This hotel claims to be 4* (self-rated) but fell well short of the mark. Being a conversion from an old hotel did it no favours. The service/standard was well below par - half the room would be serviced a day, the shower is over the half sized bath and you'd have to be about 4'9 to be able to properly use it (it's really short), the television did have sky as advertised but had bad reception on all channels, the liquor licence had run out so there was no minibar or alcohol in the restaurant, the pool is really claustraphobic and they charge you for towels to use it. Bring your earplugs if you want a harbour view - it's really noisy on the harbour side from being on the main road - and I say this having lived next to the main highway for 4 years
The owners of this hotel need to take a quick trip to a real 4* and re-assess the rating - I'd suggest 3* at most after some work on the service.
The only thing that was really good about this hotel is the location which is very central so you can walk to the CBD attractions easily but for the money you could find a much nicer hotel in the same area.

We stayed in the penthouse apartment here in February 2007 while attending a family wedding nearby. WHne I rang to book a room the hotel informed me that the penthouse apartment would sleep the 5 adults in our party and was the same price as booking 3 separate rooms for all of us to stay in.

We arrived just after midday but our room wasn't ready and were told to come back at 2pm as it definately would be by then. Thankfully there were plenty of bars/cafes etc at the nearby Viaduct to keep us entertained. We got back just after 2pm and had to wait in the foyer for another 30 minutes before our room was ready. Don't exect any kind of special treatment just because you are in the penthouse! Whilst waiting we needed to use the bathroom. Unfortunately there are none close to the foyer and you have to walk through the pool area and use the ones in the changing room - not ideal.

There are only 2 lifts, both of which are painfully slow. The hallways are not air conditioned and are unbearable on a warm summers day.

Our apartment was stuning with amazing views over the harbour and city. The kitchen was fully equipped apart from tumblers - we had to drink water out of wine glasses as they were the only drinking vessels available. The 2 double and one single bedroom were spacious and the 2 bathrooms meant that there weren't too many squabbles over showers when getting ready for the wedding.

Although the apartment did come with toiletries there were no robes or slippers which I would have expected for a penthouse apartment. It was also obvious that the room had been prepared in a rush so we could get into it, there was rubbish on the floor and it hadn't been properly cleaned.

The restaurant downstairs does not serve breakfast, but there are plenty of places at the Viaduct that do,and the fresh air did our hangovers good.

Sadly we were only staying for one night so didn't really get much time to enjoy all the apartment had to offer.

Chose this hotel on price, location, and T/A reviews. Reserved a 1 BR for a little more money and got upgraded to a 6th floor 2 BR that had a balcony all overlooking Auckland Harbour from about 2 blocks back from the harbourfront. It had a washer and dryer IN THE UNIT.

My husband and I live in Auckland, about 20 minutes north of the city. We decided to stay in town for a night because I had a work party (on a boat in the Viaduct) and we wanted to be able to have some drinks and then not worry about driving home. And we thought it would be a bit of a treat.

The Grand Chancellor is not a treat. We got a reasonably cheap rate off [--] and called the hotel and they matched it.

It is a place to stay - reasonably clean (some scuffs on the walls) and ok location (walking distance to the Viaduct harbour - but on a very noisy busy road). But the rooms were cramped and not luxurious at all. I felt like we were borrowing a cheap apartment for the night. Parking is horrible - you pay $20 extra and you have to drive down, down, down through a very confusing parking garage and then take the elevator back up. No valet available.

The employees mean well but seem under-trained, don't speak english well, and a bit overwrought. One of them was getting yelled at by a rude tourist when we walked in and looked like she was about to cry. The ones there the next morning seemed similarly bewildered.

I think there must be better places to stay. If you can get similar prices, I would think the Duxton or the Heritage would be far nicer with a much more luxurious feel.

Not really recommended.