Ivory Towers

We stayed in a twin room, which was fine. There was a problem with ventilation, the bathroom and kitchen were steamed up badly when we were there. There is no longer a hot tub. There is a cinema room with sofas and large screen TV, although I didn't use it. The kitchen was a good size although can be busy as this is a large hostel and the only hostel in the village.

one of the worst places i stayed -- hence why i am posting here. first, i booked two nights in advance, which was confirmed, and when i turned up was told i only had a room for one night -- thanks for leaving me with no place to stay. i had to splash out on a hotel room as there was nowhere else to stay and the owner was completely unhelpful. next, the room for the night i was able to stay was not made up. a minor detail but shows the lack of interest in guests' welfare. next, a couple of friends came to cook with us and were thrown out. this can happen in some hostels if you have guests, but seriously, the way the staff reacted it was as if they were looting the place. if they don't like guests, a simple sign is all it takes -- there was no need for the confrontation they took, which i won't go into. finally, on a separate occasion, a girl told the manager the oven was not working and he had to show her how it worked. i then overheard the manager outside being rude, sarcastic, and abusive about the girl to another group of backpackers who just looked shocked at the completely pointless outburst. some people are not cut out for running hostels and the staff here are a prime example. they deserve no guests and completely ruin an otherwise nice hostel.

I really enjoyed my stay here. The hostel has great facilities, including several well-equipped kitchens, a large TV room with cinema seating, and spacious dorms with a motel-like feel. Everything was clean and comfortable, though one of my friends had a problem with laundry and the staff weren't too helpful in resolving it. In any case, this is a great base from which to explore the glaciers or Lake Matheson, and I'd stay here again.

One of the worst places we've stayed, and definitely the most uncomfortable beds. Unfortunately Ivory Towers is basically the only hostel in Fox Glacier, so it can charge what it likes. The supposedly ready-made beds are laughable, and the duvet covers are never changed. To top this off, staff are snooty and unwelcoming, and all the signs in the hostel are so poorly written they are barely legible. Avoid like the plague. Even if it means paying for a hotel elsewhere in the township, or going to Franz Josef instead.

Great hostel. It has a gorgeous view and very comfortable dorm houses. I stayed in one of the houses and it had it's own family room, dining area/table, and kitchen, with comfortable rooms. There's a huge community kitchen in the main building as well, not to mention the free video checkout at the desk.