Criterion Club Hotel

Crieterion Club Hotel reserves its backpacker accommodation exclusively for travellers and short-term guests, and is usually easy to get in to at short notice, which is helpful if you are visiting Alexandra during the fruit-picking season, which coincides with the summer holiday season from December to March. You could well find that all the other backpacker accommodation in the town is booked out with workers.

This fully licensed hotel in the main street of Alexandra has good clean dorm accommodations out the back, which are accessible through the bar or from the rear of the property. All bedding is provided and the accommodation block includes bathroom and shower facilities.

Unfortunately there is no guest kitchen. The hotel itself has full bar and restaurant facilities, as well as bar meals or you can go down the main street to cafes and takeaway bars. There is a sunny beer garden. Pleasant walks from the hotel include the historic Shaky Bridge, the Manuherikia River and the unique clock on the side of the rugged brown hills overlooking the town.

-- Exclusive Hostelz.com Review