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4.0
#13 of 20 hostels in Queenstown
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
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Sleep Quality
Hidden away on Queenstown hill our elevated site offers stunning lake and mountain views over Queenstown- and just minutes away from town, bars and food! Our backpacker hostel caters for travellers looking for a relaxing experience. We are the warmest, cosiest and friendliest hostel around. Comfy beds are made up with fresh linen in centrally heated rooms to keep you toasty. Facilities include an outside barbeque area, 24hr internet, cheap wireless (FREE wifi voucher upon checkin), dvds, and coin-op laundry. Tramping? Use our secure storage area for your excess stuff. Winter sports? Use our locked drying room for your gear and our centrally heated rooms to warm your toes after a day off piste! Enjoy making new friends over a hot cup of free tea or coffee. We are family friendly! We are Queenstown's best kept secret!
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This place would be impossible to judge upon a few days stay. I've stayed here for about 10 days, which helped me appreciate all of it's hidden gems. Just to name a few, being on the top of a little slope, I had unobstructed views of the mountains in Queenstown, while being a few min walk to downtown. The Staff are amazing and always present if you need them. There are 3 different houses on differently leveled platforms, creating semi-buffers between each of them. (I'll try to upload some pics) The beds are confortable and the rooms are warm. Additionally, I had a direct view once again of the landscape. Finally, I've felt a sense of community when I needed help, guidance or social interaction. Overall, if you're in Queenstown for a few days or weeks, than you should definitely comme here.
Tamer
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Date of stay: October 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled solo
Room Tip:Bear in mind it's a Backpackers Hostel.
As far as it goes it's great, specially in Queenstown.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Good place to stay. The rooms were a good size and the beds were very comfy. The rooms were quiet, there were road works outside yet we couldn't here it so we all had a good sleep. The curtains were a little see-through, but the lodge is in an area without many people, so it was okay. We were very lucky and were the only ones staying on the floor. Have seen other reviews talking about the toilet situation and could see how that could be a problem, but it was a clean place with good facilities. We had the most amazing view of the mountains next to the Remarkables. The staff is very friendly. The lodge is walking distance to the center of town, so it is in a very good place. All in all, good place to stay.
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Date of stay: October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We spent one night here in a double bedroom with private bath (unit 9), for a total of NZ$65. The Hippo Lodge is a nice backpackers (aka hostel), with a friendly front desk staff. We did not use the communal areas or see the shared bedrooms, but everything on the grounds seemed well maintained and clean.
Our double room with ensuite had a private kitchenette with refrigerator and microwave, though we could have used the shared kitchens as well. The accomodations were simple, but comfortable. (The fuse box above the bed was an odd "decoration.") The only complaint was the location of the room underneath a lounge, so there was a bit of talking and footsteps fairly late into the night.
The front desk will make bookings for Queenstown and Milford Sound activities for you at no charge, which is a nice service.
The location is quite nice as well. It's up a steep hill, looking down onto the town and the lake. Quite a climb on foot! (Our room had a decent view -- the lounge above us had an even better one. See the photos we took above for a glimpse.)
Overall, a good stay, and a nice place within the hostel/backpackers category. This isn't luxury accomodation or standardized hotel/motel lodging, but it is functional, clean, inexpensive, and friendly.
Hippo Lodge 4 Anderson Heights Queenstown
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
First of all, it was way too expensive compared to what you get and the facilities. We had to leave two days earlier than expected because we couldn’t stand staying - even without being able to get our money back for the last two days. The people living there was staying for a longer period of time, therefore it felt like moving into a bunch of strangers house. They had their things stacked up everywhere in the room and in the bathroom - there was no space for us and our bags as newly arrived backpackers. Secondly, as soon as you entered the property you could smell weed. Some of the residents in this hostel smoked weed in the common areas most of the day and most of the night. We really felt uncomfortable. When this is said, the view was really beautiful!
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Backpackers are generally easy going places which rely on the visitors respect for others to get along in often crowded and cramped conditions. When the manager sits outside playing guitar and singing after 11 pm at night keeping guests awake I think there is a complete lack of respect from the manager towards his guests. It is unprofessional and selfish.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are more mature travellers, 2 couples. One couple had Room 11 in the 'above' of the house and this seemed acceptable to that age group. A nice-ish lounge and kitchen with great views. For only £5 less per night, we ended up with double room 15 (I think) that is 'downstairs' and leads directly onto the kitchen. The room smelt on arrival, the kitchen is filthy and the noise of people simply talking goes straight into the bedroom. And you have to walk through the kitchen area to get to the showers.
Yes, it needs a real clean up. We were booked for 4 nights, and after one sleepless night, we couldn't face another one let alone 3. To be fair to the person on duty, he refunded 3 nights and even offered to upgrade us for nothing - but we were out of there pretty quickly. Our friends stayed the 4 nights and always had polite, courteous people in their upper part of the house.
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Date of stay: February 2014
Value
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Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Read the review and others too!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from makutamonster, Manager at Hippo Lodge Backpackers
Responded 12 Mar 2014
Hi Mitchell, Thank you for taking the time to review Hippo Lodge. You stayed in Room 15, in our "Backpacker Double" and shares the facilities with about 16 other travellers. The unit is apt to get messier and louder as you are sharing the facility with so many guests. Usually the messiness depends on the guests staying with us, and thus varies greatly. Some guests are responsible and clean up after themselves, others don't. Hippo Lodge services the kitchens 2x per day. Once in the morning and once in the evening. It wouldn't be feasible to keep it any cleaner as that would entail having someone in the kitchen washing dishes all day long. You are correct in that Room 15 is only $10 NZD cheaper than our Deluxe Double rooms, but you get what you pay for. For those that want to spend the extra $10, and want a quieter time here, it is definitely recommended. Our Deluxe Double rooms share the facilities with only 4-6 other guests and therefore there is less noise, and as there are less guests, generally cleaner. As to the politeness and courteousness of the other guests, I would say that I have enjoyed talking with all my Hippo Lodge guests and have found everyone to be polite and respectful. If guests in the lounge are noisy, I find that if you personally tell them that you are trying to sleep, people generally quiet down. If you don't do anything, the other guests don't know they are disturbing you. We mention to all our guests that we have a Night Manager available (all night) if there are any issues. I hope that you had asked the Night Manager for support if you needed it. On a side note, our Bottom House is sort of open plan with the kitchen and lounge in one open area. Our bathrooms are not adjacent to the kitchen, they are at the end of the hallway past the dorm rooms- about 20 feet away. One does not have to walk through the kitchen bumping past people cooking on the way to the bathrooms, but you do have to walk by past the kitchen area. Not sure why I am being pedantic, but it's just not true. In summary, if you'd are a more mature couple and would like a quieter time here at Hippo Lodge, please spend the extra $10 and get a room in White House. If you are a younger couple, and don't mind the hustle and bustle of backpacker life, our Backpacker doubles will suit just fine. Warm Regards, Shana Hippo Lodge Manager
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We stayed at hippos for 2 nights because the top 10 holiday park was full in popular Queenstown. If not we wouldn't have stayed here not even 1 night. The hippy owner charged us 50$ for our campervan per night just to stand on the steep parking spot in front of the hostel and to use their very basic facilities. A complete rip off. He said you can stay here for 2 nights but if someone asks if you sleep in the car park 'just tell them you sleep in dorm 13'. So i asked for at least a discount to wich he replied 'unfortunately' i can't give you any discount but i can give you extra 200mb internet, what a complete joke.He knew everything was full so he took his chance to rip us off. So he first overcharged us, asks us to LIE to officials if they would ask but he can't give us a deal. Avoid this place since the owners are dishonest, actually avoid q town. Go to Wanaka instead, nicer and cheaper...
Dries, Belgium
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Date of stay: March 2017Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I booked a single room (room 6)and normally if you book a single you want some privacy and at least quiet time during the night. Forget all that here. The kitchen is next to this room and on the other side the toilet. People coming and going all night long and you can hear everything. They have big signs all over that you should be quiet after 10.30 pm, but even the STAFF is coming at 11.00 pm. To clean the kitchen with lot of noise. So if you want to sleep avoid this place.
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Date of stay: April 2016Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Beside the friendly staff this hostel is not very clean. The kitchen utinsels are not clean, and the room is full of dust. They say that it is a cosy hostel, but it's not. We slept in -what it felt was - a garage and for that money we think it is very expansive.
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Date of stay: October 2014
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from HippoLodge, Manager at Hippo Lodge Backpackers
Responded 2 Nov 2014
Thank you for submitting your review of Hippo Lodge. I regret to hear that we were not up to your standards. There is a great deal of renovations happening here at the moment with upgrading our facilities including the kitchen areas. I can only imagine this is why there was dust, which you spoke of, and I apologise for this situation. At this time we are both renovating, upgrading and spring cleaning and so I hope that our deep spring clean will help us to avoid such situations in the future. Once again, I apologise on behalf of Hippo Lodge and wish you a safe and pleasant rest of your journey. All the best and kindest regards.
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Hippo lodge is great. A steep hill to walk up yes, but the view is worth it. If you cant be bothered with the walk a taxi will cost you $6 from town. Book your airport shuttles through Hippo and that will save you a few dollars too. I stayed in a 5 bed dorm, no ladders to the top bunk so its climb up and jump off. The rooms got very warm at night with the central heating, so even during winter the sheet & duvet will be enough to keep you warm. The shared bathroom was large and never over crowded, but the showers were only warm. There other people staying there helped make the place great. Very friendly & all watching movies at night. Beware, if you stay up till the early hours & dont clean up your mess, you will get a warning. Bathroom, lounge & kitchen are cleaned daily. Riley, who works there, was very helpful and did all he could to answer questions or helpout in anyway. Hostel seems to attract people in there 20's and itsn not hard to find someone to go to town with at night.
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Date of stay: June 2009
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Queenstown area.
PRICE RANGE
AU$34 - AU$164 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
hippo lodge backpackers hotel queenstown
LOCATION
New ZealandSouth IslandOtago RegionQueenstown
NUMBER OF ROOMS
13
Prices are provided by our partners for one room, with variable occupancy rules as provided by the property, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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