New hotels in Dunedin

Dunedin is a university city on New Zealand's South Island, built on Scottish heritage architecture and a gateway to the wildlife of the Otago Peninsula. We track two hotels here: Ebb Dunedin, an independent boutique property already open near the University of Otago, and Distinction Hotel Dunedin, a heritage conversion confirmed for 2028. Both sit within the compact central city.

What to do

A weekend in Dunedin

Walk the Dunedin Street Art Trail through the central city, stop at Baldwin Street, the world's steepest street, and take in the Flemish Renaissance-style Dunedin Railway Station, designed by George Troup and opened in 1906. The Toitū Otago Settlers Museum, a short walk from Ebb Dunedin, tells the city's settlement history, and the University of Otago campus, two minutes from the hotel, is worth a wander for its own historic buildings, including the bluestone First Church of Otago nearby. A tour of Speight's Brewery, one of the city's best-known heritage sites, rounds out an afternoon in the centre, and the Lan Yuan Chinese Garden reflects Dunedin's early Chinese heritage.

A full week

With more time, the Otago Peninsula is New Zealand's best-known wildlife destination within reach of a city: the Royal Albatross Centre at the peninsula's tip holds the world's only mainland breeding colony of royal albatross, Penguin Place protects yellow-eyed penguins, and boat tours regularly turn up fur seals and sea lions along the coast. Larnach Castle, an 1871 Victorian mansion restored with its original gardens and ballroom, and Olveston, a historic home filled with antiques collected from around the world, both make for a half-day each, the Otago Museum in the city centre is worth an hour on a wet day, and the Tunnel Beach walk, a short drive from the centre, leads down through a hand-carved sandstone tunnel to a hidden cove. The Taieri Gorge Railway, departing from the city's own 1906 railway station, runs a scenic route inland through viaducts and tunnels carved into the gorge: one of the more distinctive day trips available directly from central Dunedin.

Where to stay

Near the University of Otago

Ebb Dunedin, built from the ground up by the Cazemiers family with architect Gary Todd, has 28 individually decorated rooms at 82 Filleul Street, a two-minute walk from the University of Otago and six minutes from Dunedin Town Hall, many with floor-to-ceiling windows.

Princes Street

Distinction Hotel Dunedin, confirmed for 2028, will convert Philip Laing House and adjoining heritage buildings at the corner of Princes and Rattray Streets, most recently offices for the Otago Regional Council and Oranga Tamariki, into a 145-room hotel and conference centre, retaining the historic street facades rather than demolishing the block. It will be Distinction Hotels' second Dunedin property, after its 2015 conversion of the city's old post office, confirmed by the city's mayor and by Distinction Hotels chief executive Duncan Fletcher, who cited Dunedin's tourism growth as the reason for the investment.

Which hotel for your trip

Travelers centring a trip on the University of Otago

Ebb Dunedin's two-minute walk to campus and individually decorated rooms make it the practical choice for a university visit or graduation weekend.

Travelers waiting on Dunedin's conference-scale opening

Distinction Hotel Dunedin, confirmed for 2028 with 145 rooms and a dedicated conference centre, will be a considerably larger option built around the city's growing tourism and events market.

Wildlife and Otago Peninsula travelers

Either hotel's central address puts the Otago Peninsula's albatross colony and penguin reserve within a manageable day trip, since neither the peninsula itself nor its wildlife sites currently have a hotel we track.

Frequently asked questions

What is the only hotel currently open in Dunedin among those we track?

Ebb Dunedin, a 28-room independent boutique hotel at 82 Filleul Street, near the University of Otago.

What hotel is confirmed to open next in Dunedin?

Distinction Hotel Dunedin, a 145-room conversion of Philip Laing House on Princes Street, targeted for 2028.

Has Distinction Hotels operated in Dunedin before?

Yes: the group converted the city's old post office into the Distinction Dunedin Hotel in 2015, ahead of this second, larger project.

Is Dunedin a good base for the Otago Peninsula?

Yes: the peninsula's albatross colony, penguin reserve and Larnach Castle are all a short drive from the central city.

Is Ebb Dunedin close to the University of Otago?

Yes: it's a two-minute walk from the campus and six minutes from Dunedin Town Hall.

What building will Distinction Hotel Dunedin occupy?

Philip Laing House and the former Government Life Building at the corner of Princes and Rattray Streets, most recently used as offices for the Otago Regional Council and Oranga Tamariki.

Is central Dunedin walkable?

Yes: the Octagon, the railway station, the university and both hotels we track all sit within the compact central grid.

Can I take a scenic train from Dunedin?

Yes: the Taieri Gorge Railway departs from the city's 1906 railway station and runs inland through viaducts and tunnels carved into the gorge, one of the city's best-known day trips.

What is Baldwin Street known for?

It's recognised as the world's steepest residential street, a short walk from the central city and a regular stop on any Dunedin sightseeing route.