Warning. Once you've stayed a night at the Scenic Hotel Southern Cross in Dunedin, you may not want to sleep in your own bed ever again.
It might sound weird to get so excited about a bed, but these beds are so comfortable the hotel has even started selling them on their website.
My first horizontal experience in Dunedin was a few years ago, I'd planned to meet friends after dinner at a nearby bar. I made the mistake of sneaking in an afternoon nap, but as soon as my head hit the pillow there was no way I was going to get up again. Needless to say, I never made it to the bar.
A quick scan of reviews on Trip Advisor proves that it's not just me that is in love with the beds at the Southern Cross:
- "The beds were awesomely comfortable"
- "The beds are wonderful"
- "The bed, you just sank into the bed"
- "This bed was to die for! It was so comfortable!"
When you're not spending time relaxing in the cloudlike bed, but perhaps don't feel like venturing too far, then there's a couple of hospitality options inside the hotel too.
I had dinner at their restaurant, The Carlton, which offers exactly what you'd expect from a South Island pub.
I chose the bacon-wrapped roasted turkey fillet with dark rich pan gravy. Hungry yet?
Something else you would expect from a southern pub is friendliness, and there was no shortage of that.
The conversation was flowing between myself, the bar staff and a table of retired visitors from Auckland, so much so that I ended up joining them for dinner. I even managed to get an invite onto their yacht, but I'm saving that favour for America's Cup.
The Southern Cross building is also home to Dunedin's only casino, so you can have a play before you hit the hay.
Located in the heart of the Exchange district of Dunedin, the historic building was constructed in 1883, when it was called the Grand Hotel.
It was considered to be the finest hotel in the southern hemisphere when it first opened and can boast being the first hotel to have an Otis lift installed in New Zealand.
But, tasty food and casinos aside, there's one main reason I always stay here when visiting Dunedin, and that's the amazing beds.
You could say it's a blanket rule.
