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Criterion Boutique Hotel

Property class: 2

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Photo gallery for Criterion Boutique Hotel

A bar with a row of beer taps labeled with various brands and types. - Criterion Boutique Hotel (Oamaru)
A living room with a brown leather sofa, two armchairs, a small round table, and a window with a view of a building. - Criterion Boutique Hotel (Oamaru)
A room with two beds, wooden flooring, and a window with sheer curtains. - Criterion Boutique Hotel (Oamaru)
A formal dining room with a wooden table, chairs, a cabinet, and two flags. - Criterion Boutique Hotel (Oamaru)
A historic building with a sign reading "HOTEL CRITERION." - Criterion Boutique Hotel (Oamaru)
Criterion Boutique Hotel provides everything you need. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi.

Reviews

7.0 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Free WiFi
  • Housekeeping

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Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 4 of 4 rooms

View all photos for Standard Double Room

Standard Double Room | WiFi (free), bed sheets

Standard Double Room

8.6 out of 10
Excellent
(8 reviews)
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Standard Twin Room

A room with two beds, wooden flooring, and a window with sheer curtains.

Standard Twin Room

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Family Room

Family Room | WiFi (free), bed sheets

Family Room

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Twin Bed and 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Studio Suite

A bedroom with a single bed, a wooden dresser, a mirror, and a chandelier.

Studio Suite

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

About the neighborhood

South Hill, a neighborhood in Oamaru, is home to Criterion Boutique Hotel. Janet Frame House and Totara Estate are local landmarks, and some of the area's attractions include Whitestone Cheese Factory and Totara Estate. Visit our Oamaru travel guide
Map
3 Tyne St, Oamaru, Otago Region, 9400

What's nearby

  • A vintage car with a robot on top, in a dimly lit garage with a sign reading "FISHCH".
    Steampunk HQ
    2 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • A steam locomotive on tracks in front of a building with a sign reading "STEAMPUNK HQ".
    Oamaru Victorian Heritage Precinct
    2 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • A harbor with several boats docked, a pier, and a building with a red roof.
    Oamaru Harbour
    3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • A building with a sign reading "Grainstore Gallery" and a mannequin dressed in a crown.
    Grainstore Gallery
    3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail
    3 min walk - 0.2 miles

Restaurants

  • Coast
    13 min drive
  • Whitestone Cheese Diner & Deli
    5 min drive
  • Harbour St Bakery
    1 min walk
  • McDonald's
    13 min walk
  • Filadelphios Pizza
    6 min walk

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • In-room WiFi speed: 25+ Mbps

Parking and transportation

  • No onsite parking available

Conveniences

  • Limited-hour front desk

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (daily)

Accessibility

  • No elevator

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: midnight

Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from noon - 8:30 PM

Front desk staffed during limited hours

Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Rollaway/extra beds are not available

Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards and debit cards; cash is not accepted

We should mention

This property does not have elevators

Property class

Property class, provided by our rating system, is based on property type, amenities, and services.

Frequently asked questions

Is Criterion Boutique Hotel pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking?

This hotel doesn't offer parking.

What time is check-in at Criterion Boutique Hotel?

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: midnight.

What time is check-out at Criterion Boutique Hotel?

Check-out is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Criterion Boutique Hotel located?

Located in South Hill, this hotel is steps from Auto Museum, Steampunk HQ, and Grainstore Gallery. Woolstore Complex and Oamaru Victorian Heritage Precinct are just steps away.

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Reviews

Criterion Boutique Hotel Reviews

7.0

Good

7.6

Cleanliness

5.8

Amenities

8.2

Staff & service

6.4

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 13 out of 52 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 13 out of 52 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 15 out of 52 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 7 out of 52 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 4 out of 52 reviews

Reviews

Verified review

8/10 Good

Chris

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lovely old hotel with great location
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Alison

Really lovely people and suited our needs!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2026
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Sarah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Charming stay in the heart of old Oamaru. Staff are gracious and lovely.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Geoffrey

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The room was very clean and up to standard
Thames Street Oamaru
Friendly at Sunrise
Oamaru Steam and Rail
Steampunk Oamaru
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Marit Karlsen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
We had a fantastic stay at this hotel, with extra service from the host/owner. The hotel gave us a feeling of going back to historical times. And we slept very well !
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Chris

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Great room thanks
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2026
Verified review

6/10 Okay

robert Murray

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Room was clean and met staff on check in. Was an overnight stop so can’t really give an accurate assessment. Old building with high ceilings and cozy enough
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Mark

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing building and warm, friendly staff.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025
Verified review

4/10 Poor

Mike

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Old hotel built in 1880s. Pleased to get a room. Great location but no ensuite.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Gavin

Everything was clean
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

sammy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
For a budget hotel, I found myself having the most comfortable sleep in any of the hotels I stayed at in New Zealand! The rooms were super small without TV and en-suite bathroom, but I didn't expect it given this is 1 of only 2 remaining original continuosly ran hotels in the town.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

tony

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Very small room for two people. Shared bathrooms ok. Very quirky and historical. A nice adventure
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Helen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Quite a quirky place in the Victorian area of Omaru. The room was compact and probably the same layout as it was in Victorian time. The room and bathrooms were clean. The kitchen was a bit disorganised. The staff were lovely and very keen to help in any way they could.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Gregory

Liked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Although the rooms are small. The bed was comfortable and fresh. The kitchen and bathroom could be cleaner but were still satifactory
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Donald

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
Rooms need a good clean . No hand towels for use in shared bathroom. Garbage upstairs was not taken out we were their two days. Needs a bit of modernizing . Has charm and history could be a real busy little boutique . All the doors and windows need some oil . Might help prevent guests from being woken up. Great location.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2026
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Peter

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Amenities
3.5 Stars... The room was clean and tidy. We were in the "Suite" which included a bathroom with very good shower, however despite being a jug and a jar of coffee, and some cups, there was no milk, sugar or tea in the room or the nearby communal kitchen. The bed was comfortable, but could of done with more than just one pillow each.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2026
Verified review

4/10 Poor

Bradley

Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The bed was hard enough to qualify as construction material, the curtains let in every bit of light, and the TV barely worked. For what they charge, you’d expect a bathroom in the room and a screen that does more than static. It’s in the Oamaru Victorian precinct, and it shows, the place feels like it hasn’t been touched since the 1880s. If you’re into old pubs, weird stories, and things that may or may not go bump in the night, you’ll probably have a laugh. If you came for comfort, sleep, or anything modern, the ghosts will enjoy your suffering more than you will.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025
Verified review

4/10 Poor

Rebecca

Liked: Staff & service
The guy who runs this is really nice and the beds have nice linen and the room is clean enough. While the rooms were in good condition, they were small and we booked the room because the listing said a bathroom was among the room amenities. There were two clean bathrooms on the other side of the floor. It might be good to specify “shared bathroom” in the hotel description. If the kitchen were clean and free of clutter, I would have rated this 3 stars despite the amenity listing discrepancy. Unfortunately, the kitchen was unusable owing to a large box dumped on the cooker, other equipment left on the side by the sink and dirty dishes left there from when we checked in a few minutes before 2pm until we checked out just before 10am. I went to wash the dishes, but I couldn’t find a cloth, only dishwashing liquid. Food from the restaurant was stored in a deep freeze and a fridge was switched off. Another fridge freezer was switched on, but this would have benefited from being cleaned. I know the owners are new, so leaving this as constructive feedback.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Lloyd

Liked: Staff & service
Clean room, friendly staff and guests.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Nicholas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Short stay, good for a hassle free bed when travelling/stopping through, great staff, very clean
Stayed 1 night in May 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Jeremy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Good friendly place to stay would stay again
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Zhaoyang

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
good stay
Stayed 1 night in May 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Chris

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice accommodation
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Jo

Parking over road was secure
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Levi

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
if you love a victorian vibe place this a hotel to stay. Me and my partner really love the place and their foods are superb.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025