Genuine Experience. True 1900's hotel. Excellent Decor. Great History. Definitely a "presence" upstairs and in room 7, but you be the judge. Memories you'll never forget for sure.

Could do with a deep clean throughout the entire hotel. Curiosities are overwhelming and should be kept to Otira and NZ history. Staffing looked to be an issue, especially in the running of the cafe and kitchen during busy times. Definitely needs a hotel manager, and staff, to take the pressure of Lester, the owner.

Like walking inside a film set dining room, moving back to the 1800's downstairs and upstairs, where guest bathrooms are vitreous floral porcelain handbasins and toilets, ours inside and out! Our four poster oh-so-comfortable bed was the deluxe room worth every reasonable cent, with an ensuite and a single room decorated for a child with books and toys. The entire establishment, run by the multi-talented "mine host" collector of everything -Lester, is dripping with period furniture of various early eras, quirky signs, magnificent mirrors, a live parrot, and a bar/museum/library off the dining room with a pianola! Lester and his crew have an extensive breakfast, lunch and dinner menu available to order also. The Stagecoach Hotel also provides guests a gratis cereal breakfast in the guest lounge which contains a still-magnificent 20 minute massage chair - divine. It is the most entertaining, eclectic and amusing stay you could imagine and never forget. There is no standing on ceremony, just join in chatting about the place with the other guests all gushing and laughing. Brilliant

Nothing not to like - if you enjoy quirky features of yesterday, it is a hoot!

there was muesli and cornflakes and weetbix for breakfast you make that yourself, but if you wanted cooked breakfast you can have that in the dining room, we didn't because we are not big eaters. We had dinner there and the steak we had was beautiful done and the salad. The open fire was going and that gave a lovely feeling. The chooks and ducks and the turkey outside was lovely to see, and we were in luck because we had good weather. Also it was nice that you can see and book the room you like.And in the little lounge there was n massage chair, and that was soooo great.

a glass of wine was 10 dollars.... but they had lovely water with lemon in it so we had a nice drink with our meal. And late in the evening a train past by and it felt if it was going into the hotel, but then again at night everything sounds more loudly. I would have loved it if we had our own toilet, but that is because we need to use it during the night often.

Our experience at the Otira Hotel was simply unforgettable. From the moment we arrived, we were enveloped in the warmth of its historic ambiance and genuine hospitality. The cozy rooms, delicious food, and stunning surroundings all exceeded our expectations. What truly stood out was the exceptional service provided by the lovely staff, who went above and beyond to ensure our comfort and make us feel like home. For travelers seeking a unique and charming retreat in the heart of Otira, this hotel is an absolute gem. Highly recommended for an unforgettable stay.

I wish I could stay there longer :)

A unique, 'out of the box' experience. The hotel is a living museum, with antique paraphernalia and curios everywhere. The furniture in the rooms is amazing. Feels like you have stepped back in time to the 1800s. Lester and Sam were excellent as hosts. Meals were great quality and value. The bar (available to in-house guests only) offered beer and wine at reasonable prices. There's not too much accommodation in the Otira / Arthur's Pass area with dining and bar facilities, so the Stagecoach Hotel fills a valuable niche.

For the sort of place it is, I can't think of anything that would improve the one-off experience.

Beautiful place, quaint and quirky, with cosy restaurant complete with fireplace and bar. Lester the host was extremely welcoming, made us a great meal and offered suggestions of local walks. Kindly upgraded us to a room with private bathroom as that was available at no extra cost. Loved the massage chair, great place to stay after avalanche peak walk (15 mins drive further up Arthur's pass away from Christchurch but nice to drive that extra portion of road). Cheers Lester!

My last night of my 17 days in the South Island and such an great and unusual find. Saw the TransAlpine train lumber into the sleepy town of Otira. Explored the school paintings in the train underpass. Said hello to the goats and pig and found dozens of horse drawn carriages, drays and implements. Home cooked dinner and desert with friendly helpful staff, breakfast by the fire and a museum of my own to play in. Such fun

Nothing. An evening exploring treasures and a comfortable sleep in the Richard Seddon room with ensuite.

Lester and his staff were the best - so accommodating and so relaxed. Also loved the unique experience of staying at a historic property that has been so carefully preserved. The decor kept us entertained and I would have loved to read every book in the place… The massage chair was a treat after a day on the trails and Gracie was a pleasure to hang around with for the evening!

While the overwhelming decor hits you at first, once you embrace it, it’s such fun!!!

The staff was friendly. The rooms were clean, the showers were hot with good water pressure. The place itself was Quirky. It was like living in a museum with a lot of interesting bric a brack about you both inside and out. We ordered dinner from the cafe downstairs and it was delicious and well priced.

We had a hire car so location wasn't a problem but it's not for someone without their own transport

Clean and cozy, good for money, included breakfast which was fantastic! Plenty of towels at your disposal. The hotel itself is quite a tour itself! With heaps of antiques to look through!

Construction work was ongoing and its noise was loud!it went on till late evening! Also no screen for windows for super mosquito sensitive persons like me! So we couldn’t let the window open