HIT Hostel

The shared spaces and porch were nice, and I was happy with both the location and what I got for the price. The rooms have lockers, though you’ll need to bring a padlock or rent one. Rooms and bathrooms were cleaned regularly. The kitchen was usable, but often left untidy in the evenings. There are no windows in the rooms, and the fan bringing air in didn’t do much, so it got a bit stuffy overnight, though I could still sleep. You can hear the club above on Friday and Saturday nights. I managed to sleep, but light sleepers may struggle. If you want a nicer hostel, you’ll need to pay more and stay elsewhere.

I booked a private double room with an ensuite for seven nights, and this was my worst hostel experience. The room had no windows, since the hostel is in a basement, and there was loud noise and music outside every night, especially on weekends. Hot water was also a recurring problem: for four nights in a row, at different times of day, my shower was cold. They blamed too many people showering close together. On arrival, the receptionist took the second towel from my bed and said I’d have to pay if I wanted it. I was given just one towel for the whole week, and when I asked for a clean one three days later, I was told to wash it myself. Staff seemed completely uninterested in helping. The hostel seemed fairly empty, too: when the fire alarm went off at 9 a.m. one day and everyone was sent outside, there weren’t many people there.

The staff were friendly, and the location was convenient, but I had a terrible stay. The dorm had no window and smelled awful. There were no duvets, just a thin, dirty blanket covered in hair, so almost everyone in my room slept in sleeping bags. Nights were pretty cold. The kitchen was constantly filthy, with dirty dishes piled up, and smoke from the smoking area drifted through the whole hostel. At $45 a night, it felt like a rip-off. I also thought the place might be a fire safety hazard. I’ve stayed in hostels all around NZ for ten months, and this was the worst. I’d pay a bit more for decent accommodation elsewhere.

I stayed a couple of nights in the four-bed women’s dorm and found it really nice and clean. The room felt cosy, and the other guests were lovely. Reception staff were friendly, and I saw a staff member cleaning the floors, kitchen, and shower room each morning. The kitchen was kept tidy, too. I especially liked the glass door on the shower room, which kept my belongings from getting wet.