Help with Auckland hotel and car rental

[Pearl64]

We will be on the Solstice next January. Our cruise begins in Auckland on Jan. 28. We are arriving on the 24th and want to spend one night in Auckland. We have made reservations for a b and b in Russell for the next three nights. Question: We want to see a little bit of Auckland on the day of our arrival from the US on the 24th. We are looking at using Omega Car Rentals which has a downtown pickup. Would we be wise to get some sort of shuttle into town the day we arrive and stay someplace in central Auckland so we can see the sights via public transportation or walking? Then the next day pick up our car at Omega (Beach Road) and drive to Russell after we have had some sleep. We need some suggestions of a hotel that is not going to break the bank as we will not be spending much time there--just to sleep. It needs to be clean and functional. Or should we stay near the airport and just take a shuttle into town to see a few sights and pick up the rental car at the airport and then drive to Russell the second day? Another suggestion mentioned by our b and b hostess is to stay in Matakana that first night as it is about 1 hour from the airport. Getting in early morning after a loooong flight from the US with probably little sleep, driving on the opposite side of the road, and trying to function makes this decision a little difficult to make.

 

Thank you for all replies.

 

Pearl