Ariki Backpackers
25 Ariki Street
New Plymouth
(see all 5
New Plymouth hostels)
Hostelz.com Overall Score
8.5
9 = Extraordinary
7 = Good
3 = Not so good
1 = Run away
Based on 344 guest ratings.
Features & Details
Recommended For
Business Travelers
Families
Partying
Socializing
Free Amenities
Bedsheets
Bike Rental
Luggage Storage
Pub Crawls
Safe Deposit Box
Towels
Fee Services
Wi-Fi in Lobby/Commons
($5)
Wi-Fi in Rooms
Other Features
ATM
BBQ Grill
Bar
Cable TV
Clothes Dryer
Concierge / Info Desk
Credit Card Payments
Entirely Smoke-free
Food/Restaurant
Hair Dryers
Hot Showers
Kitchen
Laundry
Lounge Area
Movie Library/Rental
Outdoor Seating
Pool Table
Power Point/Sockets in Rooms
TV
Not Offered
Airport Pickup
Breakfast
Lockers in Rooms
Parking
Wheelchair Accessible
Allowed
Service Animals
Not Allowed
Dogs/Pets
Ages / Restrictions
Genders:
Males & Females
Max. Age:
All Ages
Min. Age With Parent (dorms):
All Ages
Min. Age With Parent (private room):
All Ages
Min. Age Without Parent:
17
Details
Checkout:
10:00 (10 AM)
Curfew:
No Curfew
Lockout:
No
Maximum Stay:
Other
Minimum Stay:
1 night
Open Dates:
All year except xmas day
Reception Hours:
8.am to 11pm. Late Arrivals by arrangement
Size:
Medium (30-60 beds)
Booking
Photos
+5
Description
The Hostelz.com Review
Ariki Backpackers is a hostel with a relaxed vibe in downtown New Plymouth. Even though the town doesn’t have any major tourist attractions, it is a nice place to hang out for a few days, and Ariki is a good hostel.
The Location
Ariki Backpackers is the most centrally located hostel in New Plymouth. It is right across the street from the i-Site, next to the library (with free internet), and there are several restaurants and bars on the same street. Supermarkets are a ten-minute walk, and the beach and the lovely park are both a thirty-minute walk away. The hostel is easy to find, as it has a few signs outside. The entrance door is at street level, but the hostel itself is one level up.
There are a few parking spots in front of the hostel, but these are paid during daytime. Free parking is available a few blocks away. The staff can tell you where those free spots are.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The hostel offers private rooms and dorms, including a female dorm. The rooms are quite spacious and every room has an en suite shower. The beds are very unstable and squeaky. The bunk beds are also very low, so the person in the lower bunk cannot sit upright on his/her bed and it’s just a matter of time until you hit your head. However, the mattresses are very comfortable and the beds come with clean bed linen and you also get a towel. There are a few power plugs in every room, and in summer there are ventilators. Even with the ventilators, some rooms get very warm.
The en suite showers are good; you can regulate temperature and water pressure. There are no hooks or shelves, so you have to put everything on the sink as this is the only place that stays dry. The toilets are in the center of the hostel and they are very clean.
Common Spaces
The best common room in summer is definitely the outdoor deck/rooftop terrace. This is a beautiful place to sit, with a view over the sea and sun almost all day. There is also a comfortable TV room with DVDs and games, but most are broken or incomplete. The reception area also has a couch and some tourist information and a book exchange.
The kitchen is fully equipped, but the fridges are quite full and some of the equipment is a bit old. However, they manage to keep the kitchen quite organized and clean, and it is big enough even when the hostel is full. There is also a laundry room for guests to use against a small fee.
The staff give good information about activities in the area and they can also book tours. Internet is available, but not for free. However, the Wi-Fi signal from the library is free and reaches the outdoor deck.
People in this hostel seem to keep to themselves a bit. There are quite a few private rooms and somehow the backpackers in this hostel don’t mingle as much as in other hostels. But of course, this depends very much on the people in the hostel and can differ from day to day.
Summary
This is a hostel with a great location and lots of potential. The good mattresses cannot fully make up for the unstable beds and some minor things (like offering free Wi-Fi) could be improved to make this an amazing hostel.
The Location
Ariki Backpackers is the most centrally located hostel in New Plymouth. It is right across the street from the i-Site, next to the library (with free internet), and there are several restaurants and bars on the same street. Supermarkets are a ten-minute walk, and the beach and the lovely park are both a thirty-minute walk away. The hostel is easy to find, as it has a few signs outside. The entrance door is at street level, but the hostel itself is one level up.
There are a few parking spots in front of the hostel, but these are paid during daytime. Free parking is available a few blocks away. The staff can tell you where those free spots are.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The hostel offers private rooms and dorms, including a female dorm. The rooms are quite spacious and every room has an en suite shower. The beds are very unstable and squeaky. The bunk beds are also very low, so the person in the lower bunk cannot sit upright on his/her bed and it’s just a matter of time until you hit your head. However, the mattresses are very comfortable and the beds come with clean bed linen and you also get a towel. There are a few power plugs in every room, and in summer there are ventilators. Even with the ventilators, some rooms get very warm.
The en suite showers are good; you can regulate temperature and water pressure. There are no hooks or shelves, so you have to put everything on the sink as this is the only place that stays dry. The toilets are in the center of the hostel and they are very clean.
Common Spaces
The best common room in summer is definitely the outdoor deck/rooftop terrace. This is a beautiful place to sit, with a view over the sea and sun almost all day. There is also a comfortable TV room with DVDs and games, but most are broken or incomplete. The reception area also has a couch and some tourist information and a book exchange.
The kitchen is fully equipped, but the fridges are quite full and some of the equipment is a bit old. However, they manage to keep the kitchen quite organized and clean, and it is big enough even when the hostel is full. There is also a laundry room for guests to use against a small fee.
The staff give good information about activities in the area and they can also book tours. Internet is available, but not for free. However, the Wi-Fi signal from the library is free and reaches the outdoor deck.
People in this hostel seem to keep to themselves a bit. There are quite a few private rooms and somehow the backpackers in this hostel don’t mingle as much as in other hostels. But of course, this depends very much on the people in the hostel and can differ from day to day.
Summary
This is a hostel with a great location and lots of potential. The good mattresses cannot fully make up for the unstable beds and some minor things (like offering free Wi-Fi) could be improved to make this an amazing hostel.
by Paulien
Hostelz.com Staff Reviewer
2016-02-04
Photos taken by the Hostelz.com reviewer — Genuine photos you can trust.
Map
(Location is approximate. You may need to pan/move to find "Ariki Backpackers" at 25 Ariki Street.)
Location/Contact
- Address
- 25 Ariki Street, New Plymouth, New Zealand
- Coordinates
- -39.057578, 174.072034 (accuracy not guaranteed)
- Location
-
- Website
- www.arikibackpackers.com
- Telephone
- 06-769-5020
To add or correct information for this listing, please use the Listing Correction Form.
How is Ariki Backpackers rated on other websites?
| Cleanliness | Staff | Location | Atmosphere | Security | Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hostelworld |
78%
|
97%
|
80%
|
83%
|
||
| HostelBookers |
90%
|
99%
|
86%
|
90%
|
||
| HostelsClub |
Not listed on HostelsClub.
|
|||||
| Hostels.com |
80%
|
86%
|
86%
|
84%
|
||
| Average |
79%
|
97%
|
80%
|
84%
|
||
Hostelz.com Guest Reviews
Perfect accommodation.
It was great, people was very nice and welcoming.
Clement
Age 22, France
2015-08-14
Good place to stay in New Plymouth!
Great location specially if you travel by bus! Staff are very helpful and friendly!
bng
(malaysia)
2012-08-17
Rate Ariki Backpackers
Have you stayed at this accommodation? Please submit your rating and review.
(Didn't find the hostel you're looking for?
See all 5 New Plymouth hostels.)