1. World32Autumn2015
E x p e c t t h e e x c e p t i o n a l
ST. MARYS RESIDENCE
CITY DELUXE - Auckland
$14.90

2. PERSONAL
SPACETHE BEST OF AUCKLAND CAN
BE SEEN AND ENJOYED FROM
A SMART NEW RESIDENCE IN
EXCLUSIVE ST MARYS BAY.
World Magazine | 6968 | E x p e c t t h e e x c e p t i o n a l

3. F
rom the private roof terrace of St Marys
Residence on this warm, blue-sky day, three
distinctive features of Auckland stand out
amid terrific 360-degree views. Billowing sails
of yachts dance under the graceful arch of
Auckland Harbour Bridge and Rangitoto’s
volcanic cone rises on the Hauraki Gulf’s near horizon.
To the right, meanwhile, the Sky Tower keeps watch
spacious (341 square metres) and secure alternative to a
luxury hotel suite or penthouse apartment.
“Excellent luxury lodge accommodation is dotted
around many beautiful parts of New Zealand,” says
Manjit, “but our desire was to create a unique urban
escape showcasing Auckland’s natural, cultural and
culinary highlights.”
The results of their vision are stunning. Relaxing
alfresco lounges, terraces and dining areas emphasise
laidback luxury, simplicity and elegance, while the colour
over central Auckland, an area newly revitalised with
restaurants, bars and cafés.
It’s an iconic picture of a cosmopolitan South Pacific
metropolis emerging as a true international city – and it’s a
pleasure to enjoy it from the comfort of Auckland’s newest
and most elegant private retreat. It’s also a short hop to the
CBD, with its conference facilities, theatres and venues for
concerts, international shows and major sports events.
Following careers working for leading hotel brands
and successfully negotiating the corporate world in
indoor/outdoor lounge areas. Complete with an
outdoor gas fireplace, the roof terrace showcases those
panoramic sea and city views. On the ground floor,
the Courtyard Garden Suite flows through to a small,
enclosed garden with a peaceful water feature. A third
well-appointed suite provides additional accommodation
for family and friends travelling together or for a
corporate traveller’s support staff. The Den/Media Room
is the ideal private retreat, meeting room or perhaps an
interview room for visiting celebrities.
global culinary ethos of the well-travelled hosts, who
count restaurants owned by Tetsuya Wakuda, Neil Perry
and Heston Blumenthal among their favourites.
“Our experiences in dining at some of the finest
restaurants in the region have informed our approach
to cuisine at the Residence,” says Michael. “We’re very
keen to use New Zealand artisanal and organic produce,
and to give our guests a strong sense of seasonality and
local provenance.”
Complimentary evening canapés on the roof terrace
New Zealand and overseas, Michael Coutts and Manjit
Kaur, the owners and hosts of St Marys Residence, have
transformed a heritage home in the gracious city fringe
neighbourhood of St Marys Bay into a sophisticated
urban haven. After carefully researching Auckland’s high-
end accommodation scene and identifying key trends
in the New Zealand tourism sector, they have launched
their “home away from home” as a discreet, fully serviced,
palette projects a warm and welcoming ambience.
Interior design blends a chic European aesthetic with
subtle Asian and Pasifika motifs throughout the three
levels of the house, which is let on an exclusive basis.
This single-party reservation policy ensures guests’
complete privacy during their stay, regardless of the
number of suites booked.
The Pacific Ocean Master Suite opens onto private
The open-plan Great Room, with its impressive slate
fireplace, is the Residence’s social hub for dining and
entertaining. French doors open to a Mediterranean-
inspired manicured garden that’s perfect for exclusive
corporate events and product launches, intimate
weddings or special family occasions.
The Residence’s modern kitchen, under former Relais
& Châteaux executive chef Lance Tripp, reflects the
ABOVE: Former
Relais & Châteaux
executive chef
Lance Tripp
oversees the
Residence’s
modern kitchen;
interior design
blends a chic
European
aesthetic with
subtle Asian and
Pasifika motifs.
ABOVE: The
open-plan Great
Room, with its
impressive slate
fireplace, is the
Residence’s social
hub for dining
and entertaining.
World Magazine | 7170 | E x p e c t t h e e x c e p t i o n a l

4. might combine a bold Kiwi craft beer or elegant
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with bite-sized
whitebait fritters on delicate mini brioches. Manjit’s
cosmopolitan Singaporean heritage could inspire
grilled prawns imbued with subtle Indian spices,
and afternoon tea might pair select teas from
the Paris tea emporium of Mariage Frères with
Michael’s “world famous in St Marys Bay” vanilla
and prune tart.
Breakfast is a wonderfully leisurely affair (although
an “express” option is also available for guests in
a hurry). Surprising dishes could include breakfast
couscous combining pomegranate seeds with
pistachios and cardamom-infused milk; an organic
free-range omelette with shiitake mushrooms and
robust local sausages; or Mt Alpine smoked salmon
with avocado, caviar and quail egg. Artisan honey,
slow-pressed juices, sustainable, preservative-free
and flavour-packed ingredients always feature on the
Residence’s seasonal menus.
Guests staying at St Marys Residence enjoy
customised Auckland experiences. An exclusive
driver service is provided for airport transfers and for
transport to dining, shopping or business meetings
around the inner city and a dedicated concierge can
recommend the best local experiences, depending
on guests’ personal interests – from inner-city art
galleries to the vineyards of Waiheke Island or the
restaurants of the new Wynyard Quarter.
Michael and Manjit like to think of St Marys
Residence as a relaxed haven from which guests can
enjoy the best of New Zealand’s most exciting and
cosmopolitan city.
www.stmarysresidence.co.nz
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