Larnach Castle

Location :

• Clark Mills

  21 December 2017

  We stayed in the stables accomodation (as opposed to the lodge). The rooms are tiny with very low ceilings & shared bathrooms. We were primarily there for the dinner in the castle. The castle & dinner were fantastic, we'll be back. The stables are adequate for basics.

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• Marc Van Dijk

  10 December 2017

  Brilliant place with great views and a fun garden. Good with kids (find the chesire cat), very fast free WiFi and some good lattes and scones. What does a family need more ;)
  
  Great drive to it as well from Dunedin. Recommended for an experience different from the usual walks and falls in new Zealand.

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• DEE ASH

  06 December 2017

  The best historic home I have ever visited. Wonderful staff inside and out. We encountered the spirit of the man of the house in a black bird in the garden. Ask the grounds keepers

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• Lin Tan

  28 November 2017

  It was amazing seeing NZ's only castle and it's beautiful gardens and cafe which was a ballroom. I applaud the Barker family, for taking the immense task of restoring the castle and grounds which NZ should be proud of. Lin and Steve

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• Keith Eades

  26 October 2017

  Originally coming from the UK, I would not call this a castle myself. It's more like a Country House. Still it is worth a visit, the grounds and gardens are certainly worth wandering around. It's a shame it rained on our visit, which cut the wandering short. There is a nod to Alice in Wonderland in several spots, if you notice them.
  
  It was nice walking round the house and reading about the family history and it's tragedies that occurred. Great views of the gardens and surrounding area once you climb the narrow twisting staircase to the top of the tower.
  
  We were disappointed that we did not encounter any of the haunting that happens here, not even an orb.
  
  The highlight for us was the wonderful High Tea, staff were friendly, and informative.
  
  Shame about the weather, good excuse to return.

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• Tony Knight

  21 October 2017

  Fantastic except for one thing. Buses should not be allowed to stop in front of the stunning castle. A pollution of the Vista and insult to other visitors.

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• John Hunter

  14 October 2017

  We opted for the budget stable stay rather than the posher (but far more expensive) estate or lodge rooms, all at the lavish manor-cum-castle on the Dunedin peninsular.
  
  Pros:
  • Extremely attentive and friendly staff
  • Great wi-fi
  • Comfortable mattress and pillows
  • Breakfast included, and a sumptuous one at that
  • Access to the castle and gardens. It was too foggy for us to enjoy the gardens, but the castle and the displays explaining its history were outstanding
  • We dined at the castle restaurant. It was a hosted dinner-for-six, three courses, great food, convivial atmosphere
  
  Cons:
  • Being a converted stable, it had low ceilings in parts of the room; we both cracked our heads on the rafter beams at least once each
  • No kitchen, toilet, or shower in the room; it’s all communal. The shower facilities were very basic; they didn’t even have a shelf. The water pressure was good though
  • Curtains didn’t close together on the main window, and the small knee-high window by the floor didn’t have a curtain at all. It wasn’t a major privacy issue since the main window looked directly on a turret wall, but if we wanted to sleep in it may have let in too much light in the morning

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• Lou Satherley

  10 October 2017

  Great meal at a wonderful function here. Loved the history, the bagpipes and the open fires in the middle of winter.

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• David Blyth

  16 September 2017

  My partner and I both stayed in the lodge and dined in the castle, and dining in a castle is a must do for any traveller, Andy our waiter for the evening was a fountain of information regarding the larnach family, and has some good sense of humour to boot.
  Thank you to the baker family for what you've done in restoring the castle and preserving it historic value.

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• Gretel Welch

  14 September 2017

  Enchanting. The Gardeners have been working hard. The Ballroom was a treat. Make time to enjoy their menu. Worth the visit.

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• Jēkabs Zalte

  27 April 2017

  We visited and stayed in this restored 1870s medieval castle overlooking the Otaga Harbor. Our refurbished room had a panoramic view with sunrise & sunsets from our balcony. Also had a private 3-course supper that was outstanding. Highly recommended.

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• Reuben Shalome

  21 April 2017

  A bit overpriced for whats on offer. The gardens smaller than expected. Great view from the tower!

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• Keith Izett

  01 April 2017

  A must see if you're in Dunedin. NZ's only castle has been beautifully restored and the self guided tour is very well done. Plenty of interesting local and national history on show

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• Sands MH

  22 March 2017

  A sad story, but an interesting, and elaborately designed house in a remote location for the time, considering transport was horse drawn. We couldn't see much of the garden because it was raining and cool, and we didn't go onto the roof.

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• PaalKiwi

  20 March 2017

  Great place to visit any time of the year. Really cool castle all restored and massive grounds. Have fun telling your kids it's haunted and watch them sneak about waiting for something to scare them 👍

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