Situated on King's Road, along with many other hostels, Pipi-patch is in an ideal location for exploring Pahia and the other areas of the Bay of Islands. All of the major "Backpacker Buses" (e.g. Kiwi Experience, Magic, Stray) will drop off and pick-up from here, and the public buses stop just a short walk away.
The dorms are very clean and are arranged in a motel-style layout with entry from outside. Each dorm has its own en-suite bathroom and small kitchen area with a fridge and kettle in which you can store food and make tea/coffee but not prepare and cook meals. There is a communal kitchen downstairs which was clean and tidy but lacked an adequate amount of pans and utensils. Other communal areas were very good - a comfy lounge area with sofas and Sky TV, an outside patio area with tables and benches and a popular bar. Each night, a cheap BBQ meal was available (including beer) and seemed a popular choice.
Nearby, there is a lot to do. There are several bars aimed at the backpacker market and the beach is just a 2 minute walk. Should you choose to do one of the many excursions availble in the area, Pipi Patch reception will happily book it for you and most trips will pick you up from the hostel and drop you off again afterwards. The ferry to Russel is just a 20-minute walk away and there is a large supermarket about 30-minutes walk for those that want to self-cater.
This hostel seemed very popular and because of this tended to be a bit noisy at times - especially the dorms closest to the bar-area. However, it is popular for a good reason and is a great place to stay.
-- Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
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