360 cocktail bar, on the seventh floor of Invercargill's The Langlands Hotel, is the city's first rooftop bar. Photo / Supplied
360 cocktail bar, on the seventh floor of Invercargill's The Langlands Hotel, is the city's first rooftop bar. Photo / Supplied
A shining new beacon on the predominantly low-rise Invercargill skyline, the 4.5-star Langlands Hotel has quite literally taken the idea of southern hospitality to new heights, writes Sarah Bramhall
Location: In the heart of downtown Invercargill, just one block from the new Invercargill Central (IC) retail and hospitality precinct and 10 minutes’ drive from the airport.
Style: Bright and contemporary with touches of luxe brought out by rich velvet fabrics and creative lighting design. The hotel opened in late 2022, so everything feels fresh and new.
Perfect for: A sophisticated base for business travel or a leisurely southern getaway with luxe trimmings.
First impressions: The tallest building on Dee St at seven floors, it’s hard to miss the distinctly modern hotel amidst the more traditional buildings nearby. The beautifully designed lobby felt immediately welcoming, with clever use of seating and screening to make each space feel intimate. The legendary southern hospitality was very much in evidence here and after a warm welcome, I was heading to my room on the fourth floor.
The Langlands hotel opened late 2022 in Invercargill and is perfect for business or leisure travel. Photo / Supplied
Rooms: Cossetted in a corner Junior Suite, there was room enough to be comfortable but it’s by no means huge; with a king bed, 2-seater couch, desk, luggage area, wardrobe and small tea and coffee bench. Considering its central-city location, the room was quiet, although the occasional revving car was clearly audible.
The windows along both walls offered views out across the Invercargill streetscape and countryside beyond, plus a peek of the nearby estuary, which lit up beautifully at sunset. The king pillow-topped bed was just the right balance of firmness for my taste and came adorned with cosy Ōhope woollen throws and vintage-style cushions.
A junior suite at The Langlands Hotel, Invercargill. Photo / Supplied
Bathroom: The spacious, glass-walled bathroom was a standout feature, with a free-standing bath taking pride of place, plus a recessed shower. The vanity area and sink had plenty of space to store make-up bags and grooming products and had the added bonus of a magnifying mirror. The New Zealand-made Still toiletries were lovely to use and included delicious-smelling bath salts. The main downside to the glass was very little privacy when using the loo, despite a curtain.
Food and drink: The hotel has an impressive five food and beverage venues. Intent on sampling them all, I made my way from polenta fries at Two Doors Down to oyster gin cocktails at 360 on the seventh floor, Invercargill’s first ‘rooftop’ bar. Dinner at Asian-fusion-themed Meld exceeded my expectations with duck siu mai that melted in my mouth and a half dozen ‘bluffies’. I also stopped in at late-night Niche bar and had breakfast at Brew’d. All excellent.
360 cocktail bar, on the seventh floor of Invercargill's The Langlands Hotel, is the city's first rooftop bar. Photo / Supplied
Facilities: Valet parking was readily available, and there was complimentary Wi-Fi, a well-equipped gym, a decent room service menu and around-the-clock reception and laundry services. Tucked away on the mezzanine floor overlooking the lobby, the dividable meeting spaces can accommodate up to 110 people.
In the neighbourhood: A stroll around the block will land you at the flash new Invercargill Central shopping centre and the shrine to two-wheeled speedsters - Classic Motorcycle Mecca. Dee St itself has a few small craft breweries including Gadoochi and 4 Mates and a little further away you can wander the botanical sanctuary that is Queen’s Park.
Family friendly: While the main target market obviously isn’t families, you’ll find a good selection of children’s menu options in the hotel eateries, and there are options to book interconnecting rooms.
Accessibility: All the public spaces and hospitality outlets are accessible with flat-level entry for wheelchair users and spacious lifts. Five of the Superior King rooms are designed specifically with accessibility in mind, including a wet-room-style bathroom with shower seat and ample room to manoeuvre.
Sustainability: Lighting throughout the hotel uses energy-saving LEDs and guest rooms offer recycling bins for sorting waste. Other notable touches are the refillable toiletries in the bathrooms rather than single-use plastics, eco slippers and wooden key cards.
