Museum Art Hotel, Wellington

The lobby of the Museum Hotel is really nice...a comfy place for having a drink. I really liked the fully-featured kitchenette and laundry included in my room...makes it easier to cook on my own as well as wash clothes more often.

I happened upon the Museum Hotel de Wheels in Wellington quite by accident. At the time, I was teaching at the Museum School in New York City, so when I spotted this hotel, it seemed like the only right place to be. As it turned out, it was. What is it about a hotel that entices us back? What is it that makes it a good deal for the money? For me, it's the hotel's ability to make ALL of its guests feel cared for--to make them feel at home. How is this accomplished? Often it's the little things. The things we don't even realize we notice. At Museum it is the lobby that smells of fresh coffee; the cooler of cold spring water in the corner; the assortment of biscotti, coffee and tea elegantly displayed on an antique serving table; the computer with free Internet access; the fresh apples in the earthenware bowl on the coffee table; the cozy furniture; the displays of local artists' works; and the pleasant and accommodating staff members who remain calm and caring even while the hotel is undergoing extensive renovations. Then there are the things that we do realize we notice: the room designed to anticipate our every need; the comfortable bed that smells so fresh; the flat-screen TV; the bathtub big enough for a swim; the balcony that overlooks Oriental Bay; and most importantly, the coffee pot and coffee for brewing the next morning (just in case we wake up at 4:00 a.m. because we are still on New York time!). Speaking of coffee, I recommend the hotel's continental breakfast. Though its menu is standard, it includes one major perq--unlimited coffee (no pun intended to be sure). While refills are commonplace in the coffee shops of Manhattan and in other parts of the U.S., they're rare to non-existent in New Zealand. And no matter where you are in this beautiful country, you will always want a second cup of coffee. So go for the continental breakfast and drink the coffee while it's hot. By the way, before you head down to breakfast you may want to throw in a load of laundry in the hotel's central laundry room. I was so pleased with the Museum Hotel de Wheels, that a week later when I returned to Wellington, I booked the same hotel and even requested the same room. I wanted to be where it feels like home.