Vintage Vibes Feature #1 — The Grand Windsor: Auckland’s Art Deco Icon
Auckland has its share of sleek glass towers and modern hotels — but just a few steps off Queen Street, something different awaits.
Past the bustle of downtown, behind polished brass doors and a marble façade, stands The Grand Windsor - Now The Fable, a quietly majestic reminder of how elegance used to feel.
Built in 1928 and painstakingly restored to its full art-deco glory, this boutique hotel is where past and present meet in perfect rhythm. Every curve of its staircase, every fluted light fitting, every golden detail feels hand-crafted to honour the grace of another era — one that prized craftsmanship, conversation, and character over convenience.
For us at Vintage Views, it’s one of those rare places that feels in tune with our own story.
Just like our Routemaster Dorothy, The Grand Windsor isn’t a reproduction of the past — it is the past, polished and preserved to perfection, quietly alive in modern Auckland.
An Art Deco Masterpiece Reborn
The Grand Windsor first opened its doors in the roaring twenties — an age of jazz, optimism, and ocean liners. In those days, Queen Street was a parade of finery, with trams rattling past and hotel doormen greeting guests in tailored uniforms.
Decades later, the building was rediscovered by the team behind Fable Hotels & Resorts, who saw in its bones the potential to revive a genuine art-deco landmark.
Today, the hotel has been meticulously restored and reimagined — not themed, but faithful. Its geometric patterns, curved timber walls, and soft ambient glow all nod to the era that gave birth to its name.
The marble lobby shimmers beneath chandeliers, the restaurant breathes quiet elegance, and the suites carry a subtle mix of classic and contemporary luxury. You don’t just stay at The Grand Windsor — you experience a kind of time travel, the kind that feels as relevant as it is nostalgic.
A Place to Pause, Reflect, and Indulge
For travellers joining us on the Vintage Views Double Decker Discovery Tour, The Grand Windsor makes a perfect base — only a few hundred metres from our Viaduct Harbour departure point.
It’s the kind of hotel where you linger a little longer over coffee, or return for an afternoon tea before an evening walk along the waterfront.
Inside Cooke’s Restaurant & Bar, everything feels curated with care — from the plush teal seating to the period glassware behind the bar.
Try the high tea: delicate finger sandwiches, handcrafted pastries, and a tea service that feels delightfully out of time. Or if you prefer something stronger, a classic gin martini under the soft light of the bar is as close as you’ll come to a 1930s London moment in downtown Auckland.
It’s a place for travellers who want to feel present in the past — for couples on weekend escapes, cruise guests seeking atmosphere, or locals celebrating anniversaries in style.
Where Vintage Meets View
What makes The Grand Windsor particularly special is its position at the very heart of Auckland’s heritage corridor.
Step outside, and within minutes you can walk to the Britomart precinct, the Ferry Building, or the Viaduct Harbour — all sites with their own rich stories, many of which we pass on our city tour aboard Dorothy.
There’s a symmetry in it: the Routemaster rolling past steel and glass while this elegant 1920s building anchors the skyline in quiet defiance.
Both are reminders that craftsmanship, once perfected, never truly goes out of style.
A Shared Spirit of Restoration
We often say that restoring Dorothy, our 1960s double-decker, wasn’t just about mechanics — it was about honouring memory.
The same can be said of The Grand Windsor.
Every decision in its refurbishment — the architraves, the fabric choices, even the typography — was about preserving an attitude.
That same ethos of respect for design, history, and comfort connects our brands: the belief that travel can still feel special.
If you’re staying at The Grand Windsor, a Vintage Views city tour is the natural companion.
In just 90 minutes, you’ll see the city’s evolution from its colonial wharves and heritage quarters to its modern skyline — all while seated in a piece of history that hums with its own stories.
Our Favourite Moments
Watching morning light filter through the stained glass of the lobby as the city wakes.
Afternoon tea at Cooke’s before boarding Dorothy for the late tour.
Guests stepping out of The Grand Windsor and recognising the Routemaster parked nearby — one vintage beauty meeting another.
There’s something genuinely moving about seeing old craftsmanship preserved with such care, and it’s this shared appreciation that makes The Grand Windsor feel like part of our extended Vintage Views family.
Plan Your Visit
📍 The Grand Windsor (Fable Auckland)
58 Queen Street, Auckland CBD
🌐 Visit the Official Website
🎟️ Book your Vintage Views Double Decker Discovery Tour
Pair your stay with a heritage journey through Auckland’s most beautiful neighbourhoods — Ponsonby, Parnell, and Mission Bay — aboard our lovingly restored Routemaster bus.