Empire Backpackers

The bathrooms were fairly nice, but that was the only reassuring part. We didn’t feel safe because there were very few safety measures and hardly any staff oversight of who came in. When we arrived, someone who wasn’t staying there cornered us in the shared living area, which was a really uncomfortable encounter.

The location was the one thing going for it. I left at 11:30 at night because the place was so bad I couldn’t sleep, and the rule about no check-ins after 9 pm clearly wasn’t being followed while I was there, which disturbed other guests. The room smelled damp and musty, like an old closet. Its carpet looked decades old and badly needed replacing, and every time the door shut, it felt like the window might fall out. There was just a sheet for a curtain. The toilets weren’t marked for men or women, which caused a lot of confusion. This was the worst backpackers I’ve ever stayed in, and I’ve stayed in places all over the world. It shouldn’t even be open. Do yourself a favour and stay at the other backpackers.

The kitchens are large and nice, and the furniture is unusual. But my room was cold, had no inside door handle, and there wasn’t any tea in the kitchen.

The location makes it easy to walk to everything in central Oamaru, including the beach, supermarket, banks and takeaways, all within about five minutes. The building was clean, the showers were great, and the bathrooms were lovely. There’s fast free Wi-Fi, plus a nice kitchen with dishes you can use for cooking. The rules are pretty basic: no cooking after 10:30 and keep the noise down, which is just common courtesy. Kia ora hello :) This is a really great place to stay, and the host is a lovely lady! :D I’d definitely stay here again.