National Park Backpackers Hostel

National Park Backpackers is not an easy place to get to, or from, unless you have a car (as we did). The hostel is very friendly and helpful. The dorms are exactly as you expect them to be and they have lockers. The kitchen here is well equipped with lots of hobs and cutlery, crockery, pots, and pans. That is a good job, as it gets quite busy here around meal times. There are plenty of places to sit down and eat in the kitchen. The hot water for coffee comes straight out the boiler so it's really quick. There is a TV lounge with comfy seats for after those long walks.

This is an ideal hostel to stay at if you choose to do the Tongariro Crossing. The hostel drops you off at the start point and then picks you up at the end point, for a reasonable price. There is a spa here, but we were too busy to use it. There is also a fantastic climbing wall which you can use -- you have to pay for it, but lots of people use it and recommend it. It is ideal for those rainy days when you can't get into the mountains. You can also hire videos to watch in the TV lounge, but the selection isn't great (they're quite old). The TV has to be off by 10:30 p.m., which is a good thing -- no noise.

The washrooms and showers are all clean and provide lots of very hot water. There are three showers in each gender-segregated washroom. There are two washing machines and two dryers that you can pay to use. There are also three internet workstations that charge a few dollars, which we feel is expensive. Overall, we have enjoyed our stay here.

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