Greenhouse Hostel was originally the Dargaville School. The two large classrooms are now the lounge/dining room and a nine-bed partitioned dorm that's decked out with attractive and quirky murals and sculptures. In addition there are four cabins with double and twin beds.
There is a clean and well-equipped kitchen, where you can compose poetry and prose on the fridge with magnetic words. The blackboards in the former classrooms have become murals of chalk-art that change each day with guests coming through. Budding musicians can practice on the original school piano in the dorm.
You will need to bring a sleeping bag or bedding, or you can hire linen and bedding from the office. There are internet facilities. You can enjoy a selection of board games, magazines, and books as well as watch television in the lounge. Payment is cash only.
The hostel is a short walk from the shops, restaurants, pubs, and the bus station. The museum, a short drive from the hostel, is a must with its displays and dioramas about the history of the region. Great surfing can be enjoyed at Baylys Beach and Glinks Gully about twenty minutes' drive away, or you can enjoy the azure blue waters and crystal-white sands of the Kai-Iwi Lakes.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
February 2008
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