The Location
Fern Tree Lodge is a small hostel near the centre of Wanaka (which itself is small!) and is one of about five hostels in Wanaka. It is part of the neighbouring Fern Motel complex and occupies the next site.
The hostel is a collection of buildings, with the main house in front. All buildings are single story. This is not a party hostel and is for those who want a quiet place to sleep. As it is in three buildings, it also means that it does not have a hostel feel. Being small, it also does not have a lot of the facilities that larger hostels can offer, such as large-screen TV rooms or pool tables.
The location is great -- the hostel is on one of the main streets in Wanaka (do not worry about traffic noise, not a problem at all). From the main building, there are some great views across the grass and down towards the lake and mountains. It is only a five-minute walk from the main supermarket in Wanaka, and is very near to the town centre, so the location of this hostel is good. It is also only about ten minutes' walk from the bus stops, although many of the buses will drop you at the entrance as it is on a main street. So the hostel scores for a great location! The hostel has off-street parking for about six cars but there is plenty of parking nearby to the hostel as well.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The dorm rooms all have locks, but there are no lockers in the hostel. The staff are happy to lock things up in the storage room, and all guests are given keys to their rooms. Hangers are provided in the rooms, although there are no chairs in some of the rooms. The bunk beds are metal, with a spring base, and sag tremendously, so it makes sleeping uncomfortable. The bathrooms are one of the star features of Fern Lodge, with the showers being particularly good, clean, and very powerful. After trekking or hiking, the showers here are much appreciated, and the hot water is constant as well. There appear to be sufficient toilets/showers for the number of guests, so waiting is not a problem. There are a few hooks on the doors, but a lack of space to store your things. Soap is provided in dispensers.
Common Spaces
The kitchen facilities really let this hostel down -- there are very few cooking utensils and a shortage of the basic things like spoons and knives. There are stoves and microwaves, but the lack of utensils makes preparing anything hard. The kitchen area is small, and can get crowded as well.
The common spaces are split into three areas, one for each building. The main lounge are just about ok, but the number of broken seats is a problem -- some chairs sag very badly. There are also a few tables and chair to sit outside and enjoy the views. There are no book exchanges or internet (or indeed computers), so the hostel is a bit short on facilities for travelers. The general atmosphere at the hostel is very quiet, so it is not a place to meet other backpackers. The hostel is completely nonsmoking. One negative point is that the owners live next door, so it is possible for passers-by to come in unobserved, especially at night.
Summary
Overall this hostel is ok as a place to sleep, but there are better hostels, especially if you want more facilities or a more social hostel. The location is great, views are great, but a few points need improving (like the sagging beds). You could do worse, but you can also do better than this.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
August 2008
Location/Contact
