Auckland

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Auckland Central Backpackers (VIP)

Becs
Becs
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4 out of 5
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5
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Editor Pick

Auckland Central Backpackers

  • April 28, 2006
  • Rated 3 of 5 by stomps from Houston, Texas
This was our first stop after our long flight to New Zealand, so I have to say, no matter what the quality of the hostel, it would have been a welcome sight. Luckily, we had picked well.

ACB was very well located, right in the centre of Auckland and only a few blocks away from the Sky Tower. Queen Street had all the transportation you needed to get anywhere else in the city, along with plenty of shopping and fast food. Shuttles from the airport take you directly to the door, so all you have to do is get up the elevator to the third floor. This is the only place you are allowed to go to without having a key, which gives the place some security.

There are plenty of very helpful staff at the huge front desk, which must have had at least six or eight cash registers, although not quite that many staff to work them. The front desk staff were efficient and got us checked in quickly, and also took care of my baggage that was brought over by the airline the next morning.

There was a huge lounge area (and might I say, a massive Internet cafe with the most computers I've seen in a room outside a uni computer lab). The lounge area had lots of couches and also a counter in which you could get information about pretty much anything in New Zealand. We liked the couches since we got there a few hours early, and plus, they provided us a good place to organize luggage before putting it in storage. They had convenient and rather cheap baggage storage (~$8 a day for up to 3 weeks), so we could keep our huge bags there and not lug them around the rest of New Zealand.

The beds only cost about NZ$20 a night, and were coed, eight-bed dorms. Each bed had a locker underneath for your personal belongings, as long as you had a lock to do it up with. The atmosphere was much like a huge city of backpackers. It had a bar and a PA system in every room to announce stuff going on at the bar. Because of this, it was very loud. We were a few floors below the bar and not only got the PA announcements, but could also hear the bar itself. The bathrooms were clean and easily accessible.

Overall, I thought it was a good hostel for a large city of backpackers, and chose to stay there again on a future visit, although it was lacking in the community found in a smaller hostel. My only problem was with cancellations. Because of a flight cancellation, I could not make it to Auckland one night, and let them know. They assured me that I would not be charged for the night… but I was anyway. When I called I was told to call back at some other time on two or three different occasions, and I finally gave up.

From journal Jet Lagged in Auckland

Editor Pick

Auckland Central Backpackers (VIP)

  • April 4, 2005
  • Rated 4 of 5 by noushi from London, United Kingdom
This is in a perfect location just off Queen Street and has a really helpful and friendly staff. This place is really big, with all the usual facilities, such as laundry and booking desk, and it also has around 30 computers for Internet use, though in all honesty, there are much cheaper and better computers across the road (you cannot access any messenger facilities on these). It has a good chill-out lounge and two TV rooms.

Dorms start at $22, plus a $10 key deposit. We got an ensuite room, and the room was good, with great air-conditioning and even a TV--not bad for NZ$85 a night. The shower was really powerful, the only annoying thing being that you had to keep pressing a button every 10 seconds to keep the water going; otherwise, it would just stop. We found this hostel hard to fault, especially since it was really quiet, considering the location and amount of people staying here. This really was a plus. We finally had a good night's sleep.

They also have a good and busy bar, and when you check in, they give you offers such as a free beer at the busy Globe bar across the road.

From journal Auckland

Auckland Central Backpackers (VIP)

  • October 2, 2002
  • Rated 4 of 5 by caoimhe from Dublin, Ireland
Just opened in June 2002, this is a very modern, spacious, and clean hostel with a perfect location - just off Queen Street and three minutes walk from Sky City.

The hostel has great facilities including kitchens, a travel centre, laundry, and internet. I had a double room (58 nzd for two) with air-conditioning.

Below the hostel is the Globe Bar, a favorite among students and backpackers - their occasional foam parties are great fun!

I enjoyed staying there although I have met travelers who felt that the size and sterile nature of the hostel resulted in it being a little impersonal.

From journal Auckland - City of Sails

Auckland Central Backpackers (VIP)

  • January 25, 2002
  • Rated 3 of 5 by Manda from Manchester, United Kingdom
This is a great place to start out in Auckland or New Zealand for that matter. It''s pretty big for a hostel, covering seven floors, but it does mean you don''t have to leave for a day or two if you are still adjusting to jet lag / homesickness etc.

There are tv lounges, kitchens, a cafe, great roof-top bar and other excellent facilities. It''s not the newest place I''ve been to, but the beds are comfy and the staff friendly. The bar is also a good place to meet people if you are travelling alone.

ACB also boasts one of the best travel centres in Auckland, so you can sit back, relax, and plan what to do with the rest of your time in NZ.

From journal Antipodean journey

Vip Backpackers

  • November 7, 2000
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Becs from Hoboken, New Jersey
At any affiliated hostel, be sure to ask for a VIP membership card. It's not expensive, and will be good for a year, saving you heaps on every hostel night you spend in an affiliated place, and even at some activities and pubs. The membership card comes with a brochure listing everything you get discounts for, and a directory for every hostel they carry and its address. These hostels are generally clean, cozy and ideally located.

From journal A Journey through New Zealand I - North Island

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