Hotel review: Dunedin's Bell Hill Apartments in Moray Place

The John Campbell Apartment at Bell Hill Apartments is situated close to Dunedin's Octagon. Photo / Supplied

Neil Porten stays at a stylish heritage apartment in Dunedin

Where: Bell Hill Apartments - the John Campbell Apartment.

Location: Moray Pl, Dunedin, very close to the Octagon and the central city's entertainment and culture.

Style: Little is known about businessman John Campbell, but the decor imagines a well-travelled Victorian gentleman surrounding himself with souvenirs from his voyages: leather luggage, a globe, charts and maps. The furniture is antique, the leather sofa and the richly upholstered chairs deep and comfortable.

The original three-storey commercial building was completed in 1901, with the first floor, which commands a grandstand view of the gothic First Church of Otago across the road, used as a Gospel Hall. Redeveloped in 2021 by owners Andrew and Lynn Bosworth, the architecture and interiors were designed by heritage architect Ian Butcher. The Moray Pl heritage facade was kept, but the interior was completely cleared. Much of the old timber was upcycled into fittings for the apartments, and the original Gospel Hall ceilings have been retained, visible in the mezzanine bedrooms.

Price: Around $500 per night. There is a two-night minimum stay on weekends.

Perfect for: A luxury inner-city retreat. It was Otago University graduation the weekend we were there, so if the next one is on your calendar this sanctuary is an ideal reward to yourself for growing a successful student.

First impressions: Right inside the door is a table made from riveted steel salvaged from an old ship, and a round mirror framed in brass with measurement markings like some maritime precision instrument. The night-time view of First Church - from behind the double glazing or out on the loggia - is simply glorious. Every detail is a loving homage to the heritage of the building and its history.

Rooms: The John Campbell apartment is named after the man who commissioned the building in 1899. There are two other apartments you can stay in, the Gaynor Clayton (named for an Australian photographer, Sarah Gaynor Clayton who had a studio in the building in the 1900s) and the Henry Matthews (named after the first settler to buy the property in 1851). Each apartment has two double bedrooms and a bathroom on the mezzanine, and a living room, kitchen and bathroom downstairs.

Each bedroom has a balcony with shutters to survey the dining and living area, a deeply padded king bed with a great headboard and beautiful linen and pillows. There is plenty of storage.

Bathrooms: Both are tiled and have underfloor heating. The showers are roomy with standard fittings. The plastic-free and biodegradable soap and shampoo bars are from Dunedin-based Spire NZ.

Food and drink: The apartment is stocked with breakfast provisions: Vogel's toast, Harraways oat porridge, eggs, Lewis Road milk, honey, jam and marmalade. The Mazagran coffee beans are roasted just down the street. We enjoyed a sweet dram in crystal glasses from the whisky decanter. Every Octagon and Octagon-adjacent eatery and watering hole is nearby. We devoured fabulous pastries and coffee at Side-On Cafe. At the alleyway hideaway Indigo Room, the cocktails and tasting platter were top-rate.

Facilities: Wi-Fi, full kitchen, laundry. There is one secure off-street parking space for each apartment. The self-check-in was easy.

Family friendly: One bedroom can convert into a twin room. The interior design is full of curious and amusing detail, so maybe bring children who are old enough to respect and appreciate it.

Accessibility: There's a lift, but there is a step up from the kitchen to the living area, and a staircase up to the bedrooms.

Contact: bellhillapartments.co.nz