Rotorua Downtown Backpackers

The kitchen was clean and well equipped, the courtyard was pleasant, and the staff were super nice and helpful. Beds were comfortable, and both our room and the bathrooms were clean, though our four-bed room was pretty small. It’s a cheap hostel, so you get what you pay for: there isn’t much common space or anything fancy. The courtyard closes at 10. There’s no AC, but our room had a fan. We only had one charging spot in the room, though it had multiple sockets. The location is great. Parking right outside is free from 5pm to 9am, and Government Gardens has free parking a minute away all day. Check out the nearby market on Thursday evening. There’s bag storage, but it isn’t locked, so bring a lock if you need to leave luggage after checkout or store extra bags. The in-room lockers are tiny, too small for a bag, but fine for valuables.

We found a cockroach in the kitchen and another under a bed, and the shared area was generally a little dirty. The bedrooms themselves were fine, though. Bedding was supplied, including a pillow and case, duvet and cover, and fitted sheet. The beds were fairly comfortable but squeaky, and there were lots of spiders in the bathroom, so beware of bugs. For the price it was fine, you get what you pay for. The room photo below was taken after everyone had left.

The staff were kind and really friendly, and both the rooms and bathrooms were clean. The rooms were also big for the price. It’s in a good spot right by the InterCity bus stop. You get what you pay for, and this was well worth it.

The kitchen and common areas were clean, and the staff were kind. The location was really convenient. My room was small, though, and the shower wasn't warm and had weak pressure. My roommate was also really annoying, making noise and complaining about every little thing I did.