The Hostelz.com Review
HI - Easter Island - Kona Tau Hostel is in Hanga Roa (the one and only town on Easter Island), a short distance from the airport and just one block over the main street. The ocean is just a couple of blocks further, and the views are stunning although there are no beaches in town.
The hostel’s name means “beautiful view” in the local Rapa Nui language, and the reason becomes apparent as you reach the hostel’s largest central patio. Looking north, you can see lush green foliage and distant hills.
The Location
The Kona Tau is located in Hanga Roa, the only town on the island. The main street is just a block away, making it easy to walk to shops, restaurants, and nightlife (such as it is on Easter Island!). Everything you might need is walking distance away -- post office, hospital, souvenir shops, car and bike rental places, and grocery stores.
There are moai right in the town on the harbour, so within a few minutes of your arrival you can already get your archeological fix. There are several easy day hikes from town that will take you sites a little further afield. Tour agencies line the main street so it’s easy to arrange trips to more distant places on the island; you can also rent bikes, cars, or scooters to take you around if you would rather DIY. The hostel can help arrange any of these options.
The hostel is easy to find, and hostel staff will pick you up from the airport upon arrival and take you back there again when you leave. It’s a short drive.
Rooms and Bathrooms
This hostel offers both dorm rooms, with five bunks to a room. A bonus for weary backpackers is that most aren’t bunk beds. Large lockers that will fit a backpack are available in the rooms. All rooms have door locks (you get your own key, no sharing). Mattresses are comfortable and the bunk beds sturdy, and beds are made daily by housekeeping staff.
Each dorm room has an ensuite bathroom, and these are clean although a little worse for wear (our sink was partly detached from the wall). Showers are spacious with hooks for your belongings, and towels are provided by the hostel. Water pressure is fine and the water as hot as we liked.
Common Spaces
Common areas are mostly open-air with a roof, so you can still sit outside even if it rains. Breakfast is served indoors in a large dining room next to the small but adequate kitchen. The outdoor areas are comfortable places to eat or hang out, with tables and chairs by each room, patio lights, a TV area with comfortable couches, and a dining area. The kitchen is small but functional; there isn`t a lot of storage space, and it would be very crowded with more than a couple of people trying to cook at once. But given the high price of groceries and limited selection on the island, you may well decide (as we did) self-catering isn`t worth the effort and opt to eat out instead. Breakfast is included in the hostel rate.
There is no internet access or Wi-Fi, as this is very expensive on Easter Island and limited to a few internet cafes on the main street. Better to just unplug for a few days while you`re here -- save the Facebook time for when you`re back on the mainland somewhere!
Staff/management are very friendly and helpful, and will help arrange activities while you`re there as well as pick you up from the airport and drop you off. Several friendly animals wander the premises and a dog or two may choose to join you when you walk around the town. In low season, the hostel is fairly quiet, but with the main street so close by it isn’t hard to find more action if you want it. (Keep in mind, though, that Easter Island is a tiny place and your options will be limited!) In high season, the hostel has much more of a buzz when there are many more backpackers around.
Summary
Overall, this is a very safe, welcoming, and relaxed hostel that will make your stay on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) a pleasant one. You’ll have left all your stress behind by the time you leave here!
The hostel’s name means “beautiful view” in the local Rapa Nui language, and the reason becomes apparent as you reach the hostel’s largest central patio. Looking north, you can see lush green foliage and distant hills.
The Location
The Kona Tau is located in Hanga Roa, the only town on the island. The main street is just a block away, making it easy to walk to shops, restaurants, and nightlife (such as it is on Easter Island!). Everything you might need is walking distance away -- post office, hospital, souvenir shops, car and bike rental places, and grocery stores.
There are moai right in the town on the harbour, so within a few minutes of your arrival you can already get your archeological fix. There are several easy day hikes from town that will take you sites a little further afield. Tour agencies line the main street so it’s easy to arrange trips to more distant places on the island; you can also rent bikes, cars, or scooters to take you around if you would rather DIY. The hostel can help arrange any of these options.
The hostel is easy to find, and hostel staff will pick you up from the airport upon arrival and take you back there again when you leave. It’s a short drive.
Rooms and Bathrooms
This hostel offers both dorm rooms, with five bunks to a room. A bonus for weary backpackers is that most aren’t bunk beds. Large lockers that will fit a backpack are available in the rooms. All rooms have door locks (you get your own key, no sharing). Mattresses are comfortable and the bunk beds sturdy, and beds are made daily by housekeeping staff.
Each dorm room has an ensuite bathroom, and these are clean although a little worse for wear (our sink was partly detached from the wall). Showers are spacious with hooks for your belongings, and towels are provided by the hostel. Water pressure is fine and the water as hot as we liked.
Common Spaces
Common areas are mostly open-air with a roof, so you can still sit outside even if it rains. Breakfast is served indoors in a large dining room next to the small but adequate kitchen. The outdoor areas are comfortable places to eat or hang out, with tables and chairs by each room, patio lights, a TV area with comfortable couches, and a dining area. The kitchen is small but functional; there isn`t a lot of storage space, and it would be very crowded with more than a couple of people trying to cook at once. But given the high price of groceries and limited selection on the island, you may well decide (as we did) self-catering isn`t worth the effort and opt to eat out instead. Breakfast is included in the hostel rate.
There is no internet access or Wi-Fi, as this is very expensive on Easter Island and limited to a few internet cafes on the main street. Better to just unplug for a few days while you`re here -- save the Facebook time for when you`re back on the mainland somewhere!
Staff/management are very friendly and helpful, and will help arrange activities while you`re there as well as pick you up from the airport and drop you off. Several friendly animals wander the premises and a dog or two may choose to join you when you walk around the town. In low season, the hostel is fairly quiet, but with the main street so close by it isn’t hard to find more action if you want it. (Keep in mind, though, that Easter Island is a tiny place and your options will be limited!) In high season, the hostel has much more of a buzz when there are many more backpackers around.
Summary
Overall, this is a very safe, welcoming, and relaxed hostel that will make your stay on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) a pleasant one. You’ll have left all your stress behind by the time you leave here!
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
May 2010
Their Description
HI - Easter Island - Kona Tau Hostel Details
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Hostelz.com Guest Reviews
Good value for money, clean, friendly atmosphere. I stayed in Kona Tau for three nights in mid-January 2010. Location is excellent, close to main street in Hanga Roa. The Hostel is surrounded by the garden, with a beautiful view. Atmosphere is very relaxing, pick up and drop off to airport is bonus, even though you can walk to airport, it's so close. You have access to your room at any time. Breakfast is good and sufficient to keep you going till lunch! Barbara, receptionist and manager in one person, does excellent job; she is friendly, VERY efficient, very helpful, and cheerful! I would recommend this Hostel to anyone traveling on budget. Good value for money! — Andrew Kot , Australia (2010-02-10) Private and relaxing We spent nine nights exploring Easter Island and this hostel was a great base. It was a good location to the shops, only village, and beach. Tours pick you up and drop you off from the door. Banana trees line the driveway and you can stow rented vehicles on their lawn. The resident dogs and cats and very cheeky but adorable. Wandering free range horses also make an appearance. There's not much to do except relax after a long day (take your own reading material). The breakfast is really great and very filling (varies slightly day to day too). The staff are very helpful (the owner speaks good English), if you can find them (you have to knock on their home door). However, the kitchen is dirty and requires you to bring your own washing up liquid. I would recommend eating out but Easter Island is quite expensive on a backpackers budget so shop at the markets early in the morning. — Chul , English (2008-06-02) This is the only HI affiliated hostel on the island. Their website is not currently working (their address is www.konataurapanui.com for when it is!) but you can email them at konatau@entelchile.net. I had problems contacting this hostel but they have a desk at the airport and will collect you so it is normally pretty easy to book when you arrive (unless it's peak season obviously)
It is a very friendly, welcoming place with basic facilities (very clean good sized rooms) - it is possible to book a single bed but they don't have dorms - all rooms are for two or three so expect to share if you are on your own.
We would definitely recommend that you stay here - Gonzalo, Diego and Mara are really helpful though you might need to bring your phrasebook! They will even show you their picture of Kevin Costner if you ask nicely but make sure to bring some Harry Potter memorabilia for their daughter Nicole (a picture of Daniel Radcliffe will do) and they might be even nicer to you then they were to us! Breakfast is included and is delicious - you get a bread roll, homemade cake (we even had pancakes one day), jam and lots of tea and fresh juice. The garden is full of fruit (bananas, papaya and mango) which you can pick as much of as you like, definitely a bonus because the supermarkets are empty and expensive!
Beds cost $20 USD with a HI card, $25 USD without and they will hire you bikes (and even their car!) for much cheaper than you will find on the main street. — Sarah, Emma and Welsh (not from England) Clair (2006-04-08)