Enjoy a weekend at a boutique hotel in central Dunedin

A new boutique hotel has opened in Dunedin, the first five star of its type in the city. It’s situated in the place of the former 'Wains Hotel' on Princes Street a short walk from The Octagon and the rest of the city centre. As you draw up outside the first impression is one of grandeur, the building is listed and dates back to Victorian times. You can’t help but feel that you are experiencing a little of Dunedin’s history here, a hotel that has survived since 1862 when Dunedin was a very different place to what it is today. The refurbishment here is very refined. The hotel is decorated with beautiful colourful carpets throughout. A grand staircase leads off from reception to the first level and then upwards to 6 floors of bedrooms and suites. The reception is friendly with a giant television screen behind it which usually had a sports game of some type broadcasting whilst I was there.

There is a concierge desk ready and willing to help and a couple of comfortable chairs to wait at. To the left-hand side is a small bar area leading through to the hotels in house restaurant known as The Press Club. It’s a nice set up with well-placed tables and chairs, attentive service, and a good bar menu. I had one of their 'Chocollini' cocktails which for a Friday night treat I thoroughly recommend. Made with baileys and Cointreau it also helped warm the coggles (as my Gran would say) on a cold damp Dunedin night.

Dunedin Station is just around the corner from the hotel

The room itself was on the modest side, slightly tight in space but the furnishings were again lovely, including a tartan blanket for keeping warm, which to be honest was needed as when I arrived the room was freezing and obviously hadn’t been occupied for a while. Facing the front of the street with sash windows it was sadly more a fridge than a warm and welcoming hotel room. The bathroom was again compact, but the shower was lovely and the bathrobes a fantastic touch. Again, though heating was scarce with no towel rail and the floor really could have done with some underfloor heating….

Take a guided tour around the cities street art

Breakfast was served each morning as part of my nightly rate. It was a lovely touch as fresh orange; filter coffee and a small plate of continental breakfast was served to your table. I had a small bowl of fruit salad and some sourdough toast, croissant, and Danish pastry. It was enough to start the day and I much preferred this touch to a breakfast buffet half the hotel had breathed over. They even offered a refill of juice, a generous touch as the restaurant space was tight and after a certain hour on a Sunday morning there were a few folks waiting.