Auckland Central

Braemar on Parliament Street

Direct relationship

4.2133 reviews · Booking.com guest score

Originally built in 1901, Braemar is a beautifully restored late-Victorian townhouse B&B, a short walk from Queen Street, the Sky Tower and the waterfront. Generous breakfasts and host John (Sweeto) makes it feel like a home away from home in the middle of the city.

Visit Braemar on Parliament Street

Contact

Phone: +64 377 5463 or +64 27 4 793386

Email: braemar@aucklandbedandbreakfast.com

Address: 7 Parliament Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand

Braemar on Parliament Street — the restored late-Victorian townhouse on the corner of Parliament Street

Gallery

Late-Victorian rooms and lounges, restored with care.

The original staircase at Braemar on Parliament Street, featured in Goodbye Pork Pie — The original staircase — featured in the New Zealand film Goodbye Pork Pie.

The guest lounge at Braemar on Parliament Street — The guest lounge — a quiet place to sit in the middle of the city.

A guest room at Braemar on Parliament Street with Victorian detailing — Rooms — late-Victorian detailing, restored with care.

The rooms

Four rooms, each with its own history.

Every room includes a cooked breakfast, goose-down duvets and pillows, posturepedic beds, bathrobes, and toiletries. They also have the run of the library, guest lounge, guest kitchen, complimentary beverages and use of the outside decks. Rates are per couple, per night, in New Zealand Dollars and inclusive of tax.

The Batten Suite

$500* per night

Queen bed, posturepedic inner-sprung mattress · Full private ensuite

The largest and most private of the four rooms: a queen bedroom with a full ensuite and its own separate lounge, so you can close the door on the rest of the house. The suite keeps the original fireplace and high Victorian ceilings, and the extra space makes it the room we book for guests travelling with a child, a couple travelling together with friends, or anyone staying a longer stretch and wanting somewhere to sit that isn't the bed.

Private lounge in addition to the bedroom
Full ensuite bathroom - no sharing
Original fireplace and period detailing
Best suited to small families or guests who have guests
* A rollaway bed can be provided for extra

Named after Fred Batten, father of New Zealand's flying ace Jean Batten. Fred lived here for 40 years when the house was divided into apartments as part of the Courtville complex.

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The Victorian Room

$400* per night

Queen bed, posturepedic inner-sprung mattress · In-room bath and toilet behind a standing screen

The original master bedroom of the house, and the one that catches the afternoon sun. It is furnished in soft greens, golds, blacks and rose, with richly woven rugs and gilded mirrors, and has an in-room bath and toilet screened for privacy - an unusual, very Victorian arrangement that guests either love or would rather avoid, so it is worth knowing about before you book. For couples on a romantic stay it is the room we recommend first.

Afternoon sun and high ceilings
In-room cast bath and toilet with standing screen - no sharing
Period rugs, gilded mirrors, soft colour palette
The romantic choice of the four
* A rollaway bed can be provided for extra

Called the Victorian Room to acknowledge that it was the master bedroom of the Victorian family who lived here when the house was first built.

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The Norman Room

$330 per night

Queen bed, posturepedic inner-sprung mattress · Restored bathroom shared with the Jenny Room

An elegant, quietly furnished queen room with a beautiful Persian rug underfoot. It shares the fully restored main and ground level bathrooms with the Jenny Room - a walk-in shower, a deep cast-iron bath, heat lamps and more soft towels than you will get through. If you want a queen bed and the character of the house at the gentler end of the rate card, this is it.

Queen posturepedic bed with Persian rug and antique furnishings
Shares the restored bathroom with the Jenny Room
Walk-in shower, cast-iron bath and heat lamps
The best value queen room in the house

Named after a friend who worked and toured internationally with a famous English rock band for many years. Fun, good company, a great raconteur and a fine cook.

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The Jenny Room at Braemar with antique furnishings and a double bed

The Jenny Room - Temporarily Unavailable

$330 per night

Double bed, posturepedic mattress · Restored bathroom shared with the Norman Room

A compact room with antique furnishings and a superb posturepedic double bed - genuinely original in character rather than renovated into anonymity. Because it is the smallest of the four, it suits a business traveller or anyone travelling light rather than a couple with a fortnights worth of luggage. It shares the restored bathroom with its large shower and heat lamps, as well as the ground level bathroom.

Double posturepedic bed with antique furnishings
Compact - ideal for solo and business travellers
Shares the restored bathroom with the Norman Room
Original charm rather than a modern refit

Named after a dear friend who lived here during the renovation, whose upbeat attitude in the face of serious personal adversity was truly inspirational.

Currently unavailable

Please note: The house is constantly revolving - furnishings, artworks and room dressings change as pieces are restored, replaced or rehomed, so the rooms you stay in may differ slightly from the pictures shown here. Rest assured, you will still get the same amenities stated, and the same amazing service that John has to offer.

John and Mel at the entrance to Braemar on Parliament Street

Note from John

A word from your host.

Over the years, I have seen the sad loss of our built heritage as developers bought properties, smashed them down and built modern ones. I was determined that wasn't going to happen to this house. The only certain way to save them is buy them and not knock them down, ever. In 1994, that's what I did. As funds allowed I upgraded the services and cleaned all the Kauri woodwork that had been painted over from the very beginning. This hard work has resulted in what Lonely Planet described as "a very special place to stay". My other occupation is voice-over for television and other media. I think of myself as "the invisible TV star" bringing words alive and telling stories that help people buy exercise equipment, fishing gear and "but wait - there's more" all manner of homewares and household appliances. I do web-videos, messages over the phone and coach people, to help them get the best out of their voices. I love to make my little corner of the world a better place. Please come and be part of it.
- John Sweetman

Guest reviews

What guests have to say.

“This is a wonderful bed-and-breakfast in an Edwardian town house. There are three bedrooms recently renovated to their original look. The location is very central [in the heart of the central business district]. The owners’ enthusiasm for helping their guests was unlimited. There is a choice of three rooms, which all come with goose-down duvets and pillows.”

Sylvia and Robert Hartz, Redlands, California

“Many thanks for your warm welcome and for being so fantastic hosts! You have made your house a marvellous place, extremely relaxing while in the city centre. You were so kind, taking care for everything. We couldn’t wish for anything more. Best wishes and again, thank ou so much for our wonderful stay in Auckland.”

Eric and Albert, Belgium

“Thanks so much for opening your gorgeous home to us and for your hospitality. Our visit with you was our last stop in a month-long journey. We arrived travel-weary and the comforts of the room and the house made us feel quickly refreshed and revived.”

JENNIFER & THANE

“Thank you for being so welcoming so helpful and so hospitable. You made our first days in New Zealand so comfortable and easy – with wise counsel and thoughtful recommendations. Your home is beautiful and it was a treat to stay here. And as noted frequently in earlier messages, the breakfasts were great. Stay well.”

CHASE

“New Zealand is now my favourite country, and from our very first e-mail exchange you set me up to appreciate it fully. I was early in arriving, late for breakfast, in need of an electrical converter for my video-cam, too early for one breakfast, and burdened with very heavy baggage - all of which you cheerily assisted me in dealing with. You’ve both been friendly and consummate hosts in the home that has deserved the loving care you’ve given it. While here I’ve learned much, and you put me on the road to that happy experience. Thank you. I shall continue spreading the word about your superb bed & breakfast at Braemar.”

BRUCE

“We have enjoyed our stay in your charming home. How wonderful to hear birdsong and no traffic noise in the centre of Auckland city. It has been fun to be tourists in our own city. Best wishes.”

Rosemary and Bryan

Reviews published by the property. Braemar guest reviews

Airport transfers

Arrive in style.

We can arrange your transfer from Auckland Airport to Braemar on Parliament Street with Blackstone Chauffeur Service at a fixed rate — a luxury sedan for $135 or a luxury van for $153.

Every transfer includes complimentary bottled water, mint chocolates, free WiFi, a professional chauffeur service and phone chargers for passengers.

Please note a 15% night surcharge applies to transfers between 12:00 am and 6:00 am.

Arrange your transfer

Package

Auckland Arrival Package

Start your Auckland stay the easy way. This package pairs a central city B&B with a private chauffeur transfer from Auckland Airport, so you arrive settled and ready.

1Three nights at Braemar on Parliament Street, a late-Victorian townhouse B&B in central Auckland.
2Home-cooked breakfasts served daily by host John (Sweeto), Welcoming drinks, and more.
3A private chauffeur transfer from Auckland Airport to Braemar on arrival.

From

$1,300 - $1,800

Based on 2 guests; extra guests +$75/night

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Our relationship

How we work together.

A direct relationship with Braemar lets us arrange early check-ins and the little extras that make a city stay comfortable.

Hosted by Sweeto

1Direct relationship with John (Sweeto), the Host with the Most.
2Late-Victorian townhouse restored over time with care, minutes from the University, Sky Tower and the waterfront.
3Generous, home-cooked breakfasts served daily.
4A homely base in the middle of the city — a favoured option for guests who want to be central.

Want to stay here?

Choose your dates and room on our booking page and we'll confirm availability and rates within one business day.

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