Frienz Backpackers Auckland

Frienz Backpackers Auckland is a colourful, small city hostel with friendly service. The price for an uncomfortable and noisy bed in an eight-bedroom dorm seems a bit steep for the condition of the hostel, with grimy bathrooms and a pile of rubble in the corner of one floor, but the facilities are new and the guests a mix of internationals and locals. The vibe is quite boring compared to some of the bigger hostels, which is good for an uninterrupted night, but ironically, meeting people isn’t a memorable part of Frienz -- guests keep to themselves.

The Location

Finding the hostel is easy -- there's a big rainbow monkey sign out front! The location right in town just off Queen Street makes it easy to walk or get a bus to anywhere in or around Auckland. Shops and restaurants are all throughout the CBD and good bars can be found a short walk away at Karangahape Road. Intercity and Naked Bus terminals are all within ten minutes' walk.

Rooms and Bathrooms

Dorms available include mixed four, six, or twelve beds; ladies four or six beds; twin rooms for travel buddies; single rooms; and standard double rooms. They make the bed for you (throw a doona down on the mattress), which is a bit weird and doesn’t stop the springs poking through the mattress! The separate bathrooms are filthy in the morning with urine all over the floor in the mens, but the shower is a super high pressure massage!

Common Spaces

Common areas include a lounge room with fifty sky channels, an ample kitchen with storage space, and a rooftop barbecue area with views of the city, perfect for a sunset grill. There is also free internet which is good to make use of. Frienz isn’t a dry hostel but no one seems to be in a party mood there. Some hungover souls lounge around, feeling sorry for themselves, but it isn’t a social environment.

Summary

Frienz's central location in the city of Auckland is a definite positive, however for a cheaper price, you can find a better night's sleep. They also do a free breakfast that could earn a recommendation -- we missed out on it but could definitely smell as we left.