Camp Estate by Larnach Castle

We received a warm welcome from Laura when we arrived and a little later she served some delicious appetizers to us and the other six guests prior to our short drive to the Castle for dinner. Our accommodation was very luxurious with beautiful views and we enjoyed a delicious breakfast before we departed in the morning. This was a truly excellent experience and we would recommend a stay here without hesitation.

Our family party of six booked all but one of the guest rooms at Camp Estate for the first destination of our stay in New Zealand. GREAT DECISION! Laurie, Annalise and all the staff were wonderful. After an initial cocktail reception, Laurie drove us to our pre-arranged dinner at the nearby Larnach Castle, as we were jet-lagged after more than 30 hours travel from the U.S. (The Castle and the Estate are part of the same organization.) The view from most rooms was of water across the way; my wife and I faced the back, so our reward was the next morning seeing sheep in the pasture about 15 or 20 meters behind the building. The mattress might have been the best we were to encounter in our next three weeks on South Island. At least it tied for first! Breakfast was a treat. Along with the fresh fruit and yogurt, the cooked-to-order hot foods were amazing. I recommend the French toast, made from home-baked bread. But you can't go wrong with the eggs benedict, oatmeal and other offerings. One of the days we were at Camp Estate involved taking a wildlife tour that went from mid-afternoon to evening ... meaning we would not make the closing time for dinner at most restaurants. The ever-helpful crew went above and beyond, preparing and serving a wonderful charcuterie platter that we enjoyed on our return. Yes, it cost additional, but they did not have to do that. The Estate doesn't normally serve any meals but breakfast. While we were enjoying this charcuterie, Annalise provided us with tips to things to do and see in the next couple of areas were would be visiting. That's just another example of extending excellent service. I highly recommend Camp Estate for those visiting the Dunedin area. If I could rate it higher than 5, I would.

We finally made it to Larnach Castle! It had been on the wish list for a very long time and our stay at Camp Estate did not disappoint. We were greeted on the front steps by Laura, our very affable hostess who checked us in and showed us around. So began a very enjoyable couple of days exploring the castle and surrounds. We took the option of dinner at the castle dining room with our fellow guests which was superb. But breakfast served at Camp Estate was a special treat. Thanks ladies. What a way to start the day! This place is special and if you deserve a treat we would recommend Camp Estate.

Elegant lodging. Friendly staff. Beautiful view. Lovely breakie made to order. The view from my room was of the Otago peninsula. Gorgeous!!! What more can I say???? This review requires too many characters. I was very happy with my two day stay.

My niece and myself had a weekend here and we were spoilt beyond belief. We loved every minute. Breakfast was the best and the hospitality was 6 star. If you need to a big of R and R, we would thoroughly recommend this. Only one drawback...it wasn't long enough

We rang in April to secure a room at Camp Estate, and spoke to reception staff at the time. In that conversation, we made it very clear that we were interested in booking a room at Camp Estate (which is a beautiful property) and we were led to believe that is the property for which our reservation was made. However, on arriving at the property today (Dec 2021), we were stunned to find that we had actually been booked into Lanarch Lodge. Lanarch Lodge is VERY different to Camp Estate, and we were never told that we were being booked in the lodge instead of Camp Estate. Presumably, staff would be aware that the properties are by no means synonymous. Lanarch Lodge is much older, there are no staff to help with your luggage, there's only one staff member at the desk (which is closed on Mondays), there is no room-service/all day on site dining, and it doesn't have the same beautiful facilities or amenities as Camp Estate. It's a completely different style of place. Safe to say we were shocked when we arrived, as this was not the property we had booked. Unfortunately, they didn't have rooms at Camp Estate for our full 3 night stay. We were told we had to forfeit our deposit, and we were then left booking alternative accommodation at the last minute. Clearly, there is a huge communication issue here. If guests ring asking to book a room at Camp Estate, there is an obligation to communicate clearly to them if you're actually booking them into a completely different property. This was incredibly disappointing, and frankly quite deceptive. If you're hoping to book at Camp Estate be VERY careful, because they might book you into Lanarch Lodge without telling you, and then will keep the deposit you've paid.