The building is gorgeous from the outside and the entry is very classic and historic. The room itself is rather small.

Wonderful hotel very charming- close to restaurants

Outstanding, amazing, 5* service and facility!

Beautiful historic building. Comfortable bed. Great water pressure.

Really enjoyed the hotel and surrounding areas. A bit of constructive feedback: Check in process was a bit clumsy and the breakfast area was not reflective of a top hotel.

Good hotel

Beautiful building close to the centre of Christchurch. Everything in walking distance. Nicely appointed room, only downside for us was the room and bathroom were set up for people with disabilities so everything was low level.

Exceeded expectations. Great location. Arts center a great asset. Highly recommended.

Clean

Parking available however we didn’t use our car. Walkable to all areas we visited

We had to book a last-minute reservation at a hotel in Christchurch due to airline issues and chose The Observatory. We ended up being so glad we had the airline mishap, because of this lovely hotel. The staff was so welcoming and went above and beyond themselves to be helpful. The atmosphere was magical, like being in a castle. Our room was beautiful, and the shower was amazing. It was outstanding to see all of the original art on the walls as well as experience the extraordinary exhibit upstairs. Loved being in the middle of great shopping and right next to the botanical gardens. This is a 5 star local.

Fantastic property-revamped college building. Great rooms, lovely lounge. Wine bar close by is great. Staff seems a bit annoyed to have to deal with actual guests. I’m guessing this is due to the nonstop instagrammers. Breakfast was skimpy for the price.

Adorable hotel in Christchurch!

We stayed here on each of the bookends of our 9 day trip to NZ and thought Christchurch would be underwhelming but this hotel made it so amazing! In an old renovated university turned adorable quaint boutique hotel, the rooms are clean, quiet and adorable! Checkin was super easy and seamless, front desk was very helpful. Beds are SO a comfortable with luxury sheets and pillows (a huge welcome after staying in 3 other hotels during our trip!) The bathrooms are luxurious and spacious and each room had a mini bar and good coffee. The complimentary breakfast is quite good and again in a quaint and relaxing space. We walked to town each day and enjoyed the close proximity we were to the city. We will definitely be coming back to the hotel, highly recommend!!!

Location is everything. 2nd stay and it’s our favourite in Christchurch.

Very cute rooms and lobby, so much history. Loved it.

Next to a wonderful botanical garden. Close to restaurants.

Beautiful hotel in Christchurch!

Incredible stay in Christchurch in the most beautifully designed hotel in a great location. The rooms were so comfortable and the staff was so friendly and helpful. The lounge area with coffee and tea machines was a lovely luxury to have. Hope to return to this beautiful hotel.

Beautiful hotel in former university buildings that reminded us of Hogwarts!

The underground room was not so excellent.

Great building to have as a hotel in a really good location.

Great location. By arboretum and great restaurant in complex.

Luxury hotel. Great room with large bathroom. Staff very friendly. Close to many dining options.

We had a short stay but wished we could stay longer. Great staff, awesome building, and a really nice room.

Do,I nick and the staff were amazing. The social hour was a very nice touch.

Unique, picturesque university building. Nice room but small, limited space for suitcases and clothes. About a 7 minute walk to area with restaurants (one restaurant next door, reservation required). Friendly, helpful staff.

So cool historical building and great interest like lord rutherfords school

Beautiful and clean property and rooms, excellent service, prime location that is walking distance to central restaurants and shopping. We really enjoyed our stay.

The worst experience ever! We arrived around 6 pm after a long drive. We booked this hotel because we were sure this would be the best place to rest well in a quiet location. Unfortunately, we were placed in the last available room on the first floor, facing the street. We could hear people talking and every car passing by. Furthermore, we could hear the people in the next door room and on the second floor because the hotel is made of old wood, so you can hear everything! We kindly asked the reception to change our room, but they said it was the last available room. We asked for a refund because this room was not suitable for an overnight stay. The staff said that because we booked through Expedia, they could not refund us and advised us to contact Expedia for a refund. We did so. We left this hotel and booked another one. 48 hours later, we received an email from Expedia telling us that the hotel had rejected the refund. We were shocked. This hotel is a complete scam, old, and with rude staff. Stay away!

Amazing atmosphere.

Stunning building with lots of history. The staff were amazing and the room was very comfortable! Would recommend to anyone looking for something unique.

My favorite hotel in christchurch . Live it. A pleasure to stay here. I would just request they play less repetitive music and more up beat music and get a full time bellhop to help with luggage. would stay here again though a tad over priced being boutique than full five star. Beautiful hotel in beautiful location

Cool, historic building in a great location

First Class Boutique Hotel

Amazing and unique boutique hotel with comfortable and stylish room. The staff here really shined.

Very lovely stay

Wonderful staff and outstanding location!

Fantastic experience with my daughter. Like staying at Hogwarts she said! Great atmosphere.

Beautiful location, amazing rooms, friendly and helpful staff, great breakfast.

Made traveling easy and relaxed. Great location for walking the city, facilities are top notch, rooms are incredible, breakfast is delicious and the staff are very kind and friendly.

Lovely hotel. Nice and quiet. Great location and staff. Will definitely stay here again.

Loved it

Beautiful room and buildings with a history. Nice room and facilities, very clean and neat. Rhys was very helpful and gave some tips about what we could do at the weekend in Chistchurch, thanks Rhys.

Great hotel - mix of character buildings and modern rooms.

Iconic location

The location was excellent. One of the best hotels I’ve stayed in Christchurch. We love the Arts Centre, it’s iconically Christchurch. We were there for such a short time it’s hard to review it properly but will return in December.

Fantastic space- lovely rooms. So close to everything. All within walking distance. Only neg was the complicated shower

A hidden gem in Christchurch

Excellent boutique hotel

Excellent

Such a lovely hotel. Characterful but modern, well appointed and well located.

Another great stay, the staff are awesome and so helpful!

Rhys was great at check-in. The proprerty itself is beautiful and the location was great.

Unique stay, with highly attentive staff and a lovely room.

Very unique building in a convenient location.

Gorgeous historic property with wonderful character and a lovely public space to meet others and sip coffee & tea. Yummy gratis shortbread cookies too... Enjoyed the breakfast as well. Don't stay anywhere else in Christchurch! Great value.

ALL GOOD HERE, VERY COURTEOUS ALL ROUND B

This is a beautiful hotel, spacious rooms with beautiful decor. We would definitely return here. Can’t say enough positive things about the experience.

Wonderful boutique hotel on the old University of Canterbury campus. There’s more than a bit of Oxbridge about the buildings, which have all the charm you could ask for. The receptionists were helpful and kind. The nearby dining (and wine-tasting) options were excellent. Best of all, the hotel is across the street for the amazing botanical garden and Harley Park. We’ll be back!

Best Hotel in Christchurch

Wonderful, unique hotel. Historic building, but totally renovated and totally modern. Lots of amenities like coffee and cookies in the lobby at all times. Super friendly and helpful staff. The highlight of our stay in Christchurch. Next to the botanical gardens and an easy walk to the main tourist/shopping area.

Fantastic hotel in a great location

Great lication Great hotel

Unique hotel with beautiful arsthetics

Beautifully designed hotel in a converted university. High ceilings, unique decor, bright rooms, I’m really looking forward to staying again.

Pleasant stay in a nicely renovated building. Loved the lounge.

Great central location, but the hotel has very limited facilities in the property itself.

Wonderful Hotel

Great service and beautiful hotel. Perfect location

Nice hotel with limited amenities. Room felt very small.

A memorable experience

Luxurious hotel, unique and well restored Friendly and helpful staff. A memorable experience.

Reuse of college space. Excellent deign and amenities. Connected with walking tour in front of hotel. Did feel continental breakfast was very expensive so went to cafe in Observatory space. Must use lounge area as no chair in room. Would recommend.

Being in the group of historic buildings meant there was a discovery around every corner . The lounge was a restful haven and I enjoyed a coffee and reading several interesting books about New Zealand. Easy walk to many of the sites of the city.

Clean hotel in a central location. But no real facilities for a hotel of this 'supposed' standard.

lovely hotel! wish we could have stayed longer!

This was my second stay at the Observatory Hotel in the last year. Last time, I stayed in a basement level room. The more "regular" room I stayed in this time was great, but a little smaller and a little less unique than the lower level rooms. Whatever the room, I love this property. It's like staying at Hogwarts, absent the noisy kids. The whole Arts Centre (of which the hotel is a part) is so stately and peaceful and interesting and convenient. Usually, when I return to a city, I like to try new places to stay. But in Christchurch, the Observatory Hotel will always be my top choice.

Great location and wonderful rooms.

Excellent stay, great location, fantastic staff, cleanliness and comfort. Could not have been a better stay - in the gym, the only place we found there could have been a bit more attention - however, this could have been the remnants of the early morning's use...

An enjoyable stay in stylish surroundings

Superior accommodation situated in the University buildings in a central location.

Beautiful and unique hotel in a great location

The Observatory Hotel is a beautiful and unique hotel in a great location. It is within walking distance of shopping, nice restaurants, and the botanical garden. The service was excellent and the room was clean and comfortable.

If you like character and historical style, stay here.

Our favorite place to stay in Christchurch. I do wish they had an 11am checkout instead of 10am checkout. But that seems to be the NZ way unfortunately.

Beautiful hotel, next to the botanical gardens and minutes from city center. Friendly and professional staff

Staff were very kind and helpful and had very good attention to detail. The room was lovely and well stocked with everything you would need.

Great boutique hotel at a very affordable price. Easy to find and park ... near the Riverside Market and all the entertainment nearby .... a really good experience. I will be back.

Staff are very friendly and helpful. Building has a lot of character. Very comfortable bed.

Stunning property with lovely staff. Comfortable new rooms in a stunning location that’s hard to beat. The malachite room is particularly gorgeous

Assigned room in basement. Window was at ground level. Shame on Expedia for listing this property.

Liked the adaptive reuse of the historic property.

Quirky and gorgeous hotel. Smelled amazing. Beautiful decor. Friendly staff. Nicest hotel we've stayed at in Christchurch. Lovely area too, surrounded by arty things to see and do, and very easy walk to the centre of town. So special. We loved it.

I really enjoyed staying at the observatory. The architecture was truly beautiful and the accommodations were very good. I especially love the cappuccino at check in and check out and the fully renovated beautiful bathroom.

Wow. This place is awesome! Renovated section of the old Canterbury University campus, mixed in with the Art Centre. Beautiful surroundings, old buildings, arts and dining. Very close to the botanical gardens. The renovation is just gorgeous, the rooms were beautifully designed and decorated. Loved this place - would definitely stay there again when in Christchurch.

Unique one of a kind place to stay.

Excellent atmosphere and warm and caring staff.

Love this place, very unique and only a short walk to town.

Great stay, well restored historic building. Was surprised to learn parking cost extra that said paid parking was very convenient

Beautiful place to stay, great location.

Beautiful hotel close to everything

The hotel was beautiful. Easy check in, friendly service, great accommodations. Would highly recommend and will make plans to stay there afain next time around.

Beautiful property, lovely clean and bright room. Great welcome staff member, overall a great stay, Thanks!

Outstanding property in a beautiful restored building. Fantastic front of house service as well

the location and building experience was exceptional.

Amazing restored Arts Centre building. Rooms and art work are amazing. We’ll be back soon!

Great location, near the park and not far from CBD drinking and dining. Great breakfast. Very quiet and comfortable, plenty of hot water.

I really enjoyed my one night stay in a basement level room with ground level windows. The staff here is fantastic. So friendly and very, very helpful. The setting is so unique: a former university building, and a very very pretty one at that. Steps from the Botanical Gardens and Hagley Park; literally a part of the Arts Centre. Two minutes to the fantastic Art Museum. Only a few minutes further to the City Center. Well-appointed room. Beautiful common areas. Very nice complimentary breakfast in a small upper floor room -- in nice weather you can sit on a balcony. Such a unique and charming place. Wish I could have stayed much longer.

Warm, cosy and luxurious. And very very convenient location.

Quant boutique hotel that was all charm.

Super stylish property with pristine rooms. A lively oasis amongst a stunning campus of beautiful architecture. A little challenging to find and needs more signage outside the hotel.

The Observatory is an amazing boutique hotel in the Christchurch arts center. The decor is impeccable, that staff are extremely helpful and accommodating. It is within walking distance of the city center, botanical gardens, and close to many restaurants, shopping and cafes. I will definitely be back next time I am in Christchurch!!