The Red Monkey Travellers' Lodge - Hostel

I’m giving this three stars because of how the booking was handled. I’d reserved a room well in advance, but while we waited, the hotel’s operator went out of business. The new operator knew about my reservation and still didn’t tell me ahead of time that I’d have to pay for the room again. We only found out at check-in, when arranging somewhere else would obviously be difficult. I don’t blame the staff, but management should take a look in the mirror.

The noise was a real problem. It’s an old house between two stories, with no double glazing or insulation, so we could hear a lot. The room was small, and there weren’t even two chairs. The fridge had no milk, and the promised evening drinks with hors d'oeuvres and breakfast options including yoghurt and chia pudding weren’t there. It was promoted as a boutique hotel with a Superior Suite, but it didn’t feel worth the money or remotely up to five-star standards. A total disappointment. I can’t recommend it.

The hotel made for a memorable stay and a lovely way to finish our trip to New Zealand. We were in the Campbell Suite, where the decor was fantastic, the bed super comfortable and the bathroom spacious and well designed. The main hotel looked great too. Staff were attentive and let us check in early. They also made sure breakfast was ready in time for our early flight. The Ponsonby location has lots of shops, bars and restaurants. I recommend booking restaurants ahead.

Breakfast was out of this world, and Leo looked after us from start to finish. The eggs Benedict were the best I’ve had in a long, long time, though there was more food than I could finish. Service throughout was impeccable. The location is ideal, especially if you’re visiting Auckland from out of town. I’ll definitely stay here again.