Urbanz - Hostel

The social area is roomy, with comfy sofas, and the beds have great curtains. The kitchen is the best I’ve seen in a hostel. Matt gave exceptionally friendly service, and thanks to Nikita for kindly helping with my bags at check-in. Had a great stay.

The location was fantastic, with an easy walk into the city, and I had a pretty positive two-night stay. It’s a huge hostel over two floors, with a somewhat odd layout: social space downstairs, then the kitchen, dorms, and bathrooms upstairs. My main gripe was the dirt. There was dust on the windowsill and my shelf, and the kitchen was a mess, probably because so many people use it. There was some noise overnight, but nothing unbearable.

I stayed three nights in Christchurch and found it pretty chill. The location is the main reason I’d recommend it. You’re near shops, food, and attractions, and can get around on foot, by scooter, or on public transit. If you arrive on the TranzAlpine from Greymouth, getting there takes a bit of a bus ride, but it’s doable. There are convenience stores nearby, though I’d walk farther to Pak‘nSave or FreshChoice for more choice. The place is huge and the layout can be confusing, but reception and the common room are spacious. There are comfy couches, a big TV, pool table, darts, games, a bar by reception, and plenty of tour brochures. After hours, key cards get you into the building and dorms. My dorm was a decent size, with a privacy curtain, locker under the bunk, towel, outlets, light, shelf, and hooks. The curtain didn’t fully screen the bunk ladder. The beds were comfy, and the bathrooms near my dorm were large, with lots of toilets and showers. The kitchen is massive and well equipped, with plenty of utensils, pans, fridge and pantry space, and so many stovetops that you shouldn’t have to wait to cook. It seemed busy while I was there. They run social events three times a week, though I didn’t join in. Laundry is available, the lounge has a Smart TV, and there’s lots of dining room seating. There was street noise at night. My dorm faced the street, and I could hear people talking even three stories up. The dorm doors are loud when opening and closing, and I heard people coming in late, maybe from nearby nightlife. Light sleepers may find it distracting. It’s also such a large hostel that being around so many people can feel overwhelming. Good value for the price, though.

The kitchen was beautiful, well stocked, and had heaps of room for dry and cold storage. The price for our two nights was reasonable, and I’d stay again. We found some free parking spaces nearby after reception pointed them out, available 24/7. The location is fairly central, within walking distance of the botanic gardens and shops. Beds were really comfortable, with towels provided, plus a personal nightlight, outlets, and privacy curtain for each bed. The curtain didn’t extend past the bunk ladder. Showers were a decent size and had hooks and shelves, though toilet paper wasn’t always available in every bathroom. The wifi was pretty bad throughout the hostel. The layout was confusing too, since no single staircase connects all the floors, so getting to the kitchen took some navigating. Reception wasn’t always staffed, and when the sliding door was unlocked during open hours, you could get through reception and access almost any part of the hostel without a key card. Still, our two-night stay at Urbanz Queenstown was extremely pleasant.