’s esteemed restaurant known for a culinary experience that reflects the hotel’s sustainable and local ethos, and that

she’d be sitting down in mere hours eating the dishes made by Lautenbach from the produce in that bag.

After her brief encounter with Andrew, Hattie and Colby took in their surroundings. The city was buzzing with people carrying small backpacks or cross body bags instead of briefcases and an alarming amount of linen pants (everyone in New Zealand loves wearing linen, pro tip if you ever visit - linen will make you look like one of the locals). They could hear the distant “Kia Oras” , the native tongue for ‘hello’, being exchanged by folks passing each other. Taking a deep breath in, Hattie could smell the slight scent of salt, most likely coming from the Waitematā Harbour nearby. The city bustle was interspersed with birdsong and the occasional clink of café cups. The contrast of the urban sounds against the natural elements is a welcome signature of Auckland.

The side of Auckland the hotel is in has streets lined with the original brick warehouses of the city. One of the head architects for the hotel, Dajiang Tai (DJ for short), wanted to keep the connection with the history and flow of the city, so from the outside, the Hotel Britomart is paved in the style of the city streets. The deliberately hand-picked bricks that make up the exterior are purposefully imperfect. In contrast to a place like Manhattan where all the buildings sit heavy with brick meeting the asphalt, DJ designed the bricks to begin about 15 feet above the ground, sitting on top of a full glass-window, which gives the illusion of the hotel floating.

Walking through the doors of the hotel, Hattie suddenly described what felt like a cabin retreat. “Welcome to The Hotel Britomart, your getaway date with Auckland”, was how the kind woman at the front desk greeted them. Smelling of cedarwood, the sunshine filtered through the glass windows of the lobby creating shadows, and the soft sounds of Hollie Smith’s folk music played in the background.

The entire hotel is perfectly imperfect, like a log cabin - the slight imperfections of the timber, the bed fabric, the pillows, even the towels in the bathroom have layers and layers of texture in them. It feels like you’ve arrived at your best friend’s house and your best friend has very good taste.

Hattie smiled to herself at the realization that everyone, and she means EVERYONE, in this hotel was wearing linen. Not only did they look comfortable, but they looked uniform, classy, earthy. All made by Tamzin Hawkins, a native New Zealand textile designer, the sustainable linen uniforms for the front-of-house, porters, housekeeping, and food and beverage workers are made of ethically and locally sourced materials. The fabrics are hand-dyed in the last New Zealand Dye House (North Shore Dyers), the shell buttons are reused oysters from the food production industry, and the Tagua nut buttons are sourced through sustainable rainforest projects. Hawkins focuses on her materials lasting a long time, but also so they can have a “second” life after being dismantled and made into other items like bags and quilts. Once its second life is over, the materials can be made into felt that can be composted or mixed with wool for insulation.

Immediately after walking into their room, Colby fell into a catnap on the soft mattress. Hattie was tired as well, but she was too busy admiring the decor, particularly the vase, filled with dried flowers, that was perched on the bedside table. The handiwork was impeccable – and she would bet her beloved hiking boots that it was homemade. Sure enough, etched onto the base, was the name Rachel Carter. She later learned that all of the stoneware in the hotel is by Rachel- bowls, coffee cups, vases, and soap dishes.

Starting with a wet lump of clay, her stained-brown work wear pants (that now look grey from spattered dry clay), and her token apron, Rachel sits at her wheel and just…creates. As a self-proclaimed “not much of a talker”, Rachel’s pieces are designed to serve as grounding elements for the flourishes they hold. Hattie, a creative herself, noticed the solid, classic, ceramics all throughout the hotel, reveling in their distinct uniqueness but strong cohesiveness.

Hattie, after a long day of traveling, was ready to freshen up before dinner. Heading into the bathroom, she’s immediately hit with the aroma of goji berries, sugar beet, shea butter, baobab, and hibiscus flowers. This heady concoction was coming from the lotions and potions, supplied to the hotel by SANS. Lucy Vincent, owner and creator of SANS, is the mind behind all the hair and skin care products at the hotel. Named as an abbreviation of Sustainable and Natural Skincare, Vincent’s products contain nothing but ingredients you would find in nature. The products chosen for the hotel are made in New Zealand, and the philosophy behind them is to not disrupt the skin’s natural barrier function.

Once refreshed, Hattie and Colby floated out of their room and down the stairs to Kingi where the fruity and floral scent of the bathroom products were replaced by the mouthwatering aroma of chives, wakame, smoked fish, and fresh pesto. Kingi is an extension of the decor at the hotel, with bright green plants set against the worn beige brick walls. As the host welcomed them by name with a smile, Hattie and Colby were brought to their table. Settling into the stylish but comfortable leather chairs, they sat beneath a massive, shimmering fish-scale chandelier spanning the entire ceiling of the restaurant.

Kingi is a no-food-waste restaurant, and Lautenback says he likes to only use 3-4 ingredients, all with a distinct purpose, on a simple plate, so that the world-class ingredients speak for themselves. On the menu, next to each item, it included a little description about where the main ingredient came from, how it was caught or processed, and who the fishermen or farmers are. The snapper from Leigh with the tomato crayfish bisque melted in Colby’s mouth, while the squid ink tagliatelle with arrow squid from Wairarapa was perfectly balanced for Hattie’s palate. But the main event for Hattie and Colby was the wild game charcuterie plate, mostly from Cazador, but featuring a soft, sweet French cheese made in Patamahoe, a tiny town just south of Auckland, by a French lady called Annabel.

Hattie left Kingi with her belly full and excited to fall into her cloud-like bed and into a deep sleep. On her way out, the restaurant’s mantra caught her eye: “Kingi is a celebration of independent fishermen and women around New Zealand. Our fish is caught from our surrounding waters, it is wild. We support people who believe in sustainable practices and who care about ensuring the future abundance of fish stocks and actively protect larger mammals, bird life, and the sea floor where they fish. They are our ocean’s guardians, they are our kaitiakitanga”.

After her stay, Hattie couldn't shake the feeling that she had just stumbled upon her new favorite place. Her adventurous soul, always hungry for the next big leap, had unexpectedly found something refreshingly simple, yet deeply meaningful here. It wasn't just the perfect fusion of luxury and nature - it was the genuine warmth and intention woven into everything. From the locally sourced linens to the handcrafted ceramics, each piece holds the quiet stories of artisans who, much like her, had traveled and experienced the world. The Hotel Britomart was the perfect start to Hattie’s New Zealand adventure and gave her a true taste of the special journey to come.