A historic 1920s building that underwent an impressive transformation into a boutique hotel after the last Christian Brothers moved out of the residence 20 years ago is for sale again.
The 15-bedroom building at 295 Rattray Street was once part of Dunedin’s own mini Vatican City due to its elevated position surrounded by Joseph’s Cathedral, Trinity Catholic College (formerly Kavanagh College) and the former nunnery and brothers’ residence.
Former South Island tour operators Rod and Shelley McMeeken bought the former Christian Brothers residence in 2005 when the last remaining three brothers moved out. They were no longer teaching at the school and moved somewhere smaller.
The Queenstown couple had relocated to the city for their children’s schooling and decided to transform it into a boutique hotel targeting European visitors.
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Rod McMeeken told OneRoof they spent $850,000 on renovating the property into a hotel over eight months.
“We put our heart and soul into it.
“It was a lot of money at the time, but looking back it was hardly much at all. It was difficult to budget. I thought it was quite impressive we did it in eight months.”
The chapel with its impressive stained glass windows was converted into the largest guest bedroom in the boutique hotel. Photo / Supplied
McMeeken said the building had been tampered with in the 1940s, but it had been important to them that they retained as many original features of the building. This included heart rimu, mahogany wood paneling, original fireplaces, ornate ceilings and architraves and a slate roof, which are still on show in the century-old building today.
However, there had been some challenges such as getting a queen bed and ensuite bathroom to fit in some of the brothers’ rooms, which had been originally built for a single man with just enough room for a single bed and wardrobe.
The impressive chapel with its glass-stained windows and vaulted ceilings was also converted into what is now the largest bedroom in the building.
The building was also earthquake-strengthened and central heating has been installed in all the rooms.
“I’m not a Catholic but I felt there was a connection that needed to be retained. That’s why we called it the Brothers Boutique Hotel.”
The couple had spent time travelling around Europe and said the property reminded them of hotels they had stayed in.
“We knew it would appeal to the Europeans because they were used to quite small rooms than what New Zealanders were often used to.”
The building’s impressive architecture and views of the city including the cathedral meant it was often chosen as a place for notaries or celebrities to stay when visiting the city.
The hotel building and adjacent 15-space carpark, which are spread over three titles, are both for sale. Photo / Supplied
McMeeken said governor-generals and celebrities including Li Cunxin of Mao’s Last Dancer fame, Ian Botham and Buck Shelford were just some of their previous high-profile guests.
“It was a lot of fun having the various people.
“It appealed to some of the promoters to show off Dunedin so they either went to our place or went up to Larnach Castle and that estate place on top of High Cliff.”
The wide views from the balcony on the third floor were the best in the city, he said. It was also just a six-minute walk to the CBD.
But once Covid hit, the hotel shut its doors in 2020 and never re-opened.
“We mothballed it.”
The couple, who are now at retirement age, have moved back to Arrowtown and have no desire to run the hotel again.
The property has been rented out by a construction company as staff accommodation for the past three years, but the hotel building and adjacent carpark spread over three titles are now on the market for sale or lease again.
“We know it runs as a hotel and we ran it conservatively so someone could go in there and crank it up and probably do OK out of it. We were very comfortable with what we did. It would be nice if someone was to carry it on.”
McMeeken said it had a lot of potential and could even be restored into a family home or converted into apartments.
“It’s got lovely bricks and mortar. It’s just a good old solid building,” he said.
“Ironically if it was sitting up here in Queenstown it would be sold within days. But Dunedin is just an interesting market. I think it’s well undercooked. It’s always felt that it punches below its weight.”
Edinburgh Realty agents Clayton Sievwright and Aimee Marsh are marketing the property and said, in the listing, that the site offered new owners or an entity the opportunity to accommodate a workforce, especially with the new hospital build and other developments underway in the city, develop the accommodation further, lease to an executive company, or further develop the property in the car parking area.
- 295 Rattray Street, in Dunedin Central, is for sale priced by negotiation
