YHA Taupo

We arrived in Taupo during the school holidays without a place to stay, and they had a room available. It became clear pretty quickly why. The unit looked nothing like the photos and was very basic, with no information booklet. The front door didn't lock properly, it had a strange smell, and the kitchen cupboard handles were broken and had been replaced with rope ones. It seemed to be used for emergency housing, and people talking in the early hours meant we barely slept. The carpet looked fairly new, so perhaps work has begun, but I think the motel needs to close and spend money bringing it up to standard.

We stayed for the Greenstone Concert this weekend. After reading the reviews, I was a bit unsure, but honestly, it wasn't that bad. It is used for social housing, but our room was fine, clean and tidy, with comfortable beds and a good bathroom. It's really handy, too. It doesn't deserve such a bad rap.

We booked one night for a break during our travels, but it was a complete disappointment and a waste of money. There was used toilet paper in the toilet, the bin hadn't been emptied, the utensils were greasy and looked as if they had bugs on them, and I found hair beneath the bed sheets. The rooms also had a strange smell. My daughters, aged 7 and 8, would rather have slept in the van. We only stayed because we desperately needed a night to rest, but I woke during the night because of the smell and couldn't stand it any longer, so we got up and left. I should have trusted the reviews. This place needs a health inspection, and I don't recommend it at all.

The second room had no proper ventilation and marks stained the walls, which was a poor outcome for what we paid. We’d arrived around 5 pm after the long drive from Auckland, and the first room had a strong smell of urine and visible rubbish left behind. When I raised it with reception, he denied there was a problem and got confrontational when I pointed out the mess. We were moved, but the experience was extremely disappointing for my family and me. I plan to make a formal complaint about the health and safety standards.