YHA National Park

Stayed here in a private room for two nights in order to do the crossing. Whilst the location is super convenient and the staff are friendly, I cannot recommend this place unfortunately. This accommodation is very basic, which is to be expected for the price and rural location, but we were disappointed to find no hand soap, towels or bin bag in our private bathroom. Furthermore, we were bitten very badly by bed bugs during our stay, which of course soured the experience. Upon informing staff of this, they didn't hesitate to offer a refund (however I did have to pester a little to actually receive it). My main concern is that the staff did not at all seem surprised by my mention of bed bugs, and that I have found a review from March which mentions bed bugs in the exact room we stayed in (room 6), leading me to believe management are aware of the situation and not dealing with it effectively.

Absolutely awful! AVOID AT ALL COSTS. Upon arriving at the hostel I asked whether the hostel still had bed bugs. I was assured there were none left so I proceeded with my booking (they said I couldn't get a refund anyway so I had no choice). I was put in room 15 and the beds were covered in dirt and my friend awoke covered in bed bug bites! We investigated and found loads of the bugs and they were all in her clothes. We had to stay another night after the crossing but were moved to another room. In this room we found cockroaches and a mouse and I awoke to the ceiling dripping on my face! We told the front desk of our problems and the counter staff did not apologise or seem to care at all, in fact seemed frustrated at us complaining. This place is a health and safety hazard and needs to be shut down immediately. My friend is seeking medical attention as her bites were so bad and we have both had to disinfect and fumigate our belongings which is very costly. If you value your health or sanity avoid this place at all costs.

Excellent location for accessing Tongariro National Park. Easy shuttle for the crossing just outside and staff can help with the booking. Very friendly staff. Nice, basic room. Note towels not included. Nicely equipped kitchen. Friendly staff.

If you’re looking for comfort or even the basics—look elsewhere. The mattresses feel as old as the building itself, saggy and uncomfortable, like they’ve survived a century of backpackers. In 2025, you’d expect at least some Wi-Fi, but nope—not a signal in sight. Not even a bar of soap in the bathroom, which says a lot. You get the bare minimum here, and even that is barely acceptable. It’s a place to sleep, technically—but don’t expect rest or convenience. Wouldn’t recommend unless you’re truly desperate.

INFESTED WITH BED BUGS, ROACHES, AND MICE. The hostel is infested with unsanitary critters and should be condemned. New ownership and management needs to be put in place. I got 40 - 50 bites on me (face, shoulders, neck, back, arm) before I woke from a deep sleep at 1 a.m. As I was moved to a new room, I found roaches in both rooms, the bathrooms, and the laundry room. When I went to the kitchen to get away from the bugs in the rooms, I saw a mouse run by. Of course I left. This hostel should be shut down until fully fumigated. The owner does not seem phased by the level of uncleanliness. When I mentioned the roaches all over the place, she told me that they don't bite.

BED BUGS, ROACHES, A MOUSE AND A DRIPPING CEALING! I am surprised that the people there were so calm about it. I stayed the first night in room 15 and got badly bitten by bed bugs! The second night in room 2 I found a cockroach and then we woke up to a wet bed because there was water coming down from the ceiling! In the entry we saw a mouse running around later at night! Beds are old and the sheets look so dirty and after talking to so many people we got no refund...just a "sorry we'll let our manager know". Look closely at the dish towels.....bugs are in there too!! It's not the desk peoples fault, but this place should be shut down. The bed bug bites can cause illnesses and they live in your clothes and backpacks and everything once you put it down there on the ground and they move and reproduce VERY fast so it's better to not risk it at all and STAY AWAY from this place! These are just some photos taken on Monday 05/05/25.

I hate giving bad ratings, but disappointed sums up my experience here. The management don't seem to give two shits about customer satisfaction, I complained about lack of hygiene and got nothing but a cold shoulder. Photos online are also not a true reflection of how the place is now. Unless they really deep cleaned the place I wouldn't recommend staying there. You would be better off paying extra and staying somewhere else, plenty of nicer options around that won't break the bank.

DO NOT STAY HERE. Our room smelled like mold and the sounds of the floor boards creaking from the second floor kept us up all night. I asked if we could be moved but the place was fully booked. Do not stay in room 17.