Location: Apartment 3401, level 34 of the 57-storey Pacifica Tower, 12 Commerce Street, Auckland CBD. On the doorstep of the fashionable Britomart neighbourhood with its restaurants, bars and boutique stores.
Just how tall is the Pacifica? At 178.7m, it is the tallest residential building in New Zealand and the third tallest structure behind the 180.1m PWC Tower at Commercial Bay and the 328m Sky Tower. The Pacifica was completed in 2020.
How did you find out about Apartment 3401? Through The Urban Butler who I’d been following on Instagram for a couple of years and thinking, “wow, I need to get to some of these places!” And as soon as construction started on the Pacifica back in 2017, I’m such a skyscraper buff that I’d been plotting to stay there long before it was finished.
What is The Urban Butler? Beginning as one property in Ponsonby in 2017, founder Jon Lawry has expanded The Urban Butler into an entire portfolio of short-term rentals in high end apartments in his hometown of central Auckland. If you’re looking for luxury, location and a focus on excellent amenities as well as local knowledge, then The Urban Butler is for you. And perusing that website for potential places to stay is terrific fun.
What sets Apartment 3401 at the Pacifica apart? The Urban Butler has several stunning apartments available at the Pacifica, but none larger than this. We are talking a whopping 200m2 with three bedrooms, full kitchen, dining room, study nook, sun lounge, laundry and yes, even a room set up as a small gym.
What about the views? Whether it’s the beauty of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, the detail of the surrounding skyscrapers, the busyness of the Port, or the looming Waitakere Ranges to the west, the 180-degrees outlook is consistently enthralling. Pick your bedroom based on whether you want harbour or city skyline views. Either way, you can’t lose.
Perfect for: Families or friends who feel like a mini-holiday in the sky. With so much space and three bedrooms in Apartment 3401, costs can be split and be surprisingly affordable. We took our three-year old daughter Riley, as well as my wife Aimee’s parents, Kathy and Alan.
The Pacifica’s facilities: Valet parking right into the tower makes getting to the Pacifica extremely easy. Seven floors up is a heated lap pool as well as a sauna, steam room, spa, gym, and outdoor BBQ terrace. There’s also a media room with a mini cinema, a library, and laneway with cafe on the ground floor.
The design: As explained by architectureanddesign.com, “Every element of The Pacifica is inspired by its environment: the twisting totem-like design on the building’s exterior resembles a traditional Maori Pikorua that symbolises togetherness, the shifting glass façade that mirrors the sparkling waters of the Waitemata Harbour and the archetypal Auckland laneway.” The tower was designed by Plus Architecture.
What we loved about it: Saying we slept in the tallest residential building in the country! Plus, Auckland is really now starting to feel like it’s all grown up. Being on the 34th floor and trying to get your head around there somehow still being another 23 floors above you is a mind-trip. Auckland now resembles a true international metropolis and the Pacifica is an unmistakable part of that 21st Century skyline. And other than the views and the facilities (that heated swimming pool is brilliant), it’s in a great part of town. Speaking of which…
In the neighbourhood: Britomart is one of the jewels in Auckland’s crown with its restored historic buildings now home to some of the best food and shopping in the region. The $1 billion dollar Commercial Bay retail precinct is also a short walk away, as are the bars and boats of the Viaduct and Wynyard Quarter.
Cost: The Urban Butler has short-term rentals at the Pacifica starting from $250 per night all the way up to $1000 per night depending on season and demand.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely! The Urban Butler cuts through the noise to focus on nothing but the best short-term rental apartments in central Auckland. That is what they do and they do it better than anyone else.
Fun fact: At the time of writing, the Pacifica is the 3187th tallest building in the world.
Website: urbanbutler.com
I stayed as a guest of The Urban Butler. For more about The Urban Butler and their range of luxury apartments at the Pacifica, please visit urbanbutler.com.