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020 3564 4853Located in Oamaru, Pen-y-bryn Lodge is in the city centre and near the beach. Woolstore Complex and Grainstore Gallery are cultural highlights, and some of the area's landmarks include St Lukes Anglican Church and Totara Estate.
Great location and very nice accommodation. Homemade food items including jam, honey, etc. Owners are very friendly.
This is an awesome property, but for a solo traveler, who paid for a double room - my friend was on a budget - I think this Estate is more about form than substance. When I arrived, one of the owners (I think) met me at the door with an umbrella - nice touch - but then said, "I thought you would be two!?" Well, of course the default on hotels.com is 2, so already I felt tension in the air. He was very nice to me until I booked another night. My friend on a budget visited and the proprietors treated him like a curiosity as he stood on the patio with the rain pouring down in buckets. They invited him in, we went into the drawing room, and since I had paid for it, I invited my friend to breakfast the next morning, but he later canceled, feeling uncomfortable. I felt fine until the next day when I was asked to a tip for a one-inch square of "harvested" honey. The food is very good. The accommodations are terrific, but the sense of welcomeness is lacking, and while you worry whether you will disturb their - or his - routine, if you ask questions, you feel as if you are disturbing their - or his - routine. That's as honest as I can say, especially for the price.
Not only is the lodge gorgeous and in a great location, but what really makes Pen y Bryn special is the personal attention from the owners. James greeted us by the car with an umbrella, offered us gourmet cookies he had baked that morning, later met us and the other guests in the drawing room for complementary wine and gourmet appetizers he had made! He is truly a warm, fascinating person and shared many amazing stories of his travels. The lodge is reminiscent of a Scottish estate and we were welcome to wander about enjoying the diverse artwork, play snooker in the billiards room, admire the gardens. Each room has a name and makes you feel like a guest in a European castle...exquisite furnishings, decor, and view. The lodge is a mere 5 minutes from the blue penguin colony, which was our primary reason for visiting. Our only regret is that we did not stay longer! We are traveling around the entire South Island and by far this was our favorite place! Would love to return and will definitely tell everyone who plans to come to New Zealand to stay at Pen y Bryn! Thanks James and James!!! You guys are awesome!
Pros: Everything, but mostly its elegance and its owners!
Cons: Nothing at all!
Location: 5 minutes from Penguin Colony
Very good standard of facilities and service,excellent meals, a thoroughly enjoyable ambience and experience
Stayed here one night. The American ex-pat owners have restored this lodge to a very high level. The guest rooms (we saw two) are beautiful as are the common areas. The owners are very proud of the lodge and enthusiastic about explaining its history. Although we did not eat dinner at the lodge (our mistake for not booking it before we arrived) James served us canapés and wine (both of very high quality) and we had an informative conversation about Oamaru and things to do. James made reservations for us and got us tickets to view the penguins returning at dusk. (A must see activity - get premium seating.). In hindsight we should have stayed at the lodge two nights having dinner there at least once. There is a lot to see in and around Oamaru. The lodge is pricey but worth it. It's not a place for kids though; the furnishings are too exquisite and without tv they may be too rambunctious.