Search guest houses in South Island

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Featured guest house destinations

Destination inspiration for your trip – find a guest house

Dunedin

18 guest houses

Christchurch

13 guest houses

Queenstown

12 guest houses

Wanaka

11 guest houses

Nelson

9 guest houses

Lake Tekapo

7 guest houses

Picton

6 guest houses

Blenheim

4 guest houses

Cromwell

4 guest houses

Motueka

4 guest houses

Mapua

3 guest houses

Kaikoura

3 guest houses

Havelock

3 guest houses

Burkes Pass

3 guest houses

Greymouth

3 guest houses

Alexandra

3 guest houses

The best guest houses in South Island

Check out our pick of great guest houses in South Island

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Sahara Guest House

Dunedin

Located in Dunedin, near Otago Museum, Taieri Gorge Railway and Forsyth Barr Stadium, Sahara Guest House has a shared lounge.

K
Katrin
From
Germany
The historic building is newly and beautifully renovated and has lots of charm. The location is centrally located close to the universities and plenty of restaurants. Breakfast buffet was very good.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.0
Superb - What previous guests thought, 1,003 reviews
Price from
US$91.43
1 night, 2 adults

Studio 585

Alexandra

Located just 28 km from Central Otago District Council, Studio 585 provides accommodation in Alexandra with access to a garden, barbecue facilities, as well as bicycle parking.

A
Amanda
From
Cyprus
Michele and Geoff are warm hospitable hosts.!Thouggtful touches throughout...excellent powershower/ bathr, lovely linens. Tastefully decorated.warm, cosy, Muesli, milk treats in fridge! Gorgeous location.parking! Like home!5min from town but in the country..
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.6
Exceptional - What previous guests thought, 160 reviews
Price from
US$98.45
1 night, 2 adults

Berryfields 64

Appleby

Located in Appleby and only 15 km from Christ Church Cathedral, Nelson, Berryfields 64 provides accommodation with garden views, free WiFi and free private parking.

T
Tomas
From
Czech Republic
Great price volume ratio. Clean and spacy room. Breakfest is good and sufficient. Good communicatio with the provider.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.2
Superb - What previous guests thought, 119 reviews
Price from
US$133.23
1 night, 2 adults

Top of the world studio nestled in the rock

Queensberry

Offering a garden and river view, Top of the world studio nestled in the rock is located in Queensberry, 24 km from The Wanaka Tree and 38 km from Central Otago District Council.

E
Esther
From
Germany
Everything was wonderful, very comfortable bed, the views are amazing.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.6
Exceptional - What previous guests thought, 166 reviews
Price from
US$92.56
1 night, 2 adults

Maitai Whare Iti - Adventure Cabins & House

Nelson

Situated in Nelson, 7.4 km from Christ Church Cathedral, Nelson, Maitai Whare Iti - Adventure Cabins & House features accommodation with a garden, free private parking, a shared lounge and a terrace.

T
Tobias
From
Germany
Great Stay in the calm forest only a few minutes outside Nelson! Mark and his family were super hosts, they gave us a lot of great tips for the area.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.1
Superb - What previous guests thought, 196 reviews
Price from
US$111.63
1 night, 2 adults

Honey Cottage in Ettrick

Millers Flat

Set in Millers Flat in the Otago region, Honey Cottage in Ettrick features a patio. This guest house offers a terrace.

D
Danushka
From
Sri Lanka
It was an amazing stay at Honey Cottage! We honestly loved every bit of it — the hot tub with the stunning mountain views, the cosy wooden stove that kept us warm, and all the thoughtful little touches like having mobile chargers ready for us. Every tiny detail was taken care of, and it truly made this the best part of our whole trip. The honey tasting was such a sweet experience and it honestly made me want to buy every type of honey you have — it was that good! We also had the most incredible night stargazing; it felt magical. We really regret not staying longer because we didn’t want to leave! This has been, without a doubt, the best stay we’ve had in our lifetime. We’ll definitely be posting a great review, and we’ll 100% be back for another stay. Thanks again for everything, Tracey — you made our trip unforgettable. Thank you Tracy and Micael.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.6
Exceptional - What previous guests thought, 106 reviews
Price from
US$96.48
1 night, 2 adults

Stump Cottage

Lumsden

Situated in Lumsden in the Southland region, Stump Cottage has a garden. This property offers access to a balcony and free private parking. The guest house is fitted with a flat-screen TV.

N
Nicole
From
New Zealand
Fantastic quirky cottage stay for daughter and I. Very central to Lumsden so easy access to our event. Hosts were polite, welcoming and all expectations of the stay were met/exceeded. Would stay again if visiting Lumsden, and would highly recommend to others
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.4
Superb - What previous guests thought, 127 reviews
Price from
US$100.97
1 night, 2 adults

Catlins Retreat B & B

Owaka

Catlins Retreat B & B is situated in Owaka. Featuring garden and quiet street views, this guest house also includes free WiFi. Guests can access the guest house via private entrance.

P
Pierre-Yves
From
France
Great bedrooms where we fill the history from this place. Host is welcoming and helpful
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.2
Superb - What previous guests thought, 306 reviews
Price from
US$104.90
1 night, 2 adults

The Old Vicarage

Reefton

The Old Vicarage is set in Reefton. This property offers access to a terrace, free private parking and free WiFi. The non-smoking unit includes a fireplace, bath and flat-screen TV with Blu-ray...

D
Dorianne
From
South Africa
Quaint, clean, comfortable. Excellent help yourself breakfast. Easy check in with lockbox.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.5
Exceptional - What previous guests thought, 366 reviews
Price from
US$92.56
1 night, 2 adults

Rodman Star Apartment

Lake Tekapo

Situated 46 km from Mt. Dobson, Rodman Star Apartment offers air-conditioned accommodation with a patio. The property has lake views.

Y
Yock Kiat
From
Singapore
Comes with a parking lot and it’s just a stone-throw to Lake Tekapo. Very cosy interior, suitable for family or big groups of travellers.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.0
Superb - What previous guests thought, 172 reviews
Price from
US$258.04
1 night, 2 adults
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FAQs about guest houses in South Island

Guest houses that guests love in South Island

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Avg. price/night: US$180.63
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.2
Very good - What previous guests thought, 77 reviews
Well-appointed and comfortable unit with view of the grapevines from your patio. Bbq to cook an easy dinner and an assortment of breakfast items delivered to room...what is there not to like? Great hosts and a wine tasting of River Rock wines was a bonus. Great location to explore Cromwell area.
Guest review by
Janice
Young couple
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.6
Exceptional - What previous guests thought, 160 reviews
Great hosts. Great location. Shower good and bed comfy. Good breakfast, and free mini golf. Nice property. Otto was great.
Guest review by
MUR
Young couple
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.6
Exceptional - What previous guests thought, 188 reviews
Very tasteful separate guest house in quiet residential area. The hosts live in the main house just above the guesthouse and are very welcoming. They will give you tips for local trips and dining options. There is a barbecue and we could use the bikes to ride into town. Loved the stay and the view and would definitely return if in Wānaka again.
Guest review by
Corina
Young couple
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.7
Fabulous - What previous guests thought, 233 reviews
Really nice Bed and breakfast, host was really nice. Great location.
Guest review by
Corinne
Young couple
Avg. price/night: US$116.12
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.0
Superb - What previous guests thought, 1,004 reviews
Julie is an amazing host! So friendly, welcoming and helpful. The property is in a perfect location near the university, city centre, Otago Museum, Art Gallery and many cafes, restaurants and bars. The rooms in the guest house are lovely, the beds comfy, and everything spotlessly clean. The continental breakfast is plentiful and the dining room sunny and light. This was my second stay and this is now my go-to accommodation in Dunedin!
Guest review by
Lisa
Solo traveller
Avg. price/night: US$116.12
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.4
Superb - What previous guests thought, 511 reviews
Lovely room in charming house; great breakfast; very helpful host; quiet location
Guest review by
Helen H
Solo traveller
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.8
Exceptional - What previous guests thought, 50 reviews
Beautifully presented, clean, cosy and welcoming. Lovely little touches like cereals left for our for breakfast, speciality tea selection, local honey, plunger coffee (in addition to instant coffee) and some chocolates left for us too. Super friendly hosts and great location just a few minutes drive from QT centre. Great to have the separate unit so we felt like we were staying in our own wee home away from home, quiet location with a stunning view and the sound of the river (and occasional jet boat!).
Guest review by
Lynne
Young couple
Avg. price/night: US$92.56
Scored out of 10, guest rating 7.7
Good - What previous guests thought, 52 reviews
Great location, just a minute or so walk to the jetty and waterfront. Very quiet, slept very soundly. Roses is a lovely host and the unit has everything you need. The photos don’t do it justice!
Guest review by
Celia Jaspers
Family with young children
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.7
Fabulous - What previous guests thought, 108 reviews
Located in the city centre, much cheaper than hotels in the area, easy to access and very private/quiet. Hosts were accommodating for an early check in which was lovely! Would definitely come back and stay again!
Guest review by
Brooke
Young couple
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.5
Exceptional - What previous guests thought, 114 reviews
It was very spacious and quiet. David was a great host.
Guest review by
Marie
Young couple