Larnach Castle — Attraction in South Island

Fair warning this is mostly about getting to and from the castle by bus/walking since I haven't seen much online and had no warning about the experience and would like to give others the heads-up. (The Castle was great, high tea was great, definitely worth a visit.) So. Being backpackers with no car we did some googling and decided based on what little information we could find to take Bus Line 18 to the Broad Bay stop on Portabello Rd. on the peninsula and walk from there. The walk didn't look too far (less than 5 kilometers) and we figured we would enjoy walking through what looked like nature on the maps... To be fair if we'd dressed and mentally prepared for a hike we would have been fine. Luckily we were very early for our scheduled visit, but seeing as that booking included the high tea offered in the castle ballroom... Well, we weren't really dressed for the walk up AND UP AND UP camp st. This road quickly becomes a walking only track to the castle (stripping away all hopes for hitchhiking) almost entirely uphill, mostly at a fairly steep incline. It is reasonably well taken care of and there are a few benches along the way for breaks that you will be very glad for. Be warned that some of the track is through grassy areas that would probably be very muddy if it had been raining a lot. There is also some shaded areas but almost 90% of the walk is in the sun. Water and decent shoes are a very good idea. Sunscreen is also a good idea. The way back down does go much more quickly, but there are parts where the gravel road is so steep that you do worry a bit about slipping, again, some good walking/hiking shoes wouldn't have gone amiss. Altogether though the walk provides beautiful landscape and scenic views with some horses and sheep (fenced away from you) to keep you company. Tip for tourists: whether you go to the castle or not, the line 18 bus is a super cheap way to get a beautiful ride down the peninsula and back, every few hours it goes most of the way down the peninsula so instead of straight back to downtown Dunedin we got on going the wrong way and had a beautiful ride down and back to see more of the coast of the peninsula with great views of the islands...

Doing a self drive South Island trip in NZ, stopped at Dunedin for one night and we chose to stay in Larnach Castle. It’s the only castle in NZ that offers the castle experience, award winning gardens, luxury accommodation, event management and unique dining experiences. We came across a good deal on their website which included the self guided castle tour, special dinner only for guests stay in their rooms and a gourmet breakfast upon your order. We arrived early in the afternoon, was kindly greeted by the staff and explained clearly all the information you needed to know. Our room was spacious and very nice view of the ocean from our balcony. So nice to see both the sunrise and sunset there. We toured around this historic castle and it’s quite nicely kept. After a short rest, we headed to the ball room for our special dinner. We’re got settled in our seats by the staff and also served with a wine of your choice. It’s a chef inspired four course menu with all local produce. We’re able to meet other guests and have nice chats. The food we’re really delicious and we all enjoyed our dinner. After a nice good sleep, we had our breakfast which we could choose from the menu. My partner and I both had the salmon with bagels. It’s good! Only the coffee was just okay. It’s a nice place to explore, stay and enjoy the food too. Fair price for such a...

The view is very stunning. I stayed here for a night the receptionist was welcoming and informative. The signs to get to the lodge are not great, little confusing. The castle is getting renovated at the moment so it’s a different view when you get here. The lodge looks little old outside and rooms are pretty. I had a beautiful view from my room and apparently was the best available. It was my b’ day the next day and I did not let them know thought to check it out without giving the heads up. Some of the staffs were rude and others welcoming and very polite. The ballroom cafe was closed even though the website showed it was open. The castle has a history like every other place so worth giving it a go nd not miss when in Dunedin. The in-house dinner was the best part of my stay as it was ‘ Trust the chef’ menu, prior to arrival as well as on arrival was asked the dietary requirements so I would actually give 6 stars only for a meal excluding the tone of some of the staffs. Nice place to go for a walk and take some picture and enjoy the freshness with some views. My room got cold at night and the heater was at its highest setting. I could feel the springs of the bed as not a fan of spring bed my personal preference. I had an alright sleep but felt tired the next day on my b’day. It could have been just me but it’s a place for...