A new place to stay in Auckland for those on a budget

 

Looking for a place to stay in central Auckland that won't bust your budget? 

Accor has announced the debut of the greet brand in New Zealand with the opening of greet Hotel Auckland Off Queen.

Located in the heart of Auckland's CBD, the 82-room greet hotel Auckland Off Queen marks the brand's first property in New Zealand.

Formerly known as Ascotia Off Queen, it is situated just a short walk from Myers Park and within easy reach of the city's dining, shopping, entertainment and business districts. The promo material says the hotel offers a "convenient and affordable base" for travellers exploring Auckland.

Launched in 2019 in Beaune, France, the greet brand is built on the belief that feeling good shouldn't cost a fortune. 

With affordability and convenience at its core, the brand champions "a fresh and forward-looking approach to hospitality, focusing on meaningful essentials, positive hospitality and eclectic personality", I am reliably informed.

From comfortable beds and great showers to tasty breakfasts, reliable wifi and friendly service, greet delivers straightforward and satisfying stays that are big on personality and low on budget, the promotional material says.

Adrian Williams, Chief Operating Officer of Accor in the Pacific region, is fired up. 

“We're so excited to introduce greet to New Zealand, bringing a fresh approach to affordable hospitality to the Auckland market," he says. 

"At greet, the philosophy is simple: feeling good shouldn't cost a fortune. The brand focuses on the things travellers value most - comfortable rooms, a great night's sleep, friendly service and genuine value for money. 

"It's about doing the meaningful essentials well, while bringing a sense of personality and positivity to every stay. 

"As we continue to expand Accor's presence across New Zealand, we're pleased to introduce another distinctive brand that responds to evolving traveller expectations.”

Partnering with Accor for his second hotel alongside the neighbouring Mercure Auckland Queen Street, with both properties operated by independent management company 1834 Hotels, owner Dr Bryan Ngoi said: 

“We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with Accor and introduce greet to New Zealand for the first time. greet offers a compelling proposition for today's travellers, combining affordability, comfort and personality with the strength of Accor's global distribution capabilities. 

"The brand's flexible conversion model provides an exciting opportunity to give our established property a new lease of life, while continuing to enhance the guest experience. We look forward to welcoming guests to greet Hotel Auckland Off Queen and bringing the brand's feel-good approach to hospitality to the heart of Auckland.”

Since opening its first hotel in 2019, greet's footprint has grown to more than 45 hotels and 3,300 rooms, with an established presence in European markets including France, Germany, Austria and Belgium.

Further development is planned across Europe and Asia-Pacific, including Australia, Thailand, Greece, Spain and Poland. 

To celebrate its opening, greet Hotel Auckland Off Queen is offering room rates from $115 per night. Bookings are available via ALL.com.

Rioja producers have more wine than they can sell

Like Australia, France and many other major wine producers, Spanish region Rioja has too much fruit.

Rioja is set to produce 30 million litres of excess wine this year, say union bosses, despite strident efforts to cut oversupply, news hub the drinks business reports. 

Some vines have been pulled but Rioja has been battling an oversupply of wine for several years. 

“We are on the right path, but it is not enough,” José Luis Lapuente, general manager of the Consejo Regulador de la DOCa Rioja, told the drinks business in 2025.

Despite the DOCa’s efforts, Eduardo Pérez Hoces, president of the Rioja Association of Farmers and Livestock Breeders (ARAG) says the region is expected to produce far too much wine.

“We’re going to have almost 250m litres of wine, with sales of only 220m,” Pérez Hoces told Spanish newspaper La Rioja this week. “That means we’ll have almost 30m litres of excess supply, which will put downward pressure on prices again, even though it hasn’t been a particularly productive year.”

Compounding the situation is the fact that little 2026 wine is able to be released immediately, with much of it bound by the region’s strict ageing classifications – Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva etc. – which require years spent in barrel and bottle.

Are small wine bottles making a comeback?

As Australians drink more moderately, are small format wine bottles set to make a comeback?

The Calabria Family is looking beyond traditional formats with the launch o fits Belene Minis, a new 200ml range designed to offer consumers greater convenience and choice in how they enjoy wine.

Arriving on wine store shelves nationally from January 2027, the Belena Minis will be available in Pinot Grigio, Moscato and Rosé.

The launch builds on the Belena brand's strong growth, with domestic sales up 20.9% despite a declining Australian wine market.

Launched in 2021, the label now ranks #25 in the Australian $15+ wine segment.

The Belena Minis further diversify the brands existing portfolio, which spans a 750mL wine range, ready to enjoy spritzes and personalised bottles.

“There’s no question it’s a challenging time for the Australian wine industry, which makes innovation

and staying relevant to today’s consumers more important than ever,” said Andrew Calabria, sales and marketing director at Calabria Family Wine Group.

“Belena has always done things a little differently, and the Minis are a natural extension of that.

They give consumers more choice in how and when they enjoy wine, while opening up new

occasions for the category.

“Wine has traditionally been built around established formats and occasions, but there is an

opportunity to think more broadly about where it fits. 

“For us, innovation isn’t about changing wine for the sake of it. It’s about understanding how people are living and creating products and experiences that give them more choice."

The Belena 200ml range will be available from select major and independent retailers nationally.

See www.calabriawines.com.au

Fancy joining celebrity chef Massimo Mele for a messy day?

Tasmanian celebrity chef Massimo Mele is inviting home cooks to join him for a day of crafting passata.

The former Peppina executive chef and TV personality is bringing his "Tutti a Tavola" catchphrase to life next April.

"That phrase has guided my cooking for years, and it started long before any restaurant," Mele says on his social media pages. 

"I was born in Hobart but spent my first years in Italy, and some of my clearest memories are of tomato season: the whole family gathered, everyone with a job, turning the harvest into jars of passata to last the year.

"It was never only about the food. It was about passing skills down, respecting what the land gives you, and above all, being together. That kind of time is something I think we all need and crave right now.

"That's the thinking behind Passata Day, a new experience at The Chef's Garden.

"Guests will spend a day in my garden making passata the traditional way, then sit down to a long lunch cooked from produce picked that morning. Small group, hands on, no shortcuts.

"[It will be] a full day in my garden turning ripe tomatoes into jars of passata the old way, by hand, with plenty of laughs.

"As our industry moves faster every year, people are hungry for something authentic knowing where their food comes from, making something with their own hands, and sharing a table with others."

Bookings open soon, so be quick. You can sign up to the chef's newsletter at: https://www.massimomele.com/#subscribe-col

South Korean tourism hitting new heights

We are tipping South Korea as the "must visit" destination of 2027. 

And, inspired by SBC TV program Bill Bailey's Korea, we've added to our list for the next 12 months. 

The intriguing Asian nation has already surpassed its previous annual record for international tourist arrivals, welcoming more foreign visitors in the first 10 months of 2026 than during the whole of 2025, news hub Travel Mole reports.

The country recorded approximately 18.91 million international arrivals through October 26, according to provisional figures from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. 

The previous record of 18.94 million, set in 2025, was overtaken on October 27, with more than two months remaining in the year.

Growth was particularly strong among Asian markets. Arrivals from Greater China increased 29.1%, including 5.47 million visitors from mainland China. Japanese arrivals rose 16.9% to 3.12 million.

Visitor numbers from other Asian markets and the Middle East, as well as Europe, the Americas and Oceania, also increased by approximately 15%.

South Korea’s performance contrasts with declines recorded in some competing Asian destinations. 

The tourism boom is also benefiting destinations beyond Seoul. International arrivals through airports and seaports outside the capital region reached 4.82 million, up from 3.74 million a year earlier.

Domestic travel activity generated by international visitors also expanded, with regional visits increasing 19.7% to 64.72 million.

The government attributes the surge to the international popularity of Korean culture, improved air connectivity and more flexible visa policies.

Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young said the country was entering a period in which inbound tourism could establish records regularly. 

She stressed, however, that future policy would focus on improving tourism quality alongside increasing visitor numbers. 

Among the big hotel groups banking on South Korea is Marriott International, which this week 

announced the opening of three hotels in South Korea: UH Seoul Insadong, Series by Marriott; Anook Signature Incheon Guwol, Series by Marriott; and Anook Signature Busan Haeundae, Series by Marriott. 

The three openings add 273 rooms across Seoul, Incheon and Busan, bringing the brand’s South Korea portfolio to four hotels and 377 rooms.

“These three openings give travellers more choice in how they experience South Korea, from the cultural neighbourhoods of Seoul to Incheon’s business district and Busan’s coast,” said Duke Nam, Marriott's regional vice president. 

Image: Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Visit Korea

Sydney's new Italian eatery aims to transport diners to New York

Sydney has yet another new Italian restaurant - but this one has a point of difference.

Vito's opened last week on Bridge Street, aiming to bring the grandeur of mid-century New York Italian dining to Australia's biggest city. 

Sunday Co. opened Vito's, saying the new restaurant and bar has been inspired by the great dining rooms of mid-century New York. It is located inside the heritage-listed Burns Philp Building at 11 Bridge Street.

Vito’s aims to capture" the nostalgia and grandeur of the Italian-American dining scene". 

The PR blurb says it is "made for long lunches, celebrations or a drink at the bar". 

“Vito’s has been years in the making, and every detail has been meticulously considered,” says Brett Sergeant, managing director, Sunday Co. 

“We set out to create a restaurant that feels like it’s always been here, and the Bridge Street site was a major part of that. 

"After 18 months of planning, designing and building, opening the doors is an incredibly exciting moment for us. Vito’s is the most ambitious thing we have done as a group. We want people to walk through those doors and know they are here to have fun and a memorable experience."

The kitchen is led by executive chef Michael Fox (formerly chef de cuisine at Carbone, Hong Kong). 

The menu centres on handmade pastas, a significant wood-fired grill section and classic desserts by Lauren Eldridge.

"Italian-American food is about generosity and comfort, but there's real precision behind the classics," says Fox. "We've spent months working with the best producers to source exceptional seafood and meat. Every dish on the menu is about respecting the food people know and love, while presenting them with care and refinement."

Menu highlights include: beef carpaccio with truffle and hazelnut; conchiglie with crab and green garlic butter; the Vito’s signature 10-layer lasagne; scampi and scallop crudo with orange and capers; a 1kg Prime Angus Porterhouse with Marsala sauce; and Kinross lamb loin chops with salmoriglio. 

The beverage program has been curated by group head sommelier Antoine Heurtier. The choice features a 400-label wine list showcasing both local and international producers, and there is a "classic" cocktail list. 

Vito’s joins Sunday Co.'s growing portfolio of Sydney CBD venues alongside Whalebridge and Morrison’s Oyster Bar and Grill, with the group set to open its next venue on the former Ursula’s site in Paddington in April 2027.

See Vito’s Sydney

Images: Steven Woodburn