PLAN D

Having not been to the ‘Edinburgh of the south’ for many (many) years I was excited to jump on a plane recently and head downcountry to see if Dunners had changed since my last visit.

Given it had been so long, not surprisingly I was blown away at how exciting Dunedin (Ōtepoti), a city of just 130,000, has become. And yet it retains that essence of tradition instilled by parsimonious Scottish settlers in the 1800s. These days, the city sporting New Zealand’s oldest university still draws thousands of students every year, seeking an iconic ‘scarfie’ experience, but there is so much more to enjoy – starting with incredibly high-end, cosmopolitan accommodation.

Where to stay : WAINS HOTEL

Just a seven-minute walk from the buzzy central-city hub of the Octagon, the stunning 157-year-old Wains Hotel is undergoing refurbishment – but if fluffy white robes, exemplary service and sensational whisky are on your list of must-haves, look no further. I stayed in one of the already fully updated rooms, stylish and well-appointed, with a deliciously comfortable king-size bed and all the amenities you’d expect of a five-star hotel. The ground floor houses the