BUG review
This is a great little hostel with a very friendly staff and atmosphere. Rooms are clean and in good shape and there’s a cosy common room with a piano and log fire. Some en suite rooms are in a separate cottage on the property. The TV room features a sizable flat screen and the kitchen is fully equipped. Other facilities include a barbecue and a sauna. Internet is limited to one PC in the office, however. The Rainbow has been around for a while and deservedly enjoys a good reputation among travellers.
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Price Dorm bed $22-25 ($19-22 BBH) Single room $45-55 ($42-52 BBH) Double/twin room $56-62 ($50-56 BBH) Prices are in New Zealand dollars and are inclusive of all taxes.
Ok, I just want to write something about what Manuela and Chiara said below. And I won't pick, I'm just going to point one thing out. Checkout time is 10am at most hostels, and it doesn't really change from place to place. A lot of hostels will not let you check in until the afternoon, which is obviously inconvenient. The good hostels will let you check in at 10am just so you can lay your stuff down in your room. But the general assumption is that there is no guarantee that the beds will be made yet. Bedding needs to be washed and the room cleaned, and this cannot be done in the 45 seconds between one person checking out and the next person checking in. Ok, now onto the actual rating. Rainbow lodge is really quite a good hostel. It DOES cater to a larger number of people. And it's true there is no tv (I know, how to deal?). But the rooms are clean, the kitchen is pretty big (2 stoves, some spices to use, big pantry and a couple of fridges). It has a sauna, which is a heavenly enough reason to stay. There seemed to be enough showers with hot water (I experienced neither a shower line, nor a cold shower), which is nice considering it IS a bigger hostel. There is a movie room with a decent choice of movies, if you like. Bikes for rent, free coffee/tea/cookies. It's a nice place to stay, and I wasn't disappointed.Ok, that's it!
8 of
16 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
Canada
A good balance 2 April 2005
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 12563)
Although it feels really busy and it is, this place is well set up to cater for the numbers and people seem to get on well. Maybe not having a TV is not the end of the world. I felt warmly welcomed and had lots of people to chat to . Facilities were more than adequate and Id certainly recommend this hostel as well as go back to it
10 of
18 people found this review helpful
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Manuela and Chiara
Italy
I don't get it 18 December 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Manuela and Chiara
saw things this way
Maintenance
(2)
Cleanliness
(2)
Facilities
(2)
Atmosphere
(2)
(Review ID: 12564)
I'm sorry but I don't get why everyone likes this hostel so much. The only good points I can find to it is that the staff was quite nice (Ross, and another guy who I think is named Dan - he's a Brit), they will give you a ride back to the bus station if you need it, and that there were individual toilets for men and women but then there was no hot water in the toilets! Plus if youre interested in bungy jumping its probably the closest hostel to the bungy site. On the bad side, I found the kitchen very dirty and the fact that music was continually playing could bother you if you just wanted to rest. Furthermore there was only ONE phone in the main building. We checked in at 10 am and our rooms werent ready before 1 pm. Plus I don't understand why, when they give you the hostel tour, they say that the first 5 minutes of internet connection are free - in fact, the fare counter STARTS at one dollar, and stays so for the first 10 minutes or so. So if you stay 5 minutes you pay 1 dollar, but also if you stay 7 or 9 minutes, or so I gathered.
11 of
20 people found this review helpful
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Nicola Slater
UK
Hard to leave 3 October 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Nicola Slater
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 12565)
Rainbow Lodge is easiliy the best hostel that i have stayed at on my travels. The hostel is friendly, clean and well equiped with approachable, helpful staff. There is a great atmosphere as there is no TV, so people actually interact with one another. The sauna is great for a relax after walking to Huka Falls, and there is a fab decking area for chilled out nights. I would definately recommend that you stay at this hostel.
10 of
18 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
Scotland
Best Hostel In New Zealand 29 September 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 12566)
This is easily the best hostel I have ever come across and I have travelled extensively through Australia, Asia, the States, and South and Central America!!! The staff were some of the most friendly and helpful people I have come across on my travels - particularly the manager Ross. I found they offered impartial advice on all trips and tours and never pressured you into buying anything. The hostel is very clean with a lovely chilled out deck and a spacious lounge with no TV!! which makes the place all the more sociable. It was only a short walk to all the shops and bars in town and I found it to be pretty quiet at night because it was not directly next to all the other bars like some of the other hostels. I cannot praise this place enough.
10 of
18 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
Melbourne, Australia
Great hostel but noisy 27 January 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 12567)
Rainbow lodge was a great hostel with a great location (5 min walk into town). The kitchen is nice and big and the showers were clean. The rooms are quite small but that's all you really need and the staff were very friendly. The only complaint i had was that people kept slamming the doors all throughout the night and in the early morning. I know that a hostel is never going to be completely quite but people really should be more considerate. Overall this was a great hostel and i highly recommend doing the rock and ropes course. It is fantastic and the staff at the reception will organise it all for you.
10 of
16 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
New York, NY
Great time!! 31 August 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 12568)
If you dont really care about tv's, then this place is for you. I for one like the fact that you are forced to talk to other travelers here. Most people venture on down to the bars on certain nights to try to get PADDY certified with a good number of staff people. The rooms are clean, the kitchen is stocked and clean also. The only thing I did find odd is the lack of any email availability. If you are looking for the best backpacker place in Taupo though, this is it!
11 of
19 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
Brighton, UK
Nice hostel - staff could be friendlier!! 18 August 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 12569)
Really clean and spacious and attracts some really lovely people although i found only one staff member friendly and helpful (Ross!). There is no TV but plenty of board games for rainy days and a massive kitchen and communal area. Very close to town and only half an hour away from Huka falls, a natural hotspring and craters of the moon. Had a lot of fun here!!
11 of
18 people found this review helpful
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jamie_wood74@hotmail.com
London
Excellent Atmosphere good Staff 9 July 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
jamie_wood74@hotmail.com
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 12570)
Had a great time the staff were very helpful and the hostel was great needs a slightly bigger Kitchen though. Highlight of the North Island was Taupo and the Rainbow lodge. Thanks Jamie. Oh yeah and my room was $17?? not $20 see anon below
9 of
17 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
UK
prices listed are bollocks ! 21 June 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(1)
Cleanliness
(1)
Facilities
(1)
Atmosphere
(1)
(Review ID: 12571)
There are no rooms here for under $20, different to advertised! Large noisy rooms, sauna didn't work, no email, or tv lounge. Stay here only if you like school groups.
