Bell Hill Apartments

Founding Partner

dunedin, new zealand

Dunedin holds a certain duality. The city is known for its Scottish architecture, university energy, and steep historic streets. Yet it also sits at the edge of one of New Zealand’s most wildlife-rich coastlines. Albatross ride the wind above the Otago Peninsula. Sea lions rest along quiet beaches. Yellow-eyed penguins return to shore at dusk. Families here rarely choose between culture and nature; they move easily between the two.

Across from the expansive lawns of Dunedin’s First Church, where the bells carry softly through the neighborhood on Sunday mornings, Bell Hill Apartments sit within a building first constructed in 1901. The structure has been carefully restored, its heritage presence intact, but the interiors now unfold as three distinct residences rather than a uniform set of rooms.

Stepping inside feels less like arriving at a hotel and more like entering a home someone has thoughtfully prepared for your stay. Guests often describe the same quiet sensation: as though the owner has simply stepped out for a moment and entrusted the space to you.

Each apartment carries its own personality, reflecting individuals connected to Dunedin’s past. One leans toward artistic expression; colour, pattern, and texture layered in a way that feels creative and slightly unexpected, celebrating the work of Gaynor Clayton. Another channels the sensibility of the well-travelled Victorian gentleman, John Campbell, with tartans, opulent leather, and subtle flashes of silver. The third, inspired by Henry Matthews, draws on the colours of the surrounding landscape, where the city’s rooftops rise toward the green hills beyond.

The layouts make family life easy. Two bedrooms. Two bathrooms. A generous living space beneath double-height ceilings. A private balcony opening toward the city. At the center of each apartment sits a large dining table and a kitchen fully equipped for cooking, the kind of space where breakfast stretches long into the morning or the day ends with a shared meal after returning from the coast.

For LGBTQ+ families, apartment living often shifts the emotional rhythm of a trip. There are no hotel corridors or shared lobbies to navigate. You enter through your own door and settle into the city at your own pace.

Days unfold outward — toward harbor paths, wildlife excursions, gardens, and cafés — before returning quietly to Bell Hill, where the lights soften, the balcony doors open to the evening air, and the city settles around you.

bell hill apartments

The PFS Way

Trace the Otago Harbour Loop Cycle Trail, where rail lines run parallel to the water and black swans drift close to shore. The ride feels expansive without strain; salt air, long sky, children pedaling beside you with steady confidence.
Arrange a coastal outing with Clearwater Wildlife Tours, coordinated directly through the apartments. There is something quietly powerful about watching sea lions resting undisturbed or catching sight of a yellow-eyed penguin returning from sea, the kind of encounter that stays with children long after the journey ends. It becomes less about checking sightings off a list and more about witnessing how closely nature and city coexist here.
Walk to dinner at Etrusco at the Savoy, where handmade pasta and unhurried hospitality create an evening that feels familial rather than formal, or settle into the warmth of Prohibition Smokehouse, a generous counterpoint after a wind-swept day along the peninsula.
On Saturday mornings, stroll seven minutes to the Otago Farmers’ Market. Local growers line the stalls with stone fruit, warm bagels, and just-cut flowers. It’s the kind of ritual that gives children autonomy, coins in hand, choosing their own treat.
Wander toward the Octagon, secondhand bookshops, and Toitū Otago Settlers Museum, returning when energy shifts rather than when transportation dictates.
End one evening on your balcony with the apartment’s signature nightcap. The harbor settles. The city quiets. The day resolves.