Motueka Backpackers is located right on High Street (the main street in Motueka town) next to the barber shop and about a block from the information center. It is mostly for camping. The owner, Lyndsay -- quite possibly the friendliest most accommodating hostel manager on earth -- will provide a tent with free mattress and bedding upon request.
There are also caravans and a limited number of beds. The prices here are by far the cheapest in town and although it's not the best looking or cleanest, it has a homely feel, which makes it a perfect place for the weary tramper or apple or kiwi orchard worker.
Many of the people who stay here are long-termers who live in the caravans or work the fruit-picking season and there is a laid-back vibe in the various social areas as young and old freely mingle. The backpackers has got a reasonably clean kitchen, three bathrooms, a living room, and several outdoor areas to socialize with plenty of space. There is a large yard where those with cars can drive in through a rear entrance. It doesn't have a garden or any beautified area, but there are several picnic benches and a couple covered social areas.
The vibe here is really social and the unaware backpacker can find it hard to leave with so many job opportunities; friendly folks; and the overall pleasantness of the township of Motueka, which is near the beach and Abel Tasman National Park, making it a perfect base to explore the sunny Tasman Bay region of New Zealand.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
August 2007
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