Stewart Island Lodge

Five minutes from the centre of Oban – Stewart Island is the third-largest island of New Zealand, lying 30km south of the South Island.

There are six en suite bedrooms with either twin or king beds. Each room is centrally heated and opens directly onto an expansive, shared balcony that looks over the colourful gardens and ocean beyond. The rooms are bright with beige décor, wooden headboards and comfortable reading chairs.

The B&B provides a continental breakfast in the morning, as well as cooking facilities in the main kitchen for those who wish to stay in during the evenings. At 5pm there are drinks and canapes served on the balcony where you can swap stories with fellow lodgers.

The lodge offers a shuttle service to and from the ferry terminal. It also has a communal guest lounge, access to cooking facilities and Wi-Fi.

After you’ve soaked up the views from the balcony, watching the boats sail into Halfmoon Bay and through the Foveaux Strait, walk around Oban, a small village with a general store, small museum, craft shop and several cafes and restaurants. Once you’ve gotten your bearings, take a guided tour to the predator free Ulva Island to spot albatrosses, tits, fernbirds, and the rare Stewart Island robin. Return to the lodge in time for the 5pm cocktail hour before heading out again, this time on a night time walk to try and spot the nocturnal kiwi. Your chances are good of spotting the Stewart Island Brown kiwi, as with an estimated population of 20,000, there are more kiwis on the island than humans.