As soon as I walked into Abstract I was struck by how unique it felt. I’ve been in plenty of boutique hotels before and each has its own quirky sense of identity, but this one feels its own kind of special.

There are a great deal of bespoke art pieces and clever design flourishes, but there is also just a vibe within the place that is distinctly bohemian and charmingly reflective of K Rd culture.

Abstract opened earlier this year and has apparently been busy from day one. That may not be surprising considering the room rates start at $140 per night for up to two guests, which is much cheaper than many other central Auckland hotels. So how does it compare to those?

I stayed at the hotel earlier this month and while most of the luxury that has been scaled back to keep costs down is easy to do without, some of it is not. Here are my thoughts.