Naumi Auckland Airport

Airport hotels have come a long way, to say the least. Well, a few of them have, anyway — while there are still plenty that deal in nothing but bare-bones convenience, there’s a new breed that aims to give you more than just a place to wait for your flight. Among them is Naumi, the Singapore-based boutique-hotel group, who’ve set up a hotel whose name sums up most of what we’ve written so far: Naumi Auckland Airport.

Auckland, after all, may not be the world’s most vibrant metropolis, but if you’re passing through here, you’re on some sort of adventure. The Naumi is banking on there being enough colorful characters in transit through New Zealand to fill a hotel that’s more than a little bit colorful itself — there’s art everywhere, and the furniture and accessories come from a who’s who of well-known international designers.

The rooms are swanky, and for all their stylishness, perhaps surprisingly sedate — whether you’re just arriving in New Zealand or about to leave, odds are you could use a restful sleep. Between the blackout curtains, rain showers, and espresso makers, you’re more or less guaranteed to leave in better shape than when you arrived.