Te Arikinui Pullman Auckland Airport Hotel

Dinner and cocktails on the top floor while you watch planes take off from down below?

Whether you have a trip planned or not, Accor welcomes you to enjoy Te Kaahu, the relaxed fine dining restaurant found in Auckland Airports newest hotel, Te Arikinui Pullman.

As the first five-star hotel to open at the Auckland Airport precinct, Te Arikinui Pullman is set to quickly establish itself as one of New Zealand’s most architecturally striking hotels. Designed by Warren and Mahoney, it is shaped by the design concept ‘Sea to Sky’ and inspired by the journey of adventure and discovery by the people of Tainui waka. 

Walking through the front doors, you’re embraced with understated luxury and cultural design elements that hero Aotearoa – whether it be the carvings in the stone and timber panelling or locally made iwi-designed bed throws.

If it’s a grab ‘n’ go moment that you’re after rather than dining in, then you needn’t go any further than the lobby as the hotel also introduces Kuriri Café and Eatery. With artisan bites and coffee, it’s the perfect stop for those that want to be close for that early morning departure or late return. 

However, what excited us the most laid 9 levels above – Te Kaahu, the relaxed fine dining restaurant led by esteemed chef, Nancye Pirini. Nothing was short of impressive with a carefully curated menu that showcased the country’s finest cuisine and an array of local wines.

We naturally started the evening at the bar, wrapped around the corner where you’re welcomed with a nearby view of planes taking off and screens displaying the upcoming departing flights (just in case you get distracted by the cocktails). The highlight drink on the menu was Summer ’23 – a sweet cocktail that brings together chilli oil tequila, mezcal, pineapple, New Zealand yuzu, coconut, and rimmed with a bitter orange dust.

As the night progressed, we moved into the main dining area where you can choose from high-seat bar tables, a cozy couch set, or intimate table dining. Yet, no table is short of a view with floor to ceiling windows that wrap around the restaurant.

Head Chef, Nancye, ran us through the menu, revealing kitchen staff often bring their own fresh ingredients from their gardens. And this was well reflected in the food as dishes like the caramelized carrots stood to be one of our favourite dishes.

Whether you have an overseas trip planned or not, Te Kaahu is well worth the experience – however, we also strongly recommend an overnight stay.

Menu Picks:

• Dayboat catch raw fish | coconut panna cotta | salted cucumber | capsicum chili salsa | citrus.
• Savannah OP rib eye
• Caramelised carrots | yuzu hollandaise | fried curry leaves.
• Warm coconut and cardamom rice pudding | Toasted coconut shavings | passionfruit and mango citrus salad | Taranaki toasted macadamias | coconut sorbet
• Summers ’23 Cocktail