My daughter and I stayed at Billy Browns while waiting for the Canterbury University to reopen after the earth quake....we stayed at many back packers and by far Billy and Ann were the most honest and open Kiwi' owners we ran into. Their backpacker is filled with antique furniture, 3 well designed baths, (one ADA) some private rooms, and a kool dorm with 1950's farm magazine pages as wall paper. antique 9 foot entry doors and a homey sitting area with wood stove and LP albums to listen to. The immaculate building sits on top of a high hill over looking the bay on two sides and is surrounded by Anne and Billy's flower gardens and a real red English phone booth. Billy runs a sheep ranch and the wandering critters in the neighboring pasture add to the homy feel. We planned to stay one night but felt so at home we felt lucky to be able to stay for two.
This is a Gem and the highlight of a 3 week tour of the south island

The views, the accommodation, the local wildlife and Anne and Billy make this is a fantastic place to stay. This is a top quality hostel, there is a laundry, two cookers one gas one electric, a toilet, two showers plus a shower/toilet and no television was a plus for us. Both fur seals and sea lions breed on the local beaches and you can take the Monarch boat trip looking for albatross, penguins and other wildlife. The museum in Port Chalmers is worth a couple of hours and opposite that is the library with free wifi. Ask Anne and Bill about the local history, the old school, the cheese factory and how they met. There are only two points which could be improved, it does not have internet access and the drive up to the hostel. You may have heard of Baldwin Street in Dunedin which is reputed to be the steepest street in the world well I think that parts of the drive to the hostel are as steep as that and this is only gravel. Some guests left their cars at the bottom and walked up or got a lift from Billy. If you have front wheel drive reverse up otherwise you will have trouble. We stayed four nights and would have stayed longer if we could. You won’t be disappointed with Billy Browns

This place is awesome, after a heart stopping rev up the steep drive, the scenery from on top of the hill where the lodge is situated is awesome. Run as a hostel, there is almost a bathroom for each room, a very cosy lounge with log fire, and the coastal walk which is well marked is one of teh best I ahve been on. The owner Billy is a really genuine friendly person who really makes his guests feel welcome. Port Chalmers is the quieter alternative to the busier Otago Peninsula, will be back if we ever visit this region again