Albatross Inn

We arrived to limited parking and no one here to greet us in reception! The door had a sign on it saying no one was in, there was a note left for us at the desk but we rang the bell and someone came. He seemed friendly enough but disappeared as soon as he had appeared. ||The rooms are old with what, I am sure, used to be character features that are now simply tattered and uncared for. The paint work is cracked, the shower has black mould on all the joins and lets not even mention the old claw foot bath with the cracked paint from a poor DIY attempt at refurbishment along with the rusty drain accompanied by the equally rusty soap holder spanning the bath from side to side. ||The toilet flushes well leaving a really enjoyable banging sound echoing in to the bedroom for around ten minutes post flush. Rest assured however, there is a beautiful ceramic bedpan sitting beside the 1970’s plastic toilet on top of the old pinkish linoleum floor covering - I think it is meant to be in keeping with the era of the original building but it doesn’t quite fit in with the decor of the current era or whatever era the owners decide on if they ever renovate? ||The bedroom is large with a beautiful bay window with an old solid wood writing desk and chair nestled nicely in to the curved space, I just wish the rest of the room had been so equally appealing! ||There is a double bed in the room, a cheap attempt at an iron bed from maybe the Victorian Era? Aside from the cheap tat of it the base of the bed plus matress made us feel like we were lying in a kind of water bed that might burst or fall to the floor at any time through the night 😫||There was also a single bed in the room, good luck to whoever sleeps in that, if you survive the night without being choked by the TV cables that hang down across your bed I will be most impressed! ||Anyway, all in all I would say this place could be an absolute dream of a Bed and Breakfast with a bit of style, thought, consideration with some $$ spend too! It seems like this place was once loved and now it is simply a business to make money and not something to be proud of. ||In its current state I would NOT recommend this place to anyone!

We booked two nights in the Albatross Inn and our first impression weren’t great. There was a sign on the front door saying the owner wasn’t in and could we call a number for service (the sign seems to be a permanent fixture regardless of anyone being home - or not). We tried the handle and the door opened so in we went. There was a note addressed to me detailing our room number and the WiFi password. the room was too small. There was a lack of storage (no wardrobe). No table. The power outlets were all in difficult to get to places. There was a kettle but we had real problems plugging it In anywhere. The shower control was broken and the shower head dripped loudly for quite some time after a shower. The whole building had a shabby tired feel (flaking paint and mildew) The chap living there was helpful but only on request. Otherwise he was invisible. All bad? No. The breakfast was good though basically toast, spreads and cereals. It’s reasonably central and an easy short-ish walk into town. Would I stay there again? No - I think there’s probably better, newer more welcoming places for around the same price.

The total lack of evidence of the owner/host made this a wierd stay. Notes were left on the door and in the hall giving all the relevant information, and everything worked out. The room was comfortable, warm and very Victorian. Plenty of hot water and a well equipped coffee/tea tray were definite pluses. There was a hint in one review of freshly baked muffins for breakfast, but these failed to materialise. Cereal and toast were available, the coffee made but again no-one appeared. This really created a strange atmosphere - almost like you were invading or breaking into the place,||We were comfortable and warm, and the whole experience made a story to amuse our friends.

An instant calm prevails upon entering the Albatross Inn and closing the door on the main street. Maybe it's the stained glass and soothing albatross mobile which greets you. The reception area and breakfast room are attractively presented and decorated in a style befitting a Victorian home while still incorporating mod cons.||I was welcomed by the housekeeper and shown my room, while the manager, Chris, was fairly accessible if I needed him. The unobtrusive style of hosting appealed to me.||I spent a very comfortable afternoon and night in my light, airy room.||The ensuite, complete with heated towel rack, good-sized washstand, exposed stained hardwood floor and decent heater was nice.||Wif-fi, TV, tea and coffee making facilities in the room, bed with feather pillows and quality bedding, umbrellas (essential in Dunedin!) and parking all made for a very comfortable and cosy stay.||Continental breakfast included cereals and toast, and freshly-made strawberry yoghurt and drip-filter coffee; both delicious.||Yes, my room was small, but it's a Victorian house in a city built by Scots settlers! Adjust your expectations accordingly when staying in such accommodation and you'll enjoy the ambience.

We recently stayed there for 2 nights.||We were welcomed on arrival,BUT when hubby who is a smoker asked if it was fine to smoke OUTDOORS she gave a sarcastic remark , that she would prefer that no one smoke on her property!! which was a stupid thing to say considering she is the host of a b&b and it is not specified in her ads, to which hubby said , that if that is your feeling then you should specify & he would gladly leave and rent elsewhere...she did explain to say that she had a previous tenant who gave her a hard time...and she then apologised...but in business you do not act that way or take it out on other innocent tenants who are trying to do the right thing..||Having said that now on with the rest,,,the house is beautiful, there is a lounge room for the guests to relax, the dining room is beautifully decorated , the breakfast served is good, with a variety of breads and cereal and some fruit salad.||The room we had was cramped , it was a decent size but with the armchair in the room ,made it hard to find a vacant spot for the suitcase, you had to keep moving it around as one wall was taken up with the heater against it , bed was comfortable, the ensuite was nice and roomy , everything was clean,||Wi Fi was good but died down in the evening,||Location was very good walking distance to city centre , the location was in a good spot and block was fine ; as Dunedin is very hilly and steep ; be aware some accommodations are on some very steep blocks of land might make it difficult for walking.||There are only 3 parking spots , which is not enough for the guests , but in some areas you can park on the street but that can be difficult at times...

Very old looking, exterior and interior. Clean but aged, could do with updating. |No one to meet us in reception when we arrived, had to press buzzer and told our check in form was to be filled in and key to room was with it. |Ironing board and iron in hallway for communal use. |No wardrobe, just hooks on wall with coat hangers. Not ideal. |Breakfast - consisted of three cereal, bread to toast ourselves. Toaster was 4 slice but only 2 worked. Kettle for tea and coffee percolator you had to make yourself. Butter on table for toast but no Jams. Just marmite and peanut butter. Not great. |Shower - either too hot or too cold, no in between. |Cups weren’t washed when we went to use them. |No fridge, milk, hairdryer etc so don’t expect too much. |Very basic. Our stay was for one night so not really a problem for us.

There's really nothing good to say. When the wifi occasionally came on it was so slow it was almost non-existent. For even a moderate signal we had to walk down the street to a cafe. The room was dingy and musty, with numerous repairs needed. The only light in the bathroom was out and was never fixed while we were there. The shower was tiny and leaked badly. The previous comments about no contact with the manager are completely correct. The breakfast was almost non-existent as well. The bed felt like it had seen better days in the 1980's.

Good location if you like walking - not far from city centre. We were disappointed in our room. Bathroom had mold on the walls. Room had no amenities and not clean (carpet disgusting - no heat) Chris (staff) was accommodating. Breakfast was good. The B&B was less than ideal. Gerald & Eleanor - Canada