A luxurious diversion from the real world need not involve paying departure taxes and renewing your passport for a trip abroad - the refurbished Southern Cross Hotel in Dunedin does the trick quite nicely.
An $8 million refurbishment programme over the past three years has recently finished and guests are the ones being spoiled with modern technology, top-of-the-line bathrooms and the most comfortable beds you are ever likely to sleep in.
The building's exterior is one of the most dominant on the central Dunedin landscape.
Inside those massive walls lies an oasis of calm, tranquility and peace.
No expense appears to have been spared in the upgrade and the guest is the benefactor.
But first, a word about the staff.
No matter the amount of money spent on upgrading facilities, a hotel experience depends upon the staff, and at the Southern Cross they do true justice to all the money that has been spent.
From the warm yet unobtrusive greeting at reception, to the informative and enthusiastic waitresses at the Ports O'Call restaurant and the respectful room-service crew, nothing was a problem.
You were made to feel like royalty, which was appropriate as the surroundings were fit for a king or a queen.
Now back to the room, or mini-palace.
Every travelling guest wants and probably expects comfort when they stay in an establishment like the Southern Cross.
This is provided in spades here with a bathroom that boasts a heavenly shower and plenty of space for pampering oneself.
The luxury extends into the rest of the suite, with a wall-mounted LCD television and plenty of channels to surf.
It helped during my stay that the All Blacks managed to beat the Wallabies.
The in-house Movielink channel is worth a look as it features many blockbuster movies still playing at cinemas but yet to be released on DVD.
Thick, luxurious curtains keep the warmth in and the bright lights out.
You are immersed in your very own cocoon of luxury.
And now, the bed.
King in size, king in luxury.
Southern Cross Dunedin manager Onno Udema said delivering a luxurious night's sleep to guests was one of the priorities during the refurbishment.
"Everybody appreciates a good night's rest and we are now catering for the ultimate sleep with a range of pillows to suit individual tastes and a special 7cm-thick feather and wool mattress overlay, which guests have likened to sleeping on a cloud."
He is so right.
You seem to sink into the bed, nestled in its comfort.
It was almost a guilty pleasure and a highlight of the overnight stay.
The hotel has taken its pursuit of comfort to the next level.
It operates a "pillow menu" from which guests can select goose feather, wool and hypo-allergenic options, as well as standard tri-pillow or two-chamber styles.
Pillows and the mattress overlays can be bought to take home so you can experience the Southern Cross comfort every night in your own home.
Mr Udema said this novel service had already attracted plenty of interest.
"The response has been overwhelming. We've had people who have reported their best sleep in years and close to 200 mattress overlays have been bought by people after sleeping on them in the hotel."
But bedding is only part of the picture.
The 178-room hotel occupies four different buildings and rooms in all of them have been redecorated.
Each has been equipped with the latest technology, including broadband access and the ability to connect lap-top computers to in-room LCD screens.
Downstairs, the Carlton Restaurant has had a total makeover, with a special buffet and new lighting, furniture, fittings and air-conditioning.
Mr Udema said the refurbishment had brought the hotel into the 21st century, offering quality and comfort with refinements and technology to satisfy today's discerning traveller.
While many parts of the upgrade have been contemporary, designers have been careful to also incorporate touches of the past, in keeping with the Grand Hotel era, which was built in the 1870s and now houses hotel conference facilities and the Dunedin Casino.
The project may have taken three years but it was, most definitely, worth the wait.
• Glenn Conway stayed at the Scenic Circle Southern Cross Hotel in Dunedin courtesy of hotel management.
