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Coconut Lands
Wellington, New Zealand

Lovely boutique hotel in Dunedin's heritage precinct

Review of Fable Dunedin
5.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 22 Jul 2022
Although parts of Dunedin look a little down-at-heel nowadays, and the heritage precinct is no exception - these are difficult times - it's still a great choice for a winter weekend away. The precinct is the heart of business life and boasts many fabulous commercial buildings from Dunedin's wealthy past after the gold rush. The Fable Hotel is one of them.

They were kind enough to upgrade our room choice, maybe because we'd booked direct and were staying for 4 nights. Whatever the reason, we were thrilled and very grateful. The room was quieter, being on the 6th floor, and very comfortable. Lovely stylish decor and quality textiles throughout. When the weather turned in one afternoon, it was nice to tuck in and watch a couple of movies from the wide choice on offer (free).

Whether one likes black painted walls is a matter of personal taste - but it does make for a slightly darkened ambience, especially with the quirky subdued mood lighting. Sometimes this was challenging for our less-than-perfect eyesight, although it did create a cosy ambience.

The hotel staff were friendly and professional, clearly well-trained. The same was true in the restaurant/bar, the Press Club, which was excellent. We dined there on our first night and the food was top notch.

Included in our room price was a 'continental breakfast' - a phrase guaranteed to make my heart sink. Sure enough, the 2 options on offer - although of a quality way above the average 'continental breakfast' - were both sweet, being fruit-based and with pastries or toast. No good for me as I just can't face fruit or sweet stuff in the mornings. So I paid extra for the a la carte cooked breakfasts - which were excellent. I'd like to suggest that a savoury alternative be introduced to the continental choice, for those of us trying to cut sugar out of our diets. It would also have been nice to have filter coffee included, rather than have to pay extra for barista coffees.

On the whole, we really enjoyed our stay and would definitely consider returning.
Date of stay: July 2022
Room Tip: Both the front and rear of the hotel overlook busy city streets, so aim for a high floor.
4.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
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Reviews (273)
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Reviewed 18 July 2022

We recently stayed over the weekend and were impressed with all aspects of this hotel. The service was excellent from start to finish. The rooms and public spaces were meticulous and beautifully styled.

Location was close enough to the centre of town to consider walking to the Octagon, but far enough away to guarantee a good night's sleep once you headed home.

The Press Club, just off the Hotel lobby, served great cocktails ahead of going out for the night. Then we were back down there the following morning to sample one of the best continental breakfasts I have had for a while - the coconut/chia pudding is something we will try to replicate at home.

Thanks for making our stay so enjoyable.

Date of stay: July 2022
    • Value
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
Thank MarkH9574
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fable Dunedin, Guest Services / Front Office at Fable Dunedin, responded to this reviewResponded 9 September 2022

Dear MarkH9574,

Thank you for your wonderful feedback.

I'm pleased that you found our location convenient, and enjoyed our hospitality for your weekend trip to Dunedin. I shall definitely pass on your complements onto the restaurant team and mainly the bar man who served you that evening :) the chai seed pudding is indeed really unique and one of my favourites :)

We hope to welcome you back for another memorable stay at Fable Dunedin.

Best Regards,
Guru & team.
Fable Dunedin

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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Reviewed 7 July 2022

From beginning to end the service from all staff was exceptional. We were greeted with a complimentary drink and sweet treat before being shown to our room.
As it was Valentine's Day and a very last-minute booking from us, we thought we had missed out on experiencing the restaurant, but we were surprised to be offered an early sitting. The meal and service were amazing.
The continental breakfast was very good. Everything was homemade. No shop-bought croissants here!
The room was well appointed and loved the dark decor. The bed was very comfortable and the shower and products lovely.
Would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to experience something a little different in Dunedin.

Date of stay: February 2022
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Service
Thank lucE C
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fable Dunedin, Guest Services / Front Office at Fable Dunedin, responded to this reviewResponded 31 August 2022

Dear Luce C,

We're so happy to read your wonderful review. I'm glad you've enjoyed our check in process and that our restaurant team were able to accommodate you in the Press Club Restaurant & Bar to celebrate this wonderful occasion.

Thank you for appreciating our hospitality and we're delighted to know you enjoyed every aspect of your stay with us. We hope to see you again at Fable Dunedin.

Best Regards,
Guru & team
Fable Dunedin



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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Reviewed 6 July 2022

Wow! From entering this hotel for our stay to leaving, the service was top notch! The reception greeting, attentiveness, valet parking and restaurant was wonderful. Probably the best experience I've had in a hotel in New Zealand by far! My room was a little dark and no outside view which i would stipulate that i don't want next time but it was beyond clean, new and modern. A lovely greeting on our bed was there when we arrived and can I just gush about the restaurant and cocktail menu?! The wonderful French Manager provided a list of cocktails I'd never heard of and even treated me to a special black Forest concoction at the end of the night! This place is a treat and a delight and I would definitely go out of my way to visit again.

Room tip: Specify that you'd like a non street facing room. The street facing rooms have white out windows
Date of stay: February 2022
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Service
Thank Melly2172
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fable Dunedin, Guest Services / Front Office at Fable Dunedin, responded to this reviewResponded 6 September 2022

Dear Melly2127,

We are so happy to hear how much you enjoyed the cocktails from The Press Club Restaurant while you stayed with us!! Thank you so much for taking the time to post this review, we are thrilled to receive such lovely feedback and we will be sure to let Jeremy (aka the French manager) know how much his service was appreciated.

He is such an asset to our team and so creative with those cocktails! Thanks, and we look forward to seeing you again!

Kind regards,

Jennifer

Food and Beverage Manager

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Reviewed 4 July 2022 via mobile

Stayed for one night in June the checking was good with welcome drink the room was well appointed bit of a rabbit Warren with old style lift the parking was expensive
The continental breakfast was sufficient as long as u did not want to pay for extra cost of a full breakfast coffee was a Xtra cost and I thought the price of the room with parking and coffee was little expensive but iI can't fault the service and sometimes that what u r paying for

Date of stay: July 2022
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Thank Doug1959
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fable Dunedin, Guest Services / Front Office at Fable Dunedin, responded to this reviewResponded 12 August 2022

Dear Doug1959,

Thank you for taking the time to review us.

We're happy that you have enjoyed our hospitality and service. Our guests indeed expect the best service possible and all our team members absolutely go above and beyond to match this expectation.

As you rightly mentioned, one pays of the experience and not the product. I hope we're able to welcome you back soon for another pleasant stay.

Best Regards,
Guru & team Fable

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Reviewed 27 June 2022

This hotel is above a 5 Star rating. On entering the hotel you are greeted with friendly and helpful staff. A complimentary refreshing drink on arrival. Valet parking and luxurious reception. The rooms are well equipped and clean with espresso coffee machine and pods not just the usual instant coffee as other hotels. From the moment you enter to the time you leave you are treated as royalty. Nothing is too much trouble for the staff and they go out of their way to help or advise. The food in the restaurant is exceptional and I would highly recommend the restaurant. I cannot thank you enough for making my birthday weekend a most luxurious and relaxing one. I look forward to visiting more of the Fable Hotels and Resorts in the near future. Well done

Date of stay: June 2022
    • Value
    • Sleep Quality
    • Service
Thank lorrainehT1137CB
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fable Dunedin, Guest Services / Front Office at Fable Dunedin, responded to this reviewResponded 10 August 2022

Dear LorrainehT1137CB,

Thank you for choosing Fable Dunedin to celebrate your birthday. Having read your review it does seem like we have successfully made it a memorable one, where you've enjoyed our hospitality, your room, and the Press Club Restaurant & Bar.

We hope to welcome you back to Fable Dunedin, and our other properties.

Best Regards,
Guru & team.
Fable Dunedin

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