Want a perfect Wellington family holiday? Starting from just $239, you can get a fab room for all of you, buffet breakfast and free lunch and dinner for the kids. Here’s how to do it, and where else to spend your time. Prefer to stay in Auckland? Head here for our Tāmaki Makaurau guide!
Capsule x Rydges
Between work, family, cooking dinner, the mental load, chauffeuring my son between sports practices, and evenings spent watching the likes of The White Lotus, I sometimes forget I’m in Wellington. I mean, I know I live here, of course, but I do forget that excited feeling I had when I used to visit. I was 16 when I first got to explore properly, arriving via a bus that took me past the tall buildings on the Terrace.
So last weekend, my husband, 10-year-old son and myself decided to treat ourselves to a family weekend ‘away in the city’ at Rydges Wellington, just a couple of blocks from Parliament and directly overlooking the harbour. From here you can wander along Lambton Quay to do some shopping, or catch a bus to the other end of the CBD. Or you can saunter towards the waterfront where there’s always a lot to do and see.
This is one of the best hotels to stay with kids, because Rydges really does have families in mind. It’s not noisy at night. And kids who are 12 and under stay and eat free at most Rydges hotels in New Zealand this year (and we all know how much kids can eat) – and this frees up more of that holiday budget for other things!
So how might you spend your Wellington getaway? Here are our recommendations!
Day 1
3pm: Check-in
Head straight to Rydges Wellington.
We checked in as early as possible because my son loves hotel pools – well, any pools anywhere, actually. So we had the full experience on Level 2: the sauna, pool (28 degrees Celsius is a lovely temperature), and spacious spa pool (38 degrees Celsius). We skipped the gym, because, holiday.
Then we settled into our Superior Double Double Room, which, as the name suggests, features two double beds. It had a lovely harbour view, and I love a big shower with a glass door. My son exclaimed at the size of the TV and started scrolling through channels immediately. But I reminded him we weren’t there to watch TV – well, at least not before dinner!
6.30pm: Dinner at Portlander Bar & Grill
Portlander has a reputation as one of Wellington’s best steakhouses (there are pescatarian, vegetarians and gluten-free dishes options too). It also serves Te Matuku Oysters, from Waiheke Island, four different ways.
We were stoked with the ‘Kids Eat Free’ deal! “I can’t believe I’m free,” he said (I pointed out he would actually cost us $250,000 to raise). From the kids’ menu, he chose the chicken tenders, fries and broccoli – and he found room, of course, for his dessert: icecream topped with sprinkles.
As for the adults? I ordered two entrees (do other people sometimes also do this, instead of getting a main?). One was wairiri buffalo mozzarella, with manuka honey confit butternut, compressed cucumber, spiced puffed rice, and red wine vinegar reduction. The other was cured Mt Cook salmon, with horseradish cream, preserved lemon dressing, rice wafer, beetroot powder. Deliciousness.
My husband ordered a starter of Arobake’s stone-based honey ciabatta with manuka-smoked garlic butter. He deliberated whether to order one of Portlander’s signature steaks, one of its beef dishes cooked on the lava grill, or one of its beef burgers, but ultimately went for the roasted pork belly with mustard and pear (a very generous portion), with a side of garlic mashed potatoes. He finished it with a satisfied sigh, and a thumbs up.
For dessert, it was a toss-up between the Sticky Date Pudding with butterscotch and vanilla ice cream, and the chocolate cake with dark chocolate crumbs and Zelati’s sorbet. We decided to share the chocolate cake.
A total of $134 for dinner for three – including starters, sides and dessert – ispretty budget-friendly for what my son called a “fancy grown-ups’ restaurant that also likes kids”.
They also know their wines here, and our solicitous waiter recommended a lovely Pinot Noir. Our booth was fringed by a glass cabinet stacked with wine bottles – my son initially started counting them, but then it was food on his mind.
Back in our room, he stayed up watching a movie with us, then went to sleep while we read (and had another glass of wine, because why not?).
Day 2
8am: Breakfast
Despite his big dinner, my son pronounced himself ‘ravenous’ before we went down to breakfast. Afterwards, he pronounced it “the best buffet breakfast ever” (and he’s been to a few). My husband seconded that. No rubbery eggs here! They made omelettes from scratch, and the sausages and two kinds of bacon were cooked just right. There were also the staples of cereals, toast, plus artisan loaves of sourdough you could cut yourself. I heaped a bowl with sliced fresh fruit. There was a DIY coffee machine, but you can also order top-notch barista coffees.
Our son did us proud by having four courses – in no particular order, waffles, hash browns, sausages, bacon, several croissants, and a hot chocolate.
While he kept his buffet vigil, I snuck away for a glorious solitary half hour in the spa pool and its bubbles.
9.30am: Wellington Waterfront
You could spend a whole day walking around the waterfront – from Queen’s Wharf near Rydges, around to Oriental Bay, where pristine Victorian houses overlook the sea. There’s a great children’s playground in Oriental Bay, close to a gelato kiosk that’s popular no matter the month.
We pedalled around the waterfront on a three-seater Croc Bikes (six-seaters are also available for hire); you ring the bell to alert pedestrians to your presence!
Te Papa is a must-visit, with its permanent and changing exhibitions. Our son loves inspecting the insanely huge Colossal Squid in a glass cabinet. Kids can operate touchscreens in spaces like te Taiao|Nature exhibition zone – and can do jigsaw puzzles, read, and more at Te Papa’s Kids Discovery Centres.
A better-kept secret, and close to Rydges, is the Wellington Museum – formerly called the Wellington Museum of City & Sea in a nod to the city’s maritime history. The first space you enter, with its many sacks and barrels, transports you back in time to the 19th century when this was a cargo warehouse holding goods. On the top floor is steampunk-styled space ‘the Attic’: with wild and wacky pieces that tells the stories of Wellington. See one of Wellington Zoo’s first taxidermied animals, King Dick the lion.
If you’re strolling around the waterfront on a Sunday, stop into the fantastic Harbourside Market which, as well as fruit and veg, has a long line of food trucks. We recommend the pork dumplings and the tacos.
1pm: Lunch at Frankie’s Eatery
In Thorndon, just five minutes’ walk from Lambton Quay, is Frankie’s Eatery on the ground floor of the Atura Wellington Hotel. This light, bright space has colourful geometric-patterned carpet and a retro feel. Its brasserie-style menu spans steak, seafood, burgers, pasta, salads and more. My delicious glazed Teriyaki Salmon Omega Bowl was the sushi equivalent of a deconstructed sandwich, and my husband greatly enjoyed the Wagyu burger. Coffee? Wine? Why not both? Around the corner is a chic bar, with a bar menu and outdoor seating, too.
3pm: The National Library
When you walk between Thorndon and the CBD, you pass the National Library. It’s well worth stopping in. Not ‘just’ a library, this building is a huge space, with many nooks and couches, and the large, well-frequented Home café. It’s also home to He Tohu, a permanent exhibition displaying three constitutional documents, including one of the nine signed copies of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. You can also see the 1835 He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni – Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand; and the 1893 New Zealand Women’s Suffrage Petition – Te Petihana Whakamana Pōti Wahine. It’s quite the immersive historical experience for any child – or adult for that matter. The National Library also runs exhibitions, and is currently hosting some City Gallery exhibitions while that building undergoes construction work.
Peloton Bar & Eatery
If you’re flying in and out of Wellington Airport, Peloton is an excellent spot for lunch and/or drinks (open 7am-close). Or if you’re farewelling friends, it’s a great place to relax after check-ins without worrying about being late to the airport. We enjoyed a moreish margherita pizza, fish and chips, and a quinoa salad. Comfortable booth seating surrounds a central bar. They make a fine cocktail. And if you have an early-morning flight, Rydges Wellington Airport in the terminal is a good bet.
If you want to experience the Kids Stay & Eat Free deal at Rydges Wellington, stays start at $239 – that includes overnight accommodation for the whole family (2 adults and 2 children under 12, using the room’s existing bedding – that includes a cot!), daily buffet breakfast for 2 adults, daily meals for 2 children (breakfast, lunch and dinner from the kids’ menu or buffet when dining with a paying adult). Members also get an additional 10% off – and it’s free to become a member!
If Wellington doesn’t tickle your fancy, different Rydges around the country have the Kids Stay & Eat free deal. Please see here for locations and additional terms and conditions
Sarah was a guest of Rydges Wellington
