With its huge Mexican cartoon on the wall, nobody will ever miss Cactus Jack! It's just two blocks away from the tourist information centre and restaurants, but far away from the noise. What's striking is its Wild West theme -- bright colours, humorous cartoons, antique decorations, natural sunlight, and relaxed ambiance.
Each room has its own character -- the stable, jail, barbershop, and "Madame Fifi." All rooms are on the ground floor. At the centre is a courtyard where everybody hangs out. As far as we can see, all rooms have a big window. The rooms are small but there are lots of nails and hooks to maximize space. Those who are staying in rooms around the courtyard need to go outdoors to go to the toilet, which might be inconvenient if it rains.
The kitchen and dining room are spacious with sufficient cookers and refrigerators. The staff cleans up the kitchen during the night, so it's nice and clean by day. A few dishes of free cakes are available in the day and everybody help themselves. Toilets and bathrooms are plentiful and reasonably clean. At the time of our stay, workers are refurbishing the showers. The owners told us they acquired the place in December 2006 and are modernizing the rooms and facilities step by step. The hot pool and snooker room are great to chill out. There's also an area to line-dry clothes under the sun -- a real convenience.
At night it's quiet and ideal for a good night's sleep. On the whole, the place is quite worn out -- perhaps this adds to the homey atmosphere? In Rotorua, if you're looking for a creative and fun place with good value for money, go to Cactus Jack.
-- Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
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