TMACS Backpackers

We arrived after nearly a day and a half of travel and found the place closed. Booking.com hadn't updated us, so we're now trying to sort things out after arrival and find somewhere else to stay. Don't get caught out like we did. It doesn't exist.

Pack earplugs if you're staying in a four-bed men's dorm. The rooms mostly face a four-lane main road, so cars and sirens were loud at night, and the doors made a racket opening and closing, especially for whoever was sleeping beside one. A door closer or silencer might help with that. There was lots of room to hang out, with lounges and couches on both floors, plus a good communal area. My bed was comfortable, the room had a couch and fridge, and the shared showers and toilets were clean and plentiful. Laundry was free, and parking on site was $15 a day. The air conditioning worked well at first, but switched off after a few hours and I had to text reception to get it going again. There were no bunk curtains, and nowhere to put toiletries in the shower except on the floor. Staff were great and available. I'd stay again.

Our booking on booking.com still showed as confirmed, but on our first day in New Zealand, 24 Oct 25, we arrived after a long, exhausting trip from Southeast Asia to find TMACS Auckland had closed. The signboard was gone. Someone answered the bell and said they had nothing to do with TMACS. We tried repeatedly to reach the manager or owner without success, so we had to contact booking.com. We then found Google reviews from people who'd run into the same thing before us. Booking sites should remove TMACS and alert everyone with a reservation so nobody else has this happen. We came to see wonderful NZ, and this was a bad start. We hope everyone has a great stay in Auckland and elsewhere in NZ.

The kitchen was huge and clean, with plenty of room to make a meal, and there were plenty of spots to sit and chat as well as quieter places to concentrate. Showers and toilets were clean and there were lots of them. I also appreciated the free washing machines and dryers, and having parking at the hostel in the CBD is a rare bonus. I arrived late at night after a terrible stay at another hostel, and the staff here were really helpful. My room had loads of space, with a mini fridge and a little couch as well as the beds. It was a great stay, highly recommend.