The Marion Hostel

Honestly, I don't know why it has such a high rating. It's definitely not bad, but overhyped imo. First of, it's exceptionally clean, but the rooms spread over theee stories, meaning you have to walk a lot of stairs and a lot of people walk them, ... at night. You can hear everything. Also the kitchen is well equipped, but way to small for the whole hostel, meaning you have to wait long hours, before you can cook, or go out and eat expensive. It's also not the cheapest hostel, especially since I shared my room with 9 other people. Location is ok, but then again Wellington isn't the best city anyways. What bugged me personally was, that there was absolutely no place to retreat and relax. The hostel has three "living" rooms, but each one is always occupied with people watching movies on the TVs all day, or doing yoga. No real outside space except a small roof terrace used for smoking. But since that is just my personal take, I didn't put to much of it into the rating. Overall: Hostel is clean and ok, but after staying there for one week I needed to move on, as it wasn't the place for me.

I had a private room, which was fine, fit for purpose but very small and right next to a very squeaky door that lead to the stairs which seemed to be in constant use until about 3am, might just need some WD40 but for now it was like a cat screaming outside my room every 10-15 minutes. Everything else was great, the staff were very helpful and happy to answer any questions. Easy walking distance from anything you might want to do in the city.

Great hostel - stayed 3-4 times- easy check-in, friendly and helpful staff - good contact and communication. the facilities were clean and love the solid bunks with curtains - my first choice when in Whanganui-a-Tara! Tino pai!

My stay at the Marion was okay. The hostel is in an older building and perhaps the building codes aren’t up to standard (whatever those may be…). My roommates and I noticed that the wind would blow directly through the brick wall, and when I looked closer, I noticed that there were actual holes in the brick wall lmao..like you could see directly outside through the bricks (pics attached for reference). So it was often very cold inside and windy. How fun. Amazing in the winter, if you ask me 😉 Also, laundry is $16 to wash and dry…. plus a surcharge… so you’re going to be paying close to $17 for one load of laundry. The bathrooms were also slightly dirty and not very well kept (in my opinion… again, there could be different standards that i’m not aware of). I also noticed that the top bunk in the dorms does not have a railing/bar to prevent someone from rolling off. So just be aware of that if you are booking a dorm. It’s not all bad though- the staff are really kind & friendly and they offered free coffee and tea downstairs in the kitchen. The location is good as well. I’m grateful for the time I spent here and for their hospitality… but I don’t think I would visit again. Cheers.

Phenomenal Hostel with some great private rooms too. It's very quiet, exceptionally clean and really well maintained. Very centrally located and perfect to explore the city. Would definitely stay here again.

Nice stay in the Marion hostel. Everything is clean. There is a nice kitchen. Also a great living room. The staff is very helpful and kind. |The hostel has a good place in the city centre, near the main streets. |I really recommend this hostel if you go in Wellington

If you're after a stylish, spotless, socially vibrant hostel right in the heart of Wellington's creative district—The Marion is it. Between its prime Cuba Street location, boutique-level comforts, engaging staff, and welcoming community, it truly felt like a home away from home. I only intended to stay a couple of nights—and ended up living there for far longer! Highly recommended for solo travellers, creatives, and anyone who values a hostel with soul. You won’t regret it. -Calvin

Best hostel in New Zealand! Staff were helpful and friendly with excellent communication. Late check in was no problem and parking was easily found nearby. You could tell the staff arranged bookings strategically so people arriving similar times and staying similar durations were grouped together, with requests taken into consideration. This was great for forming bonds with other travellers and added to the experience of my stay. The premises were clean and comfortable - I really enjoyed the well stocked and organised kitchen, coming with everything you need and more including herbs and spices, oils etc and plenty of fridge space. They also do a free shared dinner on Fridays and pancake/ waffle breakfast on weekends, along with some other free activities like an art night. The loft upstairs was a great spot for some morning yoga before enjoying the walks around Wellington and the spacious, modern bathrooms provided privacy and a lovely place to relax from the day’s adventures. Location was superb and close walking distance to shops and food outlets, convenience stores and supermarkets as well as public transport. However, the hostel also provides bikes you can borrow for free via reception. Lastly the lounges on each floor were very comfortable, and the TV had access to all streaming services for your viewing pleasure. However, if you are mobility challenged, you may want to request a lower floor as the hostel is split over several levels and there is no lift, only stairs.