The Distinction Hotel Dunedin is a refurbished masterpiece. A classic building occupying an entire city block, this former 1937 chief post office sat empty since the 1990s. Now restored with elegance, it reflects the heritage of this New Zealand city. Ideally located, incredibly comfortable, and a quiet escape, the Distinction Hotel Dunedin is the perfect South Island choice.
Travelling as three people, we opted for a family suite. It was huge, with two sleeping rooms, a kitchenette, modern bathroom, and plenty of sitting space. The cosy pillow top mattresses on our king bed made staying awake to watch the big TV a bit difficult. Our teen had no complaints in her own bedroom, which featured two twin beds and a second large flat screen TV.
From the main room of our top floor suite, we enjoyed views of the harbour, the peninsula, and at night, lights of the city.
There is nothing quite like waking up in a bed so comfortable that for the first moment of the day, I forget I am away from home. Donning the slippers and plush robe provided by Distinction Hotel Dunedin, I had the choice of a making a quick coffee or tea, or taking a shower to wake me. Normally, I would reach for the coffee, but not here. The shower was a splash of pure happiness.
Our room also featured plenty of USB ports, free and unlimited internet, a laundry washer and dryer, microwave oven, a toaster, and triple glazed windows. It is the attention to detail that I really enjoyed. We have had washing machines in other hotel rooms, but this is the first time a hotel went the extra step of providing a sachet of pre-measured laundry soap. And, of course, it had all the personal toiletries one would expect in a luxury accommodation.
Each of the two showerheads has an independent control. They can be used simultaneously or separately. The water pressure is perfect. Wet or dry, the non-stick floor kept me stable. The only thing I wondered about was why there was no handrail inside the shower.
There is more to the Distinction Hotel Dunedin than just our room
The 24-hour reception area presented an elegant simplicity. Neither overstated nor unrefined; it offered a bit of art nouveau fun. The friendly, knowledgeable staff instinctively knew the right amount of conversation to keep each visitor happy; from the all-business client to our chatty family, they met the mark.
A place to relax in the lobby.
Utilizing an entrance from the original building, the restaurant is cleverly named Parcels. Similarly, the bar is called Post Bar. The decor is welcoming and comfortable. The Post Bar and restaurant overlap a bit, again with friendly, attentive service and, importantly, good coffee.
A clever name for a restaurant in an old post office.
A colourful top-shelf display at the Post Bar changes colours.
Standing with my back to the bar, I am looking out over the bar and restaurant seating.
We ate at Parcels one morning for breakfast and were pleasantly surprised by the affordable pricing and huge meals.
A great latte started out our delicious breakfast. We ordered classics like an omelette and french toast from the menu, although it seemed most guests opted for the buffet.
And then there is the gym. Run by Air Fitness and located on the third floor, it is open 24 hours a day for hotel guests. One of the most impressive gyms I have seen in New Zealand, it has it all, and more.
A portion of the Air Fitness gym inside the Distinction Dunedin.
We couldn’t have been happier with our location. Central to everything we wanted to do, we only needed our car to enjoy the wildlife on the Otago Peninsula. The hotel offered both valet or self-parking at a nominal additional fee. We opted for the extremely efficient valet parking. We simply left our key, and everything was done for us.
Practical Information: Distinction Hotel Dunedin
- The hotel is located at 6 Liverpool St, Dunedin. It is a few minutes walk to the Octagon, the Dunedin Chinese Gardens, or the Dunedin Railway Station (New Zealand’s most photographed building).
- For reservation information, head to their official webpage, and remember to compare prices at Booking.com and at HotelsCombined.
- Distinction Dunedin opened in 2015. It is a 4.5-star luxury accommodation. It is part of the 100% New Zealand owned and operated Distinction Hotel Chain. Their goal “is for every visitor exploring the beauty of New Zealand’s most captivating regions to stay in comfortable, quality accommodation with the highest standard of service.” For us, they met and exceeded this objective.
- If you can pull yourself out of the comfy bed and fabulous shower, and like to go on tours when you travel, we recommend a Viator Dunedin and Otago Peninsula Tour.
The wet cloudy weather didn’t allow us to get a great shot of the regal exterior.
The Distinction Dunedin met all our needs. We could not have made a better choice for our time in Dunedin.
Like what you see? ⇒ Check prices for your next stay in Dunedin at the Distinction.
Will you stay at the Distinction Dunedin on your next visit?
Disclaimer: As media guests of the hotel we were provided with a few extra benefits. However, the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
Here's the secret to packing light:
Download our free packing light checklist when you sign up for our newsletter.
Hello.. lovely hotel ..
sometime we book hotel online and not get good service . prefer to go for hotel with review or blog post
A renovated old post office – that’s all one got to know about Distinction Dunedin. Blending history with modern luxury makes it an amazing hotel.
The suite is quite a spacious one with all the amenities needed for a comfortable stay.
Specially like the look of the bar with changing colours and the intricate restaurant setting. I’ll be sure to check it out when I make it to NZ.
I love this new movement with hotels to either go seriously minimalist or pay homage to the heritage. That being said, I love how the Parcels restaurant kept the entrance of the old building and has been named accordingly to honor the space’s roots as a old post office! Glad you had a great time!
I love how more and more cities are honoring their cultural heritage by preserving some of the most historic buildings into hotels. I’ve stayed at a hotel in Washington DC which was also a former post office building, and there’s such a sense of history in staying there. Which is unique in an age where I feel as though we have so many cookie cutter hotels.
The family suite looks huge. And so luxe and comfortable. I love the elegence of the interior and how refined everything is – but not over the top. Will definitely stay here when we jump over to NZ 🙂
It sure looks like a great place to stay, especially since it is close to the railways station. Yes, it is quite innovative to name the restaurant as parcels, reminding patrons of its heritage. The bar decoration is quite attractive.
This hotel is fabulous and with the amenities, it looks more like a condo to me. I was surprised to see that the rooms have a washer and dryer and the fitness center is huge!
The Distinction Hotel Dunedin looks so elegant and spacious. I can see it blends in heritage with modern-day convenience in elegant style. Having a heritage post office refurbished into a grand hotel is in itself enough to draw one to the hotel. The views are another charming facet of this hotel. I am sure one can have a blissful night’s sleep here.
What a cool looking hotel. I really love the chairs in the lobby, they remind me of being a queen, with the high backs on them.
Bonus – washer and dryer in the room!!