New hotels in Invercargill

Invercargill is New Zealand's southernmost city, the gateway to Stewart Island and The Catlins, known for its car-culture history and Bluff oysters. We track two hotels here, both open: Distinction Invercargill Hotel, a 2025 conversion of a 1966 government tower, and The Langlands Hotel, a NZ$52 million new build owned by the city's own licensing trust. Both sit inside Invercargill's compact downtown grid, within a few blocks of each other.

What to do

A weekend in Invercargill

Bill Richardson Transport World, one of the Southern Hemisphere's largest private vehicle collections, and neighbouring E Hayes and Sons (home to the modified Indian Scout that Burt Munro rode to a world land speed record) anchor a weekend built around the city's car culture. Queens Park, in the city centre, has manicured gardens, a small zoo and playgrounds, and Oreti Beach, the wide stretch of sand Munro used to test his motorcycles, is a short drive out. Distinction Invercargill Hotel sits on Esk Street West, close to the city's historic department stores and the 40-metre Invercargill Water Tower, one of the city's best-known landmarks, and the Anderson Park Art Gallery is a short drive from the centre for anyone wanting a quieter afternoon.

A full week

With more time, Bluff, about 30 minutes south, is the source of the region's famous oysters (best eaten fresh during the March-to-August season) and the departure point for the Stewart Island ferry into Rakiura National Park: Bluff Hill lookout above the town takes in views across Foveaux Strait toward the island on a clear day. The Catlins, a rugged coastal stretch east of Invercargill, has waterfalls including Purakaunui Falls and McLean Falls, the Nugget Point lighthouse perched above a scatter of rocky islets, native bush and sea lion colonies worth a full day, and the drive itself is one of the South Island's quieter scenic routes. Stewart Island itself, a short ferry ride from Bluff, is one of the few places in New Zealand where kiwi can reliably be spotted in the wild, on guided evening walks along its beaches.

Where to stay

Esk Street West

Distinction Invercargill Hotel, open since August 2025, converted the stark 1966 Menzies government office tower into a 150-room, 4.5-star property: the city's most significant hotel opening in decades, led by Studio Four Architects and owned by Southland native Geoff Thomson, targeting business and leisure travelers to a city with little prior upscale hotel stock.

Dee & Don Streets

The Langlands Hotel, open since September 2022 after a soft opening the previous month, is a NZ$52 million, seven-storey new build designed by Warren and Mahoney on the corner of Dee and Don Streets, owned and operated by the Invercargill Licensing Trust rather than an international hotel brand: a community trust that reinvests its profits locally.

Which hotel for your trip

Travelers wanting the city's newest, largest hotel

Distinction Invercargill Hotel's 150 rooms inside a converted modernist landmark make it the largest and most recent addition to Invercargill's hotel stock among those we track, aimed at both business and leisure travelers to a city with little prior upscale hotel stock.

Travelers wanting a locally owned, design-forward stay

The Langlands Hotel's Warren and Mahoney design (three connected structures linked by glazed bridges over a ground-floor laneway of eateries and bars, described by the practice as a lantern hovering over the city's existing streetscape) and its community-trust ownership set it apart from a conventional branded hotel, with profits reinvested locally rather than sent to an outside operator.

Car culture & motorsport enthusiasts

Both hotels sit within a short walk of Bill Richardson Transport World and E Hayes and Sons, making either a practical base for a trip built around the city's automotive collections and its connection to Burt Munro's world land speed record.

Frequently asked questions

What is the newest hotel to open in Invercargill?

Distinction Invercargill Hotel, which opened in August 2025 inside a converted 1966 government office tower on Esk Street West.

What building did Distinction Invercargill Hotel convert?

The former Menzies government building, a stark modernist tower built in 1966 for New Zealand's Ministry of Works.

Who owns The Langlands Hotel?

The Invercargill Licensing Trust, a community trust that reinvests its profits locally rather than an international hotel brand.

Is Invercargill a good base for Stewart Island or The Catlins?

Yes: Bluff, the Stewart Island ferry terminal, is about 30 minutes south, and The Catlins' coastal walks and wildlife are a day trip east.

Are Distinction Invercargill Hotel and The Langlands Hotel close to each other?

Yes, both sit inside Invercargill's compact downtown grid, a short walk apart on Esk Street West and the corner of Dee and Don Streets respectively.

What is Invercargill known for?

New Zealand's southernmost city, its car-culture history around Burt Munro and the World's Fastest Indian, and the Bluff oysters harvested nearby.

Can I see kiwi near Invercargill?

Yes: Stewart Island, a short ferry ride from nearby Bluff, is one of the few places in New Zealand where kiwi can reliably be spotted in the wild on guided evening walks.

When is the best time to eat Bluff oysters?

The Bluff oyster season runs from March to August, when the region's restaurants and the annual Bluff Oyster and Food Festival make the most of the fresh catch.