Hanmer Backpackers - Hanmer Springs, New Zealand

Comment by Sandra

February 2007

This hostel is the most unfriendliest I've ever stayed in. I was unhappy about sharing a dorm with three men, so cut short my stay. Stating in their advertising maximum stay unlimited is false. The two females running this hostel (the owner was away) told me as soon as I had finished breakfast I had to leave the hostel and I could not stay that night, even though I had already paid, because "you snored and the other people in the dorm complained." I had an appointment at 10 a.m. and had to go they wanted to know how long I would be because they "had to change the sheets on my bed." On telling them the treatment would be around three hours they were not at all happy. As it happened the pools were closed due to pump malfunction. Being so upset went to the Visitor Center to ask advise, they were unable to contact owner and booked me into another hostel. They then contacted Hanmer Backbackers who had booked me, without my knowledge, into another hostel, and were told to cancel it. On returning to Backpackers they had already stripped my bed and moved my belongings. Yes they did refund the money owing to me but they were very rude and I was on crutches and walked with difficulty. I would advise staying here as a last resort.
Reply from the hostel: I hope that I am able to post this reply to the negative and inaccurate review posted here. I was the (absent) owner when the situation occurred but the hostel has since been sold and has a new owner. Firstly, as this is a small 18-bed hostel the 5-share dorms are mixed. The writer would have been told this if she had enquired about female-only dorms so it is unreasonable to complain about sharing with males afterwards. She was in a dorm with 4 others and the next morning they ALL said they had got no sleep because of her very loud snoring and would leave if she stayed. The managers did the right thing and put the interests of the 4 guests who had been kept awake all night ahead of the person who was ultimately the cause of a difficult situation for all. It is also unreasonable for her to complain about being asked to check out of her room before starting a 3-hour appointment at 10am. Checkout is 10am, not 1pm. I think that if you are a chronic snorer you owe it to your fellow backpackers to make appropriate arrangements, such as taking a single room rather than a dorm. Many comments in our guest book mention the friendliness experienced here and I hope people will see that review for the sour grapes that it is.