BUG review
This hostel is a nice historic building in the town centre that offers free internet, laundry facilities, and a cavernous downstairs billiards room. The kitchen is bare and untidy and dorms are small with old mattresses, but the bathrooms are renovated and clean. There are two big common areas with TVs, but furnishings are rather dated. It has friendly reception, and a great location next to a good café.
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Price Dorm bed $23 ($19 BBH) Single room $35 ($32 BBH) Double/twin room $56 ($50 BBH) Prices are in New Zealand dollars and are inclusive of all taxes.
very good hostel with attention to detail 2 March 2006
Pros:
location
Cons:
nothing i can think of
louised
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 176)
This hostel is great for realaxing as its lovely and quiet and the rooms are really nice with comfy beds and very clean facilities. The building has lots of character and the owner is helpful.Great value for money and great location.
Free internet is a real bonus.The penguins are gorgous, had a good time at the colony with the grandstand as i feel this type of thing allows people to see them without disturbing or distressing them. The money we pay goes back into the penguins to help them. 12 dollors is not a lot of money. Its kept as natural as it can be. We saw 150 of the little darlings!Any sighting of a yellow eyed penguin is a bonus as they are so rare. Definatly worth the treck and time to see them but dont expect to see many. Take binoculars if you have them. We saw 8.
Pros:
Clean and quiet
Cons:
Bedrooms are a bit stark
Justin1
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(2)
Atmosphere
(3)
(Review ID: 35)
This hostel is an imposing old building in the centre of town with lots of parking. The town itself is all about the penguins so don't expect much else.The yellow-eyed penguins are just out of town and there were only about eight pairs nesting when we visited in December 2005 so you'll be lucky to see much action. It's free but the viewing platforms are way up from the beach so you will need binoculars or a camera with zoom.The blue penguins are plentiful and much nearer to town. Top tip here is to avoid paying the twelve dollars to sit in a grandstand (which is an absolute disgrace) - as there is another blue penguin colony which is completely free, where you can get close as you like, and no one else seems to know about it (until this email gets read a few times).It's also bizarrely easy to find.Go from the Empire Hotel in as straight a line as you can, weaving through the streets, to the sea.You will see a breakwater which encloses the harbour, and right next to the breakwater is a fenced-off area which even has a little sign saying it's a penguin colony (bit of a giveaway that).Anyway, scope it out during daylight hours then go back there just after dark and you should see dozens of the little critters scurrying around both within the fenced off area, and around the derelict buildings nearby.Make sure you take a torch or else you'll hear a lot but see nothing (there's no street lighting).Please treat them with respect as the penguins don't move too fast and will be scared witless if you get too loud or too close.Enjoy!
7 of
8 people found this review helpful
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NICE
England
NICE 4 August 2005
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
NICE
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 12292)
Lovley and Nice
9 of
10 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
JAPAN
GREAT PLACE TO STAY IN OAMARU!!!!!! 4 August 2005
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 12293)
THis is a very Nice Backpackers Hotel in Oamaru, is soo great, I can use the computer every time becouse is freeeeeee , and is clean and warm, is in the heart on the city next to the PINGUIIIIINSSSSS!!!!!!
9 of
10 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
england
Welcome to Weirdville 2 21 April 2005
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(3)
Atmosphere
(3)
(Review ID: 12294)
I have to agree with another reviewer, this was one bizarre town, apart from the penguins which you have to pay to see, there is absolutly nothing to do. The hostel was OK, our room was fresh and clean etc, no bunks. The kitchen was nice, it only has 1 internet terminal that is always busy, no pay phone. No one seemed to talk to each other, didn't feel very hostel-y..
5 of
15 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
Great hostel - free internet! 23 December 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 12295)
Awesome location - close to bars restarants and the penguin watching - a smallish hostel with good quiet rooms and lots of atmposhere
10 of
14 people found this review helpful
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Mario
South England
Absolutely fantastic 15 March 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Mario
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 12296)
This has to be one of the best hostels we have stayed in. Everything was clean and tidy, and the showers were the best ever. What a good idea to have facilities on both levels. The kitchens are very clean, and heaps of room for everyone. They even change the t towels twice a day!We were only going to stay one night, but ended up staying three as there was so much to see and do..Lots of history as the hostel is nearly 150 years old, but has been modernised so it is comfy. The hosts are very friendly and helped us a lot with places to go.Also there is the Sunday roast, and we even had teddy on our beds!!!We felt at home so we were really able to rlax and recharge our selves before we go to Christchurch.Free internet and videos was good... not that we watched the videos, as there was so much else to do...The best penquin viewing in New Zealand, we thought and quite cheap too...The Penqiun Club is a unique nightclub and lots of friendly people ..Some people even walk around dressed in olden day clothes..
5 of
14 people found this review helpful
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Bob
UK
What more could you want ? Heaven not Hell 17 August 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Bob
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 12297)
This place has it all,its warm and friendly and there is a home from home atmosphere. The rooms are clean and have nice veiws of the sea and town.Top bathrooms with nice new showers and hot water all the time.The best room in the Empire is the lounge, its got the important things in life, free internet, t.v and video with lots of free vids 2 watch ,books and mags and lots of info on Oamaru, good kitchen with free tea and coffee.As for Oamaru itself, its not a party town but it does have alot to do. Penguins are the main reason I came here but the staff at the Empire have got a top ten list of other things to do, this is one of the reasons I stayed for three nights and I still had some other things which I could not fit in. If you stop in Oamaru, take your time and enjoy it, I did and I would love to go back.
21 of
26 people found this review helpful
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Satan
UK
Welcome to Weirdville 14 August 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Satan
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(3)
Atmosphere
(3)
(Review ID: 12298)
OK, the good things first - this is a very clean hostel right on the main street in Oamaru, about 8 minutes walk from the bus station and right in the centre of whatever limited action Oamaru provides. It has a small-ish lounge and kitchen with TV and one free, damnably slow internet terminal. The owners seem to be very new, and maybe it's just becuase they haven't made their mark on the place yet, but it seems completely free of atmosphere. We were there in the middle of winter which probably doesn't help, but the hostel was filled with people wandering around without communicating with each other in any way... It also appears to have only three cups, which is strange. Oamaru itself seems to be filled with nutters, especially on a Friday night. Is it the strangest town in NZ, or did we just see it during a particularly mad spell?The hostel might improve, I guess, if the owners settle in and sort things out a bit. All in all, OK but not terrific.
