奥维斯顿古宅

Csco164

古宅位于一个小山丘的社区上.用树丛当作外墙且修剪得十分整齐.采预约制,因为他会附一名解说员和陪伴我们一起参观整栋建筑物并且解说,解说员十分亲切地一边帮我们讲解一边和我们聊天,整个介绍的过程十分舒适自在.里面的布置很精致,甚至还有一些应该是出自中国的古董.里面是不可以拍照的,可是花园可以拍,整个花园让我们可以感觉到它受到非常细心的照顾,玫瑰花丛尤其漂亮,还有一个心型造型的花丛很是可爱,如果有多余的时间很值得绕过去看看.不过,如果比起精致比较喜欢奢华的话,建议去另一个城堡,这个古宅主要比较精致的路线的.（题外话,它里面有个纪念品店有很多纪念品可以买,我觉得首饰之类的做得满精致可爱的,可是也有些东西是外面也买得到的,价格会比较高一点）

BillAndVito

If you love Downton Abbey, this is the Dunedin, New Zealand version! A bit smaller!! The mansion is meticulously maintained and preserved. It's like taking a step back in time. So interesting to see how a wealthy family lived in 1906....to be awed by the imported Frigidaire from America - the first house to have electricity. Wish that we could have had more time, but the groups are on a schedule and are kept moving from room to room. It's very popular so book in advance.

RickB885

It was a great decision to tour here rather than do some other things on the list of possibilies. The house and contents are amazing. What is so fantastic is that it is not a museum with various period pieces from here and there. The contents of the house are exactly as they were when the last family member died and gifted the house and contents to the city. Our guide was superb. She not only explained what we were seeing and answered all of our questions about that, but all of our questions about NZ things in general. I would highly recommend Olveston to anyone as ahigh priority "see" in Dunedin.

Carscd

This place is a must if you are in Dunedin. We made a shore visit from the Dawn Princess in February 2015. The shuttle bus from Port Chalmers dropped us off in the Dunedin Octagon and after coffee and a read of the Otago Independent we walked up the hill to Olvestone - a bit of a climb but the tour of the house was a great reward. The fit out of the house is exquisite and the furniture included things I had never see before. The idea that a merchant built this place so far from everywhere else and subsequently travelled the world collecting objets d'art was a great experience for mere cruise cruise visitors.

jennifernP7401DP

For anybody who likes beautiful things a trip to Olveston is a must. From the beautiful interior, to the delightful garden and the excellent guide. We enjoyed it very much. Aussie Visitors

46susan46

one of the best houses I have visited.One hour is not enough to appreciate this gem.everything is original and beautifully presented.The kitchens were fabulous.We played crocquet on the lawn and picniced amongst the flowers.For 20 dollars each it was a screaming bargain and I am going back again ASAP

matforddavid

A time capsule of a building, preserving the treasures of a well-to-do family from the early 1900s. An interesting building, with an eclectic range of pictures and souvenirs. Book ahead, as visitors go in small groups with a guide. The guides have a tight timetable, so it felt a little rushed. The gardens are worth seeing and give good views of the house and its architecture

RobertC118

This was a spectacular insight into the lifestyle of a wealthy Jewish family around 1900. The House had been run by servants and designed with this in mind . They clearly occupied a significant portion of the house. It was built with all the most up to date conveniences of the day but appears to have been left unmodernised since then. Fascinating.

rothmla

What a pleasant surprise, didn't really know what to expect and we're thrilled by this place. It is an enormous mansion from the late 1800's originally owned by a wealthy merchant. Each room is restored with the original furniture and wonderful collections of "stuff", the family collections of all kinds of things. The wall covering is immaculate, the attention to every little detail shines through.The guides are very knowledgeable and very approachable. Be sure to see their gardens and greenhouses. There is also a functioning 1921 Fiat that is to a must to be seen.This was a truly memorable experience.

JillG0

This old house is a revelation. There are tours every day, we visited on a Sunday and went on the 4pm one hour tour around this house. The house was built, owned and lived in by one family. They travelled widely and bought back artefacts from every corner of the world. They also supported local NZ artists so the house is full of interesting pictures. The garden is also beautiful with a wonderful conservatory. Last but by no means least us an old Fiat 510 Tourer which has been renovated and sits in its own glass doored garage.

JoanK883

This was by far the most beautifully furnished home I saw in New Zealand. I traveled extensively and was always regretting the paucity of historical homes and the lack of interior furnishings. Olveston is exquisitly furnished. The home stands as it was when the last owner was in residence. It is a joy to try to imagine life as it was many years ago in Dunedin. It was also fascinating to learn about the lives of this Jewish family. Unfortunately, the Jewish population is tiny today. The guide was knowledgeable and made the tour quite special. The gardens are also fabulous.

Scotlandtravels

We enjoyed our tour of the Olveston House. You can't tour on your own and we reserved ours but they happen often. What amazed us most was that the house is so well preserved, down to full sets of china in the butler's pantry to complete knife sets in the dining room. Someone was very thoughtful and organized. They put an identical master bedroom on the ground floor for their old age. The storage in the kitchen is amazing with everything in its place. Our guide was very knowledgable and eager to share, but don't touch!

johnlN1587TA

the house is at the top of a very steep hill, so if you have trouble walking, get a taxi! When you arrive you step back into a time of the door being opened by the butler, the valet assisting the master to get dressed. Yes you get the picture. Built around 1906 this house was a leader in innovation, with electric light, Central heating and a refrigerator.The quality of the workmanship, the many pieces of art and the eclectic mix of antiques, helps you realise this was a family who knew how to live. The lady guide has an amazing number of tales, anecdotes and stories about the house and the family. This is a must visit place if you are in Dunedin.

B475YTmartinm

The tour is well organized, informative and interesting. Takes about 1 hour. You can call to make a reservation although they do tours continuously. The home is filled with all of their personal belongings and gives you a very good idea of life for the upper class from 1904 until 1966 when the last heir passed and donated everything to the city. While many things were updated over the years many things were as they were. The most memorable part of our visit to Dunedin!

Thegood1z

Loved the charm and history of this place. Very informative tour and all questions were answered with great knowledge. A must see. Tours last an hour and at $19.00 per adult is good value.