Brown Kiwi Travellers Hostel

The garden is a lovely escape from the city, and ponsonby is amazing. Steffie (the cat) is the little princess of the house. The atmosphere is really nice and feels like home, the place is exceptionally clean, and the rooms are big with comfy beds. Splendid, the best hostel I've been to in New Zealand!

It felt like a family here. The hostel is small, but not overcrowded, and there's lots of room to relax. The owners are friendly and keen to help however they can. The cat is friendly, but might bite if you try to pick her up. My only disappointment was the mattress, it was so soft and thin that I could feel the wooden bedframe. I told the owner, who wanted to help straightaway, but since I had only one night left, I said it was okay.

The hostel is a good choice for a quiet, relaxed stay. It's clean and tidy, and although it's not right in the centre, the location is still convenient. The staff are friendly and helpful, and the other guests are laid-back. Staying past 10am costs extra, and the showers were a little inconvenient.

It's in a good area, with a well-supplied kitchen, and it's kept very clean. The staff are friendly, and it's set up well for meeting other travelers. The dorm bunks are really tall, which is great if you're on the bottom and less great if you're on top, haha. Great place, definitely recommend it!