This retired convent and school is a real treat and a lesson in local and religious history, witness to the changed fortunes of Otago as the 1800s transitioned into the 1900s, also the Christian churches’ altered fortunes over the last century.
It’s quietly being polished into quality holiday accommodation (the task is mammoth and could be overwhelming) and it has a tired chateaux feel about it but it must be remembered that this is not a jaded chateaux but a previously austere Dominican convent and as such there are no luxuries lost.
The pleasures here come in the form of history, the shuttered and derelict school houses and grounds, a truly spectacular and unexpectedly audacious and ornate chapel, the rural quiet. At times the buildings did conjure up images of a haunted asylum, perhaps the abandoned hotel of the Shining, but that was really just my imagination running away with me (and that was part of the fun).
This is not for those seeking 5-star luxury, cocktails at 5 and liveried porters, but for those looking for a different experience - one steeped in history, social change, and restoration/regeneration - that will stimulate the imagination and give a unique taste of early Otago life and values.