After sailing from Hobart, Tasmania, to New Zealand's South Island to enjoy the extraordinary…read morebeauty of Milford Sound and the island's majestic Fiordland National Park, we continued sailing for another day to beautiful Port Chalmers, located on this country's southeastern coast. Our cruise ship docked at 8 am, and by 9 am, we, along with most of our fellow passengers, excitedly boarded a train to spend our day exploring the scenic and historic Taieri Gorge, browsing, shopping, and having lunch in its delightful town of Dunedin. We understood that the round-trip (port to Pukerangi to train station) scenic train ride would take 5.5 hours, and the train timetable was accurate because we arrived at the train station exactly at 2:30 pm. On the way out to the Taieri Gorge, we passed the railway station, and our guide reminded us that we could be let off there or continue back to the port where our cruise ship was docked after the scenic tour ended. Some people stayed on the train while we decided to wander around the railway station and town. From the boarding platform, we started to admire the stunning architectural features and were almost overwhelmed by its ornate interior. Three female docents, dressed in early 20th-century attire, greeted everyone who entered from the boarding platform. They offered some historical information about the landmark's architect, George Troup, AKA "Gingerbread George"; the building's revived Flemish Renaissance "gingerbread house" architectural features; and its main mosaic flooring, which is made up of 750,000 pieces of Royal Doulton porcelain. In contrast, its striking black-and-white exterior is made from local black basalt rock blocks from Kokonga, lighter or white limestone facings from Oamaru, pink granite supporting pillars on its front side, and terracotta shingles from Marseille roof over the boarding platform. The docents also led us to their museum, museum shop, and art gallery on the second floor. Immediately outside the station is Anzac Square, where a formal "knot garden" was created. We admired the knot garden and sat for a few minutes to soak in the grandeur of this landmark before crossing the street to walk up Lower Stuart Street, where we scarfed down made-to-order, delicious, hot fish and chips and fresh and sweet Bluff oysters. We met with fellow passengers at the designated cruise ship bus stop and returned on board well before the ship's 5:30 pm departure.

We visited this iconic train station while in Dudedin for the day. It's beautiful both outside and…read moreinside. They're were plenty of people taking pictures everywhere so it's hard to get the perfect shot, but apparently this is one of the most famous buildings in all of NZ, so it's kind of a must for tourists. They have bathrooms inside and you can walk around inside for free. There is also a cafe that has pretty good reviews but we went elsewhere for lunch and didn't have time to stop. It's a quick stop, and within the asking distance from plenty of other things to see in dudedin. Don't miss it!

On my road trip through New Zealand I primarily stayed in various small motels until one of my…read morenights ended at the Victoria Hotel. The location of this hotel is great! Easily within walking distance of a variety of restaurants and stores. During my stay here there was on going construction at the hotel and the buildings around the hotel. Waking up to the clamoring of hammers isn't ideal after a long trip. In it's current condition I probably wouldn't stay here again but maybe after construction is over I'd give it another go.

We decided to stay near the center of town so the Victoria…read morelooked like a good choice. We were assigned and first floor room in the new section. It was a great room. It looked new with a good king bed. The TV worked fine and had CNN so we got caught up with home news. There were a lot of restaurants near by so we didn't use the hotel restaurant. We did make coffee in the room and used the toaster. The folks at the desk were very helpful with local info. We stayed in March 2017.

We were excited to snag a last-minute room here, especially as it was Lonely Planet's…read moretop-recommended accommodation in the Dunedin area. Pros: The place is very cozy and homey, with an awesome garden and outdoor deck area. Our room was spacious and comfortable, with windows that looked out to other hilltop areas. We slept with the windows open to make use of the puffy comforters! The lounge is always open, with hot water for coffee or tea readily available. Cons: The beds were a bit soft by my standards. The television didn't turn on, not that we really needed it. Surprisingly, there was only one toilet and one shower for the three or four rooms upstairs, which seems a little on the skimpy side considering the number of people who had to share them. The lock on the toilet room wasn't sturdy enough so knocking was a MUST. The shower drain was clogged (ew) by the time I showered early in the morning. Breakfast fell a bit short, being "continental": basically carb overload, with bread, muesli, wheatbix, and cereal offered alongside a large bowl of yogurt and sliced fresh fruit. The location also left a little to be desired, since it was a bit of a drive from the downtown area. Bottom line: an alright B&B experience. For me, the cute things about this quaint guesthouse won me over. And as long as you're okay with sharing a bathroom and shower, I'd recommend it.

We had a three night stay, the room was spacious, clean, and tidy. The staff even washed up and put…read moreaway a couple of items we had left soaking in the kitchen sink. The towels and toiletries were replenished on a daily basis, along with the selection of tea and coffee. Only a short walk to the centre of town and most of the local attractions, a great spot and friendly hosts. We shall return next time we are in town.

Barry and Donna are the nicest innkeepers we've ever met! Our room was clean and neat as a pin and…read morevery nicely appointed. I was impressed with how thick and soft the carpet was, they didn't skimp on the underlay! We enjoyed watching Netflix, the TV worked great. They additionally supplied us with US-NZ electrical adapters and a drying rack after we did laundry (did I mention they supplied laundry powder for free?) It's a very short walk to Rob Roy Dairy that has the best ice cream!!! We would love to stay here again next time we're in Dunedin.

Barry and Donna make this place special, hence 5 stars! Nicest Inn Keepers ever! Very helpful, and…read morejust so lovely. The room was good, there's a washer for guests, it's easy to walk to restaurants, not too far from the Botanical Garden. Barry offered us a bottle of milk when we got there, and there were a couple of chocolates in the fridge. Not really a "5 star" hotel, but still a great place to stay that's not too expensive, and is in a good location. The room was clean and nicely laid out. We'd go back if we were ever in Dunedin again.

An absolutely lovely boutique hotel. This is right in town and so convenient to the shops and…read morerestaurants of Dunedin. The hotel itself is very small and has amazing rooms. It is a loft style with updates to make it completely modern with the old world touch The staff itself is super friendly and welcoming with terrific recommendations for eating and also the sights. The rooms have a full kitchen which is handy if you got kids and want something early.