BUG review
Wanaka Bakpaka is a great hostel with good facilities. It is set in a hilltop homestead lodge and features a cosy open-plan lounge with funky décor and panoramic views. There is internet access, a book exchange, guitars and a log fire. It is a TV-free hostel, which encourages guests to socialise and organise activities. The large kitchen is newly renovated, modern and fully equipped. Dorms are neat and comfortable with nice new sheets and double rooms are particularly good value. The atmosphere is chilled out.
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This hostel was visited by one of BUG's team of hostel inspectors who write independent reviews and assess a star rating based on an objective assessment criteria.
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Price Dorm bed $25-27 ($22-24 BBH) Single room $45 ($42 BBH) Double/twin room $62-69 ($56-63 BBH) Prices are in New Zealand dollars and are inclusive of all taxes.
Very chilled, friendly, awesome hostel 27 December 2009
Pros:
No TV, awesome kitchen, top showers
Cons:
Leaving :-(
dazzler77
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 12951)
I spent 6 months here from Apr to oct 09, and it was the best 6 months of my year in NZ. Nice big lounge with no TV (which means people have to talk to each other, crazy eh!), so there's a real good atmosphere here and its easy to meet people. Cosy sofas with a log fire burning pretty much the whole time in the winter. Kitchen is top notch, has everything you need. Can get a bit crowded in the peak of winter though.
Awesome views of the lake from the lounge.Stay here, its the best hostel in wanaka!
Great atmosphere, clean, homey, lovely new owners, great beds, great location, free parking 18 April 2009
Pros:
Location and atmosphere
Cons:
You don't want to leave!
ankefeen
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 12692)
The last review (from 2005) is very outdated. In the mean time it's been taken over by lovely people, and they were upgrading it all the time. Everything is new and trendy now, great clean kitchen, homey lounge, good internet access, magnificent views across Lake Wanaka. I've stayed there from July until October 2008 and it was my best and longest stay ever in NZ. Wanaka township is lovely too!
8 of
9 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
Nice view but the owner is a wanker 1 July 2005
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(1)
Cleanliness
(1)
Facilities
(1)
Atmosphere
(1)
(Review ID: 12386)
We had a lovely time in Wanaka and our time there was marred only by the mindless blathering of ***EDITED TO COMPLY WITH BUG'S REVIEW GUIDELINES***. This is the same guy who, as a self appointed environmental saviour, opposed a country singer's home which was invisible except for a glimpse from over a mile away. His brand of environmentalism is limited to others because he has put his bakpaka on the market to developers for a price of almost four million dollars. Talk about a hypocrite! The faciltiy is primitive with most of the rooms, especially the kitchen in tatty repair and in a state of even tattier cleanliness. Given the wide range of accommodation available in the area, including the excellent Purple Cow backpacker, I suggest giving the Wanaka Bakpaka a pass.
6 of
15 people found this review helpful
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Hostel manager's right of reply
The above review refers to the previous owners and management. We have been running this hostel for over two years have made lots of improvements during this time. We still have the same huge view through the floor to ceiling windows in our comfy, modern lounge overlooking Lake Wanaka and the surrounding mountains. Try us. You’ll find that we’re much nicer than this review makes the old management out to be.
Anonymous
England
Not bad 21 April 2005
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(3)
Atmosphere
(3)
(Review ID: 12387)
Was quite a nice hostel, beautiful views, a bit of a trek with our backpacks from the centre of town. Our twin room was OK, a bit old though and the toilet next door stunk. The kitchen was very nice and it has a nice areas outside to eat drink and be merry (and go for a dip in the lake if you have drunk enough!) A very chilled out hostel very nice area. Though the guy working there seemed a bit arrogant.
7 of
15 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
Germany
extremely comfortable, relaxed and friendly backpacker 3 January 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 12388)
This hostel has an awesome atmosphere, nice dorm rooms (mine also had its own bathroom), a good kitchen and an excellent location right at Lake Wanaka. This hostel is the right one for you if you are a relaxed and friendly person who came to New Zealand to enjoy the landscape and to do some hikes, but not if you are an always-drunken party animal travelling around with the Kiwi experience busses. But if you are the latter, you should better go to Queenstown anyway.I will definitely return to Wanaka Bakpaka whenever I come to Wanaka.
12 of
19 people found this review helpful
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Maria
San Francisco, USA
Great place! 22 June 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Maria
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 12389)
This is a great place to stay at in Wanaka. It is a rather large hostel accomodating a lot of travelers, but it is very well run! It has a large, well-eqipped kitchen and spacious dining room. There is also a separate lounge area with comfy sofas and bean bags. This is also a good place to do your laudry since I found it to be one of the cheapest places to use the washer and they have tons of line space to hang your clothes. I stayed in the dorm room (max 6) which wasn't bad at all. The dorm room had its own bathroom, but there were also other bathrooms you could use as well. What I really liked about this hostel was that it was right by the water. The dining room and lounge look out to the water so you get a nice view of all the boats passing by and get to check out the parasailers too. Some tips about Wanaka- 1: GO TO THE CINEMA PARADISO!!! You simply can not leave Wanaka without going to watch a movie there. It's fantastic! You could watch a movie in VW Bug and get warm scruptious cookies during the intermission. But get there early because they fill up really quick! 2: Go on one of the many great hikes (Rob Roy, Diamond Lake). 3: If you the money, this is the best place to Skydive in NZ! Cheers and Happy Travels!
11 of
19 people found this review helpful
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aenny
siegen, germany
well equipped, nice rooms, friendly stuff 18 May 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
aenny
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 12390)
Definetly one of the best places in Nz!In really liked this place, relaxed atmosphere, nice kitchen and terrace.visit the great cinema!!! self-made cookies,and SOFAS!!! they don´t have ordinary cinema-chairs, they have a wide range of different comfy sofas and armchairs. very unique!!! I went there 3 times in 4 days!!!
