12 Best Hotels in Otago, Invercargill, and Stewart Island, New Zealand

The largest hotel in town, an eight-minute drive from the town center, is a rambling complex with spacious, modern rooms, most with small balconies and those in a motel-style building with kitchenettes. An on-site restaurant serves traditional and contemporary New Zealand fare, adding to the allure of this hospitable place that will be a welcome sight if you've just battled some of the rugged gravel side roads of the Catlins.

Clean, spacious, and comfortable apartment-like units and full apartments have decks with views that take in Halfmoon Bay, and from these "busybody" perches you can observe the comings and goings of the wharf and pub, as well as the antics of the kakas (bush parrots). The studio spa with a two-person jetted tub is nice after a day of tramping. All rooms have central heating and Wi-Fi; some are wheelchair-accessible. Other facilities include laundry, barbecues, and freezer storage if you've been out fishing and need to store your catch. Continental breakfast is provided at extra cost, but there's a free shuttle service to the national park. 

A short walk from restaurants and inner-city shopping, each of these contemporary-style studio apartments has a patio or balcony. All windows are soundproofed and double-glazed, and the apartments have kitchenettes, laundry, and a home theater system with Sky TV. Most have whirlpool baths, and all have heated bathroom floors.

One block from Dunedin’s main shopping and dining area, these clean and spacious apartments come with full kitchens in one-bedroom units and refrigerators and microwaves in the studios. The complimentary continental breakfast is a nice touch and includes free-range eggs. The separate terrace apartment offers a perfect family home-from-home with four bedrooms and two bathrooms. All units offer off-street parking.

At this beautiful B&B a short walk from town, you can have private views over Paterson Inlet from two double rooms and a cozy wee single. Kakas (parrots) are frequent visitors to the deck, and the gorgeous garden is nice for strolling. Continental or cooked breakfasts are available.

Just opposite St. Joseph's Cathedral, this late-1800s former bishop's residence (once called Rockmount) is now a comfortable hostel with a few touches of Harry Potter (fans may want to look for Hedwig in Room 9 3/4) and plenty of nice spaces. Your best options are a double in the main building with en suite facilities; the Stables (with two self-contained studios); and the Coach House (two rooms with private bathrooms—only one en suite—and shared kitchen). The home's original dining room has been transformed into a charming, spacious five-bed dorm, and all other rooms are singles, doubles, and triples that share clean, modern bathrooms and two equally smart kitchens. There's a cozy dining area, reading room, TV/DVD lounge, and laundry, as well as Wi-Fi throughout (for a fee). The clientele is a diverse mix of guests from late-teens to octogenarians.

An 1860s Victorian mansion just a three-minute walk to the center of town, Hulmes Court was originally built for one of the founders of the Otago Medical School (it maintains scholarly ties by employing University of Otago students) and is paired with a 1907 house. Continental-style breakfast and all-day tea and coffee are served in the Victorian drawing room and a casual, relaxed feel extends to a warm welcome thanks to such touches as a computer, photocopier, books, and newspapers available for guests. Hosts Norman and Zina Wood live on the premises with their family and resident cats. Amenities also include free Wi-Fi, laundry, and off-street parking.

The big advantage of this modern but somewhat bland full-service hotel is that it's really central, in just about the ideal location if you're not driving. The rooms facing the back are quieter.

It's hard to beat panoramic sea views, 35 acres of world-class gardens, having Larnach Castle as a neighbor, and the choice of a luxury room or a more modest yet still character-filled accommodation. The Scottish Room has classic tartan bed covers and curtains, heavy brass bedsteads, and a Robbie Burns rug; the Enchanted Forest Room has 19th-century William Morris wallpaper. Rooms with shared bathrooms in a converted 1870 Stables building are about half the regular rate of the lodge accommodations. Entry to the castle and breakfast are included in the room rates.

If you're traveling to Invercargill via the Southern Scenic Route, these four lovely self-catering cottages make a perfect rest stop before you get to the city. The couple who does the Catlins Eco-Tours built this place between Papatowai and Owaka in the Catlins River Valley with conservation and coziness is mind.

This handsome, historic, and beautifully renovated building dominates the main road in Oban and offers comfortable rooms, some of which (in the front) have sea views. This is an old-fashioned hotel, which means that you share a bathroom with other guests if you stay upstairs in the original building. If you'd like your own bathroom and a more peaceful room, ask for a studio unit behind the hotel. Downstairs is the pub and restaurant, so you don't need to go far after a few drinks or to have breakfast in the morning.

The world's southernmost YHA hostel is in the center of Invercargill, next door to the Speight's Ale House and the main city library. The Tuatara has the usual group of bunks, twins, and double rooms, along with a few private doubles with en suite bathrooms, TVs, and stereos. An on-site café serves good coffee and breakfast, and there's also secure parking, a laundry, and Wi-Fi.