Haka House Wanaka

My favorite hostel so far. It's right in front of the lake, and the rooms are really convenient, with your own curtains, plugs and light. The kitchen is big enough for the number of people, and there's lots of room to relax.

I stayed in a spacious six person room for two nights and really wished I could've stayed longer. It even had a fridge, microwave and more. The large kitchen had plenty of storage, and all the facilities were clean. Every staff member was so friendly. The location was excellent, with a quick walk to the lake or shops, and it stayed quiet overnight. I'll definitely recommend it to friends.

The piano in the living room gives the place such a warm, homey feeling, and I really loved staying here. One of the best hostels in New Zealand! The staff are so nice and helpful. Thanks for everything, and I hope to see you again soon.

The building is great, and with the right team this hostel could be one of the best. Unfortunately, our experience was quite negative because of the staff. They were especially unfriendly if they were French, and seemed annoyed when we arrived, with little interest in us as guests. We often saw them avoiding guests and keeping to their own group. At other Haka Houses we've stayed in, the staff were kind, welcoming and engaged, which matters in hospitality. They also forgot to give us a package left for us, even though they'd promised our family member at check-in that they would. It often seemed like their own holiday and time off mattered more than their hostel responsibilities. They acted as if the rules didn't apply to them, leaving their dishes and cups lying around. The worst was Christmas Eve. They started cooking and baking in the shared kitchen, then disappeared for ages, leaving it disgusting at the busiest time. When we came to eat later, their stuff was still everywhere and nothing had been cleaned. Several other guests we spoke with were disgusted too. People should clean up after themselves, especially when it's busy. Most of the guests we met did so straight away and helped keep the shared areas tidy. With more respectful, involved and responsible staff, this place could easily become one of the best.