Larnach Castle Reviews

Beautiful. More fun in my head than it actually was.

Decent sized castle - Unique as it's made not by a King or a Queen but by a businessman.

Love this place, they need to offer a better website and online vouchers etc though!

I decided to take a look around the gardens and castle grounds. It was nice, with some pretty flowers but I had expected more.

So much work has gone into this beautiful castle and it's definitely worth seeing more than once as there's always something new to see either inside or in the extensive gardens. Highly recommended for both visitors and locals.

We got there at 4pm and their website said they closed at 5pm. We were turned away at the gate because the claimed to be closed. Super frustrating after making the drive there the last day of our visit.

Beautiful even in the rain! The castle itself is interesting but the grounds are incredibly beautiful even in winter.

I was truely looking forward to seeing this castle as there are very few within Australia. However, for the costing of this place and trade work of the construction of the castle, I must say I left dissappointed. To some up this experience when I was making my way through the castle I heard a person say"so this man how made this structure was a wannabe king" and I guess that is the best way to sum this experience up.

Beautiful castle.
Worth the drive.

Do not visit in the winter months particularly if you only want to look at the exteriors . The gardens were dead/dormant It was cold and miserable. In effect we payed $30 for parking and spent more time walking to and from the car park than at the "attraction". This was without a doubt the most expensive toilet stop of our trip.
Also the views on the drive in were superior to those at the site. Save your time and money and go to the Dunedin Botanical Gardens. They are free and much more spectacular than any thi g you will see at the "castle".

Small but beautiful castle. We visited it during winter and garden was nice too.
It has got lovely 360 view from the tower!
Rooms are well resorted and nice.
Had lunch at its resturant and loved lamb burger. Juicy and full of flavour!
The only reason I'm giving ut 4 star is the price. I understand cost of maintenance is high but still thought it was a little bit over priced.

The Kids Loved it. They learnt so much looking back on history. This place is child friendly. Beautiful gardens and scenery. The entry fee is worth it as they have done a beautiful job with keeping the heritage of the castle. The ballroom has a tea rooms. Food is nicely done and very relaxing sitting by the open fire places. Staff very helpful and friendly. Highly rated visit.

An underwhelming experience not worth the entry fee of $34.
I'm from the UK, and upon picking up on my accent the gate attendee warned me that it was not the same scale as castles back home, but seeing how there can be some of quite some size, I thought there was plenty of room for an interesting site.
A self guided tour is a fine idea, and works for many other attractions, but it requires a well directed route, and information ideally beginning with the origin of the building. We came across limited information in this aspect, and left feeling that we had actually just paid admittance to supply rent to an investment property.
The view from the top of the castle is good, but so are the views across bay from the roadside on the way up. The gardens are nothing special, and looked as if they needed some TLC, but would probably be more pleasant in summer.
On the whole its an okay place to visit that felt incredibly soured by the price of it. Would have stopped for a coffee and cake too, but didn't want to hand over more money.
I feel that if they lowered the price, or even made it free/asked for donations it would get far more foot traffic, and people more willing to part with their money in the cafe and gift shop.

Entertaining on all levels, great accommodation, love the ballroom cafe with the fire going, stunning views, good service

It's my second time visiting the castle but it's my first time to explore inside the Castle. It's overwhelming. The view from the top is amazing. No wonder why William Larnach bought the land and build a castle.

Wet went out to the Castle before breakfast. If you get out early it was cheaper. Lovely foggy morning and very atmospheric castle appearing from out of the mist. This was not our first trip as we try to come here every time we are in town. Although we ran into a coach trip we managed to make our way around them and found enough space to view the interior of the house in relative quiet. We then spent an hour in the excellent garden. Finished off our morning with brunch in the ballroom. The Eggs Benedict is highly recommended and the staff are super friendly. Over all a great way to spend a morning.

A really beautiful castle in a hill with a view of Dunedin to the west and the sea to the east. If you're in Dunedin I'd recommend a visit.

The castle is small, not as spectacular as the European castle, the location is still excellent, the scenery is beautiful, it is worth seeing

Loved it very special place and the cafe was lovely.

Absolutely stunning, the view gardens building lovely staff.

Definitely a great experience. The view at the top of the castle is breathtaking.

Cool to see but was disappointed, especially with the entrance fee. Views were the only thing I really enjoyed and they were amazing!

This is a truly beautiful castle. The rooms are elegant and give you a wonderful view into the past. The rooftop provide great views of the surrounding area. I also really enjoyed the dining hall and Cafe food.

Privately-run and managed cultural relics castle, but after all, there is insufficient financial resources to maintain repairs, so tickets are not cheap

Larnock Castle is a must. The gardens are lovely and the castle is full of history.

Beautiful Gardens so lovingly restored to there former glory.

I've been to various castles across Europe and this place is pretty plain. The nicest thing that I enjoyed were the amazing views of the bay and the family history is interesting.

Great place to visit with friends. Views on the drive up are fantastic. The rich history of the castle is fascinating. It feels like you are in a time warp. Highly recommend, if you live in Dunedin then after your first visit you can get a past that gives you free admission with a paying customer. Good if you have visitors who want to see the castle and you have already visited.

Loved the castle. Staff outstanding. They do a good mochachino.

Beautiful restoration of Dunedin history . Only disappointment but only slightly was the unfriendly service in the gift shop plus regular attendance of the public conveniences would be a good idea as some foreign visitors don't know eurpean cultures and are rather unclean .

Wonderful place. Rich and detailed history coupled with an amazing environment. Very in touch staff aswell, made my visit excellent..

Love coming here with the family!! Come see how awesome this place is

Amazing The sad story about the family and the Castle.

Absolutely a must see. With lifestyle changing so often its nice to see some beautiful history remain. Lisaa and david from Australia

Wonderful site. The roads to the castle are particularly frightening but the landscape is breath taking. The gardens are welcoming, but it could be better taken care of. The castle is still under maintenance, showing neglect in some areas, More

Oh my gosh this place is lovely. Gorgeous views, very well kept gardens. Lovely little gift shop. Around $30 per person to visit the castle and gardens. We stayed and so the tour with audio guide is all free. The lodge has lovely fittings and fixtures (copper, brass, nice tapestry and carpentry work). The bathroom overlooks the water and is simply stunning, as is the traditional lovely high bed. The buffet breakfast is filled with a great assortment of dairy and gluten free options too. Prices for the lodge are around $350-450 per night. Would recommend to those visiting the area.

A must see in Dunedin. The gardens are beautiful. Castle is old but very nice. Drive from Dunedin is very scenic and takes about 45 mins. The views from the Castle are fantastic.

An absolutely beautiful sight after a beautiful drive.

Lovely gardens with lovely views. Didn't go into castle itself. Food is average and quite pricey.

Such a unique place, full of antiquities and history. The views and gardens are so very beautiful too. It's been an incredible restoration project for the current owners and family and we are lucky that they share it with the world

It's a really small castle and garden. well maintained and trimmed (green) garden but not much flora. Really pricey but it may be worth it if u like history and tours.

Wet went out to the Castle before breakfast. If you get out early it was cheaper. Lovely foggy morning and very atmospheric castle appearing from out of the mist. This was not our first trip as we try to come here every time we are in town. Although we ran into a coach trip we managed to make our way around them and found enough space to view the interior of the house in relative quiet. We then spent an hour in the excellent garden. Finished off our morning with brunch in the ballroom. The Eggs Benedict is highly recommended and the staff are super friendly. Over all a great way to spend a morning.

Pretty special historical landmark to learn about one of the many pioneers of the region. Very interesting place to see how such a powerful and intelligent man lived such a messy romantic life.

It's neat that this is the only castle in NZ, but for a castle, it is relatively small. Also, based on previous reviews, I was under the impression that it is free to view the grounds, but this is no longer true. It is $17NZ per person to view the grounds (gardens) and $34NZ per person to go inside the castle. The gardens have good views, but is small enough that you only need an hour or so to enjoy them.

Tour guide was excellent. Very informative and entertaining. Be aware of steps within the castle. Lovely high tea. Beautiful gardens.

Very beautiful place to visit. You can get good discount by Grab one, depends on if available. I recommended to go in a sunny day. Very beautiful landscape.

This place is worth a trip if you are staying in Dunedin. We stayed in the Lodge which had spectacular views of the Otago Peninsula. If you are looking for a place to stay in Dunedin look no further. The Castle tour and breakfast is included, so after subtracting out those prices from the room, it's actually quite comparable to other hotels in town. It's about a 20 minute drive to the Octagon in Dunedin. If we didn't stay here and we paid for the tour, then I think we would have been dissapointed, but the overall package with the hotel stay was quite enjoyable.

Beautiful views.very helpful staff. But road to castle is very narrow and could be hazzardous

The views, the gardens and the interior of the castle

Beautiful, love the history. Guided tour definitely recommend.

If you like history or artifacts it should be fine!

Well worth the visit and adult entry fee of $34 at the time of our visit ,super coffee shop,warm and welcoming

Very pretty gardens but rather expensive entry $15.50 for gardens $31 gardens and (very small) castle

It s worth visiting the gardens and have a walk around although it s a bit pricey and crowded.

Beautiful castle but not worth the ticket price, you can easily cover the castle and the garden in an hour.

Views, historical tour of castle gardens accommodation high tea & dinner in castle
All superb!

Went here early this year and I must say even though I enjoyed the picturesque views, I wonder if this is what an actual castle looks like.

If you are planning to make a trip to Dunedin anytime soon, you should DEFINITELY come to Larnach Castle! It is so amazing to see. It is just absolutely beautiful, and so captivating. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is the stairs. There is a lot of stairs, which of course I understand, but it can be uncomfortable for those less able to walk long distances or up and down stairs with ease. So, as much as I loved this place, and it was a highlight of the trip, I think the amount of stairs is a bit unnecessary. (Disclaimer: I know this castle was built many many years ago, they wouldn't of thought it would be a tourist attraction in the future) Thanks for taking the time to read my (very long) review of Larnach Castle. :)

The arrangement is not bad, but the tickets are charged by the head, which is a bit expensive!

I never get sick of visiting this place, I'm always seeing and learning something new everytime I go. The Barkers have done such a great job restoring the place it's easy to see why it's a must go tourist spot.

A great experience. A must see. Beautiful gardens and views. Make sure you go to the top floor.

Quaint castle. Front desk was very friendly. They took time to explain the history and the route to take. Go up to the roof for some breathtaking scenery. Be careful of steep steps.

Great grounds and gardens which, if into plants, you can spend a lot of time walking through. If you're a gardener you'll be due to get a few ideas. Nice to see a range of native plantings as well as the more 'traditional' English varieties. The Castle is a great choice for a morning trip if you're staying in Dunedin. Good ginger slice in the cafe, too.

Absolutely beautiful. Gardens and interior beautifully maintained to its age old period. Tour guide was very knowledgeable. View was spectacular.

Beautiful castle with truly amazing views. Worth the money to go and see it.

Value for money is very low. Garden ticket is useless on winter. If you are after a experience buy the full ticket and forget the cost.mona vally in christchurch will give you the same kind of experience for free.

Lovely, you can take a picnic lunch and sit in the gardens.

Cool story and stunning views all around. The castle is small when compared to some of Europe's offerings but still worth a stop. We planned to eat at their cafe but a couple that had just eaten didn't give it great reviews so we passed.

Really great castle and gardens, definitely worth visiting.