[Missing Credit]Dunedin House Boutique Hotel, in Rattray St, has been granted resource consent to add a restaurant/bar, a large deck, and glass-fronted spa pools, sauna and cold plunge facilities to the hotel, which will be available to both guests and the general public, from early next year. Image: Supplied A Dunedin boutique hotel is set to offer the city’s residents a slice of “affordable luxury” after a luxury spa and sauna was granted resource consent. Dunedin House Boutique Hotel co-owner Matt Edwards said the Dunedin City Council consent would allow them to carry out a 180sq m expansion, which included converting the existing hotel dining area into a restaurant/bar; and building a large deck on the front of the Rattray St facility, which would contain three covered spa pools, a sauna, cold plunge facilities, a bathroom and changing room amenities. All of the new facilities would be accessible to the public. OTAGO IMAGES/OTAGO DAILY TIMESDunedin House Boutique Hotel co-owners Matt Edwards and Anabel Tweedale, in the former Christian Brothers' house in Rattray St. Photo: Peter McIntosh Mr Edwards said the development project aimed to make the business more luxurious, but also affordable. “What we're doing is, there'll be three individual private spas, then there's the zone that's going to have a floor-to-ceiling glassed-in sauna, so it'll look out at St Joseph’s Cathedral, over the city and across the harbour. “It's going to be an amazing viewpoint. It'll be pretty spectacular for locals and tourists.” He said members of the public would be able to use the facilities for as little as $36 per hour, and would be able to buy bottles of Champagne to sip, while they enjoyed the views. “It's very upmarket, but the pricing is approachable — affordable luxury.” ©Allied MediaDunedin House Boutique Hotel, in Rattray St, overlooks St Joseph's Cathedral, the city and Otago Harbour. Photo: Gregor Richardson Mr Edwards said it would be run as a separate business, under a different name to the hotel, but the two would remain connected. The name had not yet been confirmed. He hoped construction would begin at the start of 2027, and it was only expected to take about two months to complete. He was excited about the development project because there was nothing else like it in Dunedin at the moment. “I'm looking forward to it. I think it's something that Dunedin needs — that tourism needs here as well. “But it's also catering to locals and for people that want a sauna and plunge and have access to that sort of thing. “I think there's definitely been a gap in the market here for this kind of facility.” The building was originally constructed in 1920 as the Christian Brothers’ Residence, which contained a large number of bedrooms. In 2005, it was converted into boutique accommodation known as the Brothers Boutique Hotel, providing bed and breakfast accommodation for up to 32 guests. The Brothers Boutique Hotel operated until 2020, when it closed due to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The business was bought in 2025 by Mr Edwards and partner Anabel Tweedale, who renamed it Dunedin House. john.lewis@odt.co.nz
