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Traveling around New Zealand<\/a>, you’ll find a wide range of hostels in this small country: decrepit, run-down chains; modern conglomerates; quirky, little family-owned places; hip, modern flashpacker hostels, and everything in between. <\/p>\n During my time there, I always try to stay at as many hostels as I can, often changing places every night to ensure I can review and evaluate as many hostels as I can.<\/p>\n The hostel scene in the country has vastly improved since I was first there in 2010, with much more variety and better quality now. It\u2019s a great time to be a traveler in New Zealand as many hostels have stepped up their game in this competitive environment.<\/p>\n As I’ve been visiting New Zealand for over a decade, I’ve stayed in dozens upon dozens of places. To help you plan your trip, here is my list of the best hostels in New Zealand. These are the places that I stay at when I visit and that I like the most. <\/p>\n If you don\u2019t want to read the long list below, the following hostels are the best in each category:<\/p>\n But what really sets this establishment apart is the HUGE kitchen and common area. There are activities every night (including a cheap pub crawl around Queenstown<\/a>) and a free dinner and quiz night on Sunday. Not one traveler I spoke to wanted to leave.<\/p>\n Nomads at a glance<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Everything in the hostel is updated, with new, modern pod-style beds so you can get a great night’s sleep. Most of the rooms have en-suite bathrooms, including the dorms, so you don’t have to wait on everyone else in the hostel taking showers before you get your turn. All the communal areas make it really easy to meet fellow travelers as you unwind from a long day doing all the adventure activities that Taupo<\/a> has to offer!<\/p>\n Finlay Jack’s at a glance<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Juno Hall at a glance<\/strong>:<\/p>\n When you want to stay in, there’s free homemade soup every night, two communal kitchens to use, and a hot tub where you can kick back and relax. In the mornings, there’s free breakfast with homemade waffles, pancakes, and coffee\/tea. <\/p>\n There are both private and dorm rooms, in which there are pod-style beds that have privacy curtains, individual reading lights, and two outlets. Just note that the Wi-Fi isn’t the strongest, especially when many people are on it, but this is fairly common in New Zealand. Overall, it’s my favorite places to stay in Franz Josef and offers a ton of value for the price.<\/p>\n Chateau Backpacker & Motels Lodge at a glance<\/strong>:<\/p>\n The bedrooms are cleaned daily, and the beds, while not the best, are good enough for a night\u2019s sleep. My only complaint was that there weren\u2019t a lot of showers on the floor I was on, and the unisex nature of them was a little shocking when I walked in only wearing boxers \u2014 but whatever, it\u2019s a hostel!<\/p>\n Urbanz at a glance<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Sign up to get all my best travel tips along with these free guides:<\/p>\r\n Just fill in your details below and I'll send everything to you right now:<\/p>\r\n\n\n\nBest Hostel for Budget Travelers<\/strong>:\n<\/div>\n\nFinlay Jacks<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nBest Hostel for Families<\/strong>:\n<\/div>\n\nMountain View Backpackers<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nBest Hostel for Solo Female Travelers<\/strong>:\n<\/div>\n\nNomads<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nBest Hostel for Digital Nomads<\/strong>:\n<\/div>\n\nUrbanz<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nBest Hostel for Partying<\/strong>:\n<\/div>\n\nUrbanz<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nBest Overall Hostel<\/strong>:\n<\/div>\n\nNomads<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nWant the specifics of each hostel? Here’s my comprehensive list of the best hostels in New Zealand:<\/p>\n1. Nomads, Queenstown<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"common](\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2022\/nomadsqueenstown.jpg\")
\nThis is one of the most amazing hostels I\u2019ve stayed at \u2014 ever! (And I\u2019ve stayed at a lot!) Nomads was one of the best when it opened in 2010 \u2014 and it\u2019s still one of the best today. Most rooms have balconies, the showers have prodigious water pressure, and the pillows are thick (the manager told me they change them every few months to keep them fluffy \u2014 how\u2019s that for service?). <\/p>\n\n
\n <\/p>\n2. Finlay Jacks Backpackers, Taupo<\/a><\/h3>\n
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\nFinlay Jacks has a huge kitchen, a big common room, a spacious patio with BBQs, fun and welcoming staff, bike rentals, and a super friendly hostel dog. In short, everything a backpacker or budget traveler would want from a hostel. <\/p>\n\n
\n <\/p>\n3. Juno Hall, Waitomo<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"exterior](\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2023\/junohall1.jpeg\")
\nThis is a clean and well-kept hostel in Waitomo<\/a>. It’s near the glow worm caves and has a pool and tennis court on-site. There’s a large kitchen (which is kept clean) for cooking your own food as well as an outdoor grill for barbecuing. The beds aren’t super comfy (the mattresses aren’t that thick) and there are no reading lights or individual sockets, but the amenities and location are excellent. The staff are really welcoming as well and ensure you have a comfortable, fun stay. If you’re going to see the glowworms, stay here. It’s super affordable too.<\/p>\n\n
\n <\/p>\n4. Chateau Backpacker & Motels, Franz Josef<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Exterior](\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2023\/chateaubackpackerhostel.jpg\")
\nMore like a lodge than a hostel, Chateau is the absolute best place to stay while visiting and hiking the glaciers in Franz Josef<\/a>. The location is fantastic; it’s right next to the forest and just a ten minute drive from the glacier. It’s also in the walkable area of town if you want to visit a bar or restaurant after a long day of exploring. <\/p>\n\n
\n <\/p>\n5. Urbanz, Christchurch<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Dorm](\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/urbanznz1.jpg\")
\nThis is an awesome modern hostel located right in downtown Christchurch<\/a>. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, the kitchen is huge (and well cleaned), and there\u2019s a pool table, fast Wi-Fi, laundry, a parking lot, a community bulletin board, movies, and comfy couches. <\/p>\n\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nPlanning a trip to New Zealand?<\/h5>\r\n
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