Matterhorn South Lodge

This hostel is a combination of a two-story lodge building (which also has one dorm room) and the older, wooden backpackers building. The hostel is one of the older hostels in Wanaka, and is showing its age and is looking frayed.

The Location

The hostel is located at the top of Helwick Street, which is the main street leading up from the lake in Wanaka. It is opposite an email and cycle rental shop, and also opposite a pub. There are some parking places for the hostel -- however, there are parking restrictions outside the hostel, so beware if you park too long! It is also only about one hundred meters from an Inter City Coach stop, and about five minutes' walk to the main visitor information centre and supermarket.

Rooms and Bathrooms

Rooms in the wooden backpacker building are noisy. It seems that because of the wood floors and thin walls, you hear every noise in the hostel. The rooms have either five or seven beds with plenty of space for backpacks. One negative point is that the matrasses are just old foam, which are not comfortable. Although there are number combination locks on the doors, few people seem to use them and even the main entrance to the hostel is often left open. Security is low at this hostel, and there are no lockers in which to leave cameras or other valuables.

The hostel also offers double rooms and some dormitory beds in the other building, and these have private showers and toilets. The public toilets in the backpackers building have graffiti on the walls and doors. Showers and toilets are not very clean, sinks have piles of hairs in them, and bathroom walls/doors are also a little unclean. The size of the showers and toilets is ok, however the general impression is that everything needs to be renewed. A small stool is provided in one shower where you can put your clothes. There are two public sinks, although these are close together and in a small area, so a little inconvenient to use when the hostel is busy.

Common Spaces

The hostel has a small lounge area which joins the kitchen and dining area. There is also space to sit outside on a small wooden deck. They have a long table in the main lounge that is too big for the room, and not so easy to get behind. As everyone who enters the hostel has to pass through the lounge, it gives it the feel of a waiting room. The hostel is very quiet (at least it was when when we visited), but does have a normal mix of backpackers.

The kitchen is also old and neglected, although it does have a microwave and cooking rings. Fixtures and fittings are old and work surfaces are cracked. There are just enough pots and pans, but if the hostel is busy then the kitchen struggles to cope.

Summary

This is an old, tired hostel that would do at a pinch if the other hostels were full. The lack of security here is a negative point, as is the need for so many things to be replaced, repaired, and renewed. The hostel manager does not seem to visit the hostel section much, which again would reduce security. The hostel is also slightly dearer than the other local hostels, which is not justified given its age and worn appearance. There are worse hostels around, but there are also many hostels that are far better than this one.

-- Exclusive Hostelz.com Review