Metro Adventurer Backpackers

This was the worst smelling hostel I’ve ever stayed in, and it was super dirty. At night, staff and a random group of people would hang around outside doing drugs. Every so often they’d stop to film each other peeing in the street. It didn’t feel safe, and there was no chance of getting any rest.

The murals give the hostel a great feel, and staying here was a lovely cultural experience. You meet people from all over the world, and I’d come back if I return to Auckland. The kitchen and other shared spaces were always clean, so I felt safe preparing food there. Reception provided good service too. They were willing to help when I needed something and could point me toward common services around the city.

The hostel’s location is the one good thing. Staff were pretty friendly, but everything else was so bad and dirty. The biggest women’s bathroom was out of service most of the time, so everyone had to squeeze into the smaller one to shower, brush their teeth and do their hair. It was chaotic. The mattress was dirty and so uncomfortable I could feel the springs. The whole place felt unhygienic. I wouldn’t recommend it.

If you’re in your early 20s on a working holiday, it’s an okay option and you might have fun. Otherwise, I wouldn’t recommend it. The mattresses were so bad that the floor would’ve been more comfortable, and it was hard to find anywhere quiet. In three of the seven nights I stayed, people came into the room to have sex. I get it, kids are horny, but waking me at 3 AM each time was criminal 😫