BUG review
The Peppertree Lodge doesn’t look like much from the outside, but there’s a nice hostel with some very good facilities hidden on the inside. Particularly impressive is the big split-level common room, all sunny with light wood and a great TV screen. The kitchen is also high quality. The dorm rooms are kept tidy and feature very sturdy bunk frames that don’t rattle or shake. Extras include free use of bikes and kayaks, a barbecue outside, and free access to the tennis court across the road.
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Price Dorm bed $23-$26 ($20-$23 BBH) Double room $65-$75 ($59-$69 BBH Prices are in New Zealand dollars and are inclusive of all taxes.
Nice hostel located in the centre of Paihia, offers free use of bikes and kayaks.
Hostel owner was nice and friendly, also offered advice on things to do in the area.Hostel is clean and has four showers and toilets in one large "swimming pool" style bathroom.Kitchen has everything you need and was large enough for the amount of people staying - the highlight being a water tank with a pipe offering boiling water at the turn of a tap! No more waiting for that kettle to boil.The best bit of this hostel was the living area, it has three areas. A eating section with two large benches, the main living room, then a quiet upstairs area for reading.The main downside is the road it is on, there are three clubs directly opposite the hostel and on a Friday and Saturday it is extremely noisy. On both nights I couldn't sleep till gone 2am due to the music being played very loudly.But note - there are a few other hostels on Kings Street so they will also suffer with the noise problem.
5 of
11 people found this review helpful
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J&C
UK
Great - but thin walls & annoying owner 11 September 2005
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
J&C
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(3)
Atmosphere
(3)
(Review ID: 11033)
This is a lovely clean hostel - a great place to stay and veg out before doing the bay of island.A couple of negative points - the walls are paper thin. You can hear someone cough ten rooms away. And as the place is just over the road from 3 noisy bars, forget trying to sleep before 1am.Also beware of the owner - our trips around the bay were cancelled because of high winds. We tried to get our money back for the extra nights we had booked - and despite the owner saying we would be able to cancel if the trip booked through the hostel was cancelled, he wouldn't pay a penny back. Beware.
9 of
18 people found this review helpful
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KiwiRob
Auckland, New Zealand
Best in The Bay 5 April 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
KiwiRob
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 11034)
I really like this hostel, it's friendly, clean, tidy, the rooms are great and all except the dorms have there own showers and toilets. The staff are really great and can help out with any questions that you have. I would recommend this hostel to anyone going to Paihia. My wife is prety picky about hostels and this is one of the few that she has really liked and has nothing but praise for.
14 of
24 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
Superb Service 24 February 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 11035)
I stayed at the Peppertree for 3 nights in Feb 2004 and have to say it is one of the best hostels I have stayed in bar none. Kitchen is clean, bathrooms spotless and the owners bend over backwards to assist in tour bookings and activity suggestions.My only gripe would be that the free bikes need a tune up but that is a fiddly nit-pick.
10 of
12 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
Melbourne, Australia
A perfect hostel 24 January 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 11036)
It was sooo refreshing to arrive at this hostel because everything about it was lovely. The staff were friendly, the rooms were spacious and clean as were the bathrooms. The kitchen had great facilities and there was also a cute little tv area with a great selection of videos. The hostel also provide free kayaks and tennis and help you book any tours available. The hostel was in a great location and reasonbly priced. Overall it was the best hostel in stayed in during my time in new zealand.
3 of
12 people found this review helpful
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felis
Melbourne, Australia
Very clean, quiet and friendly 27 February 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
felis
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 11037)
Free use of kayaks and mountain bikes, very friendly and helpful staff, very quiet at night, impressive video library collection (videos available from reception), free book and magazine exchange, board games, 3 coin operated internet terminals. Very clean and well stocked kitchen, Open plan kitchen, dining and T.V lounge area also a loft games / internet /reading area, clean and comfortable rooms. Travellers tips and stories books in lounge area- very entertaining and informing to read. We stayed here in January 2003. Would definately stay here again. Very highly reccommended.
9 of
18 people found this review helpful
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Alan & Barbara
Devon, England
Spotless and heaters in rooms 7 October 2002
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Alan & Barbara
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 11038)
Stayed here for two nights in August 2002, our second visit. Very modern and spotless. Good facilities and heaters in the room which is NOT common. Owners are on the ball and helpful. Plenty of space to sit around and relax.
13 of
21 people found this review helpful
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Claire Crumpler
(clairecrumpler@hotmail.com)
from Sydney, Australia
Sydney, Australia
Friendly, warm and a great location 3 January 2002
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Claire Crumpler
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 11039)
We stayed at the Peppertree in August 2001. We found that the hostel was like home from home, very friendly and really well equipped for backpackers. It was the perfect base to explore the surrounding area and the rooms are so comfy and warm (essential when we were there, it was freezing!).The owners are really helpful and are full of knowledge of places to see and things to do.
