{"id":182,"date":"2021-05-28T16:32:12","date_gmt":"2021-05-28T16:32:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aesir.visualmodo.com\/prebuilt-website\/travel-blog\/?p=182"},"modified":"2021-05-28T16:32:12","modified_gmt":"2021-05-28T16:32:12","slug":"my-favorite-places-in-new-zealand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aesir.visualmodo.com\/prebuilt-website\/travel-blog\/2021\/05\/28\/my-favorite-places-in-new-zealand\/","title":{"rendered":"My Favorite Places In New Zealand"},"content":{"rendered":"

Traveling around New Zealand, I\u2019ve made it a goal to stay at a variety of different hostels. I didn\u2019t want to just stay at the chains like Base or Nomads. I wanted to see small operations besides just big chains. I quickly found out, though, that most of\u00a0New Zealand<\/a>\u00a0is dominated by chains such as YHA, Base, or Nomads. And all the buses affiliate with them, making them the most convenient place to stay. Overall, I found the majority of the hostels to be average, but there are five that blew me away and that I think everyone should make a point to stay at:<\/p>\n

Nomads, Queenstown<\/strong>
\n\"Nomads
\nOne of the most amazing hostels I\u2019ve ever stayed at (and I\u2019ve stayed at a lot of hostels). The place is brand new, so everything is fresh and clean. They have a ton of computers, most rooms have balconies, the showers have great water pressure, and the pillows are thick. The manager told me they change them every few months to keep them fluffy. How about that for service? But what really sets this place apart is the HUGE kitchen and common area. Moreover, unlike most hostels in New Zealand, you can drink, which means everyone stays around socializing at night instead of going out. They host activities every night (including a $10 pub crawl) and a free dinner and quiz night on Sunday. Not one traveler I spoke to wanted to leave this place. If you only stay in one hostel in NZ, stay here. I still miss it.<\/p>\n

Rainbow Lodge, Taupo<\/strong>
\n\"Rainbow
\nThis is my second-favorite hostel after Nomads. They have a huge kitchen, common room, a grill, an outdoor lounge, friendly staff, and free bike rentals. In short, they know what budget travelers like in a hostel. I had a great time there and met a lot of solo travelers. Many hostels get travelers on tour buses, but this one doesn\u2019t align with any of the\u00a0big backpacker buses<\/a>, which means you see a lot more solo travelers here than you do elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Pipi Patch, Bay of Islands<\/strong>
\n\"Pipi
\nThe Pipi Patch is an old converted motel and part of the Base hostels chain. To be honest, I don\u2019t like Base hostels. It\u2019s not that they\u2019re really bad in any way, they just aren\u2019t great. They\u2019re like the McDonald\u2019s of hostels. You go there because it\u2019s easy, convenient, and you know what you\u2019re getting. On the plus side, the backpacker buses like the Kiwi Experience drop people off there, so you\u2019ll be with your friends. However, the Pipi Patch was different than the rest of the Base hostels I stayed at. They have a common room that\u2019s big enough to fit a lot of people but small enough to force you to socialize, a big kitchen (with an oven), an outdoor patio, and all the rooms are ensuite. Plus, there\u2019s a pool. I like hostels with character and this one had a lot of it.<\/p>\n

Kiwi Paka, Waitomo<\/strong>
\n\"Kiwi
\nA clean and well-kept hostel. There\u2019s nothing mind-blowing about this place, but they have a great outdoor porch overlooking the area and a good restaurant. What I really loved was the water pressure in the showers (I think it took a few layers of skin off) and the fact that all the dorms have single beds. No bunk beds here. And the beds themselves are very comfortable. The Kiwi Paka is a good spot to get a good night\u2019s sleep, and as a traveler in hostels, you have few opportunities for that, so it\u2019s nice when it happens.<\/p>\n

River Valley Lodge, River Valley<\/strong>
\n\"River
\nThis is a stop on the Kiwi Experience. You wouldn\u2019t stay here otherwise unless you were on a romantic getaway. More like a lodge than a hostel, what makes River Valley great is its location. Sitting outside on the patio, you can hear the river go by as you gaze upwards at the surrounding valley. Moreover, there\u2019s a spa, sauna, and jacuzzi. There are great walks here, and since there\u2019s no light at night, it makes for a great place to look up at the stars. This is very much a place to go if you have some extra money to burn, but even if you\u2019re on a budget, they have dorm rooms for you!<\/p>\n

Photo credits:\u00a01 & 4<\/a>,\u00a02<\/a>,\u00a03<\/a>,\u00a05<\/a><\/p>\n

For more information, visit my guide to\u00a0New Zealand travel<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

(Note:<\/strong>\u00a0Both Base and Nomads gave me free accommodation throughout New Zealand. )<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Traveling around New Zealand, I\u2019ve made it a goal to stay at a variety of different hostels. I didn\u2019t want to just stay at the chains like Base or Nomads. I wanted to see small operations besides just big chains. I quickly found out, though, that most of\u00a0New Zealand\u00a0is dominated by chains such as YHA, […]<\/p>\n

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