4 Best Hotels in Otago, Invercargill, and Stewart Island, New Zealand

Just opposite St. Joseph's Cathedral, this late-1800s former bishop's residence (once called Rockmount) is now a comfortable hostel with a few touches of Harry Potter (fans may want to look for Hedwig in Room 9 3/4) and plenty of nice spaces. Your best options are a double in the main building with en suite facilities; the Stables (with two self-contained studios); and the Coach House (two rooms with private bathrooms—only one en suite—and shared kitchen). The home's original dining room has been transformed into a charming, spacious five-bed dorm, and all other rooms are singles, doubles, and triples that share clean, modern bathrooms and two equally smart kitchens. There's a cozy dining area, reading room, TV/DVD lounge, and laundry, as well as Wi-Fi throughout (for a fee). The clientele is a diverse mix of guests from late-teens to octogenarians.

An 1860s Victorian mansion just a three-minute walk to the center of town, Hulmes Court was originally built for one of the founders of the Otago Medical School (it maintains scholarly ties by employing University of Otago students) and is paired with a 1907 house. Continental-style breakfast and all-day tea and coffee are served in the Victorian drawing room and a casual, relaxed feel extends to a warm welcome thanks to such touches as a computer, photocopier, books, and newspapers available for guests. Hosts Norman and Zina Wood live on the premises with their family and resident cats. Amenities also include free Wi-Fi, laundry, and off-street parking.

This handsome, historic, renovated building dominates the main road in Oban and offers comfortable rooms, some of which (in the front) have sea views. This is an old-fashioned hotel, which means that you share a bathroom with other guests if you stay upstairs in the original building. If you'd like your own bathroom and a more peaceful room, ask for a studio unit behind the hotel. Downstairs is the local-favorite pub and restaurant, so you don't need to go far after a few drinks or to have breakfast in the morning.

The world's southernmost YHA hostel is in the center of Invercargill, next door to the Speight's Ale House and the main city library. The Tuatara has the usual group of bunks, twins, and double rooms, along with a few private doubles with en suite bathrooms, TVs, and stereos. An on-site café serves good coffee and breakfast, and the hostel also has two lounges, a kitchen, secure parking, a laundry, and Wi-Fi.