Larnach Castle Review

We chose to access the gardens only and not go inside the castle but it was well worth it. The gardens are beautiful with birds everywhere. The views too are spectacular. We weren't planning a visit to the Castle but are so glad that we took the time to spend a couple of peaceful hours in the gardens.

A little castle to fall in love with: unique location, sensational views, tasteful furnishings, fantastic gardens in a hilly landscape. The entrance fee is worth it. Extensive, large information booklets in various languages are particularly worth mentioning.

Amazing castle with beautiful gardens
A must do if you are in the region

Great grounds and lovely house. Really nice refreshments area really cosy

Tourist TRAP ALERT. Yes, it's a nice property .. BUT if you're going to charge people $17/ea to just drive in through the gate in order to see the gardens it better be good; which it's not - just mediocre. You need to shell out 34 if you want to tour the mansion as well. Big touring companies get free entry or huge discounts I suspect to lure in the crowds. If you're driving yourself I suggest you give this a miss and head to the Botanical gardens instead (which are better and free). You get better views from the road outside anyway. Hugely disappointing.

I understand one must book many months on advance, as we did, to enjoy this breathtaking view, but it's worth it. Rooms are not on the castle itself, but in the Lodge or the Stables. Our room is in the Lodge. They are in the style of country estates, comfortable, good sized. Our view from Kate's Room are astounding. It is a time of relaxation and getting away. Our reservation includes breakfast in the lower part of the old stables, featuring an excellent Continental offering as well as options for several cooked items, all delicious. Lunch can be had for purchase in the cafe open daily for guests of the castle. And the special three course dinner, served in the original castle dining room, always has an opening if you are staying here, tho at the same cost as for those coming just for that. The tour of the castle was included and offered a special audio self- tour, which we really enjoyed. Then there was our tour of the many beautiful gardens. All in all, it has been a wonderful experience, and been a great finale to our month in the lovely country of New Zealand!

Absolutely amazing. It is a credit to Margaret Barkers foresight and her family. We enjoyed 2 nights and will come again in summer.

Try the piano in the castle, it'll be great experience :)

It was a beautiful spring by day when we went up to the castle. The grounds are beautiful to walk around, and the castle itself is magnificent! It's super interesting to be able to look into all of the rooms, and even climb up the turret to the top of the castle. I would highly recommend having the high tea afterwards as well :-) yum!

Gardens were beautiful and castle gave an insight into life in late 1800s.

Incredible place, lots of history, great architecture. The term castle is a bit deceiving, it's more like a old mansion but it's gorgeous none the less. The food in the cafe was very underwhelming but they have maintained a great Scottish cultural heritage. The rooms were extremely beautiful with lots of craftsmanship. The ceilings in every room were a piece of art, beautifully carved furniture. The gardens were extremely well kept and the view from the terrace was amazing. Overall had a really good time here. I highly recommend this place to everyone

Excellent gardens and interesting tour of the house.

Very cool place, bit pricey but worth checking out.

Amazing castle and family history!
Recomend to visit!!

Great visit. The work in this building is truly amazing

Nice castle, excellent tour. Very good cafe and gift Shop. Recommend for a look.

Too expensive fees.We were disappointed with what we have seen. Not worth the long drive and effort. Just go to Dunedin CBD with better structural buildings free of charge.

Tks for preserving history. Outstanding location and views.well worth a visit Devonshire tea was scrumptious

Great place, well done current owner restoring it to its former glory.a great gift to Dunedin.

Well is not a castle. Its a historic manner house at best. With a reasonable restoration after it fell into disrepair. If you have done castles in Europe avoid this disappointing excuse to cash in on a tourist dollar. Some of the grounds are lovely. Good views of the growing industrial buildings around the bay. I don't know much about flowers and gardens but i am guessing it appeals some. Admission is very expensive for very little.

New Zealand's only castle. A rich second-generation dream home, the castle is actually small. Very delicate. It is a pity that the descendants of the family have not been maintained and have been abandoned for a while. Only now the owner rescued and recovered. Chinese speaking guide.

I had my wedding reception in the ball room 33 years ago. Love this property

Well worth the visit, great views, stunning castle, fascinating story of the family, loads of history and a wonderful garden and surrounding grounds.

Very well restored by the Barkers, quite a feat that they've accomplished in preserving NZ's rich heritage. Definitely a place to visit for those who like historical places. The gardens we're well stocked with lovely flowers. A nice drive up to the top of the hill too!

Since our last visit, there have been vast changes and improvements to the Castle. Love the changes made, thoroughly enjoyed our visit. It keeps getting better every time we visit.... keep up the great work Barker family.

We didn't explore the castle itself instead chose to explore the gardens and enjoy a fabulous lunch. The castle is now privately owned after quite the history including abandonment. The new owners have done a fantastic job.

Fantastic place, love the tiny staircase up to the battlement

Awesome place must visit when in Dunedin. So much to soak up with lots of interesting detail.

Larnach Castle was very a enjoyable experience! Definitely worth a visit if you like history.

Lanak's history is intetesting but it wasn't a real castle. Plus the admission fee was rather pricecy.

A must see attraction the gardens and views are amazing.Staff in the cafe are really friendly. We got a free past next time and lasts for a year!!!

Overpriced, poorly kept & underwhelming grounds. Castle is not the word to describe this "attraction" don't waste your money.

Wonderful experience
Great tour and high tea

It wax rainy and misty the day we went here but it just added to the whole feeling of going back in time. Beautiful gardens

Stayed and ate a meal here in a very special environment, unique in NZ. Fog blocked the best view, but nothing we could do about it.

We toured in early March in the middle of March. I thought that the flower was already over, but many flowers were still blooming. I was surprised at the shop inside the castle because Japanese was communicated. Also, the view overlooking Dunedin from the road on the way to here was of the highest quality.

Absolutely stunning! Arrive early in the morning when the gates first open to beat the crowd of tourists.
Definitely worth paying for the full ticket and going through the castle.
The cafe serves a delicious breakfast/morning tea.
The garden surrounding the castle have a Alice in Wonderland theme.
You can also stay up here in the horse stables which have been converted into accommodation. They look beautiful from the outside, unfortunately I didn't book accommodation up here, so I can't say what they are like on the inside.
The views surrounding the castle are absolutely breathtaking!
You definitely want to come here!

The castle itself is also worth a visit, but most of all, the way to see it is art.

The history of the castle is probably the most important factor contributing to the place's charm. The origins of the castle coupled with the lengthy restoration by a visionary has made this place worth visiting, not to mention the views you'd be rewarded with from the top. Although not as ornate as many castles, but it stems from the fact that it's more of a large home of a wealthy Presbyterian family.

Amazing Castle only 30 minutes form Dunedin. There is an entry cost to the gardens and even more to the castle itself. It is a museum with plenty to see and learn. Beautiful architecture and well maintained. Cafe is on site with high tea and nice looking food.

Nice place tp kl mau foto2 lbh good morning sb the weather often changed2

It is actually a manor, but Scotch patrimony gives it a castle status because simply there're no true castles around. I visited the castle while there were two cruiseship in the port so the place was crowded with people, organisators should think about improvement of crowd management because the masses throughout the building just ruin all the beautiful atmosphere. The view from the top - nice, but not impressive. Gardens could be maintained better. The lunch was nice, with Scotch traditional cuisine but performance of two girls was a bit odd to me. Scottish traditional dance performed by two girls... Hmmm.

I always love going to Larnarch Castle. I had high tea this time. Staff are very professional and respectful.

To be european, it is far away from castle but it is very beautiful anyway Wonderful gardens and views, nice cafe.
You can relax on the lawns, play games buy some flowers. I think it is a must if visiting Dunedin

Beautiful historical gardens and castle, with cafe and occasional ball. Just fabulous.

Great architecture, history, furniture and interesting guides. Well worth a visit

Beautiful building , fantastic views set in super gardens.
Recommended visit

What an amazing experience. This is a must do. If you have and inkling of going to Larnach castle, do it. Don't be put off by the price of it, it's worth every cent!!!!

A must see when in Dunedin . We took an escorted bus tour with a wonderful guide named Paul. He knew everything about the city and Lenarch castle and family. Make sure to get castle and garden entry. Don t miss the winding staircase to top of turret. The views from up there are wonderful . There are bathrooms and a small cafe( in the beautiful ballroom.The castle is on Otago peninsula so you get the stunning views of that and looking down to city and sound and info on early settlers etc. as you drive to castle . We Were picked up at our hotel and arrived back about 3 1/2 hours later. It was nice to fo first thing in morning . The castle us NOT handicapped accessible above first floor

Nice to visit, informative guide. Nice afternoon tea.

Larnach Castle is just fabulous, the history as it unfolds will take you on a journey through time! What an amazing place to find, everything explained in a respected way. Take in and appreciate all the rooms and gardens. A bonus is the restaurant, offering high tea!

Fantastic! The whole story of how the castle was built, the family's rise and fall, and how it was found in decay and how it was restored ...

Beautiful estate. A little overpriced for my taste, but worthwhile if you ve got an extra day in your itinerary.

Probably more suited to the tourist with a true history bent than your average jo.

A great part of Dunedin's history. So glad it is in hands of restoration

A must see if you are in Dunedin - well worth the money. Lovely gardens and amazing restored castle. A touch of history! A credit to the family who took on this restoration project.

I have always wanted to stay at Larnach's Castle so booked into the Stablestay, which provides hostel-like accommodation above the Stables in the castle grounds. Breakfast and a tour of the Castle were included in the room rate. I was lucky to enjoy a delicious cooked breakfast in the ballroom, warmed by 3 roaring log fires. My little room, while compact, was toasty warm and the bed comfortable. The staff were all welcoming and lovely, and as a solo traveller I felt safe and secure. Both Larnach's Castle and the gardens that surround it have been lovingly restored over the years, thanks to the family whose vision it has been to rescue this property and share it with visitors. Its location high on the Otago Peninsula offers wonderful views, and an easy drive out to the Royal Albatross Colony at Taieri Head. Recommended!