5 Best Backpacker Hostels in Taupo 🎒 [2024]

Where to Find the Best Hostel Accommodation in Taupo for Backpackers

In the adventure capital of the North Island, there are some cool and quite quirky places to stay at an affordable price. After a day of doing the well-renowned Taupo skydive, a bungy jump over the Waikato River, or a mammoth hike on the Tongariro Crossing, it is important to find a hostel where you can relax. Additionally, the hostel staff can book your next activity and you are never too far from Taupo’s i-SITE.

With so much to do, it’s likely that you’ll want to stay in Taupo for at least a couple of days. Make your stay great by choosing one of the best backpacker hostels in Taupo!

For trip-planning success, be sure to take a look at our Taupo – Guide for Backpackers, as well as the 15 Free & Cheap Things to Do in Taupo.

1. Haka Lodge Taupo

One of Taupo’s more recent hostel additions, Haka Lodge Taupo aims for more of the “flashpacker experience” with a free spa pool and WiFi. Each bunk is equipped with a privacy curtain, personal power socket and reading light, while private rooms with and without an ensuite bathroom are also available. The communal spaces are also pretty sweet with a very functional kitchen, cosy lounge and deck area and even a volleyball court that’s free for guests to use. Whether you’re chilling inside or outside, you’re sure to feel right at home. This hostel is so awesome that we also list it in the 10 Best Budget Accommodations in Taupo.

Check Haka Lodge Taupo out:

2. Rainbow Lodge

The granddaddy of hostels in Taupo (and New Zealand), Rainbow Lodge was New Zealand’s first purpose-built independent backpacker hostel and the first hostel in New Zealand with a mixed dorm… And it’s still going strong! Don’t worry, it’s had plenty of facelifts over the ages, still providing a cheap and comfortable on the residential streets of Taupo. This hostel provides those much-needed comforts in both summer and winter with a BBQ on the deck on a summer’s evening and underfloor heating and the sauna to take advantage of during the cold winter.

Check Rainbow Lodge out:

3. Finlay Jack’s

That’s right, there’s another epic pod hostel in Taupo. The pod beds at Finley Jack’s are custom-built complete with blinds for privacy, a personal USB charging station, a reading light, storage space for your bags and even two pillows! Wow! Some dorms even have an ensuite, while others have just standard bunks so be sure to ask for a pod room if you want one. If a pod bed wasn’t private enough, well, there are private rooms too in the form of single, twin and double rooms with a shared bathroom and private triple and family rooms with an ensuite bathroom. As for communal areas, relax in the sun-soaked courtyard or the lounge with video games, Netflix and free WiFi or cook up a storm in the kitchen. For more stays with a kitchen, check out the 10 Best Self-Catering Accommodations in Taupo.

Check Finlay Jack’s out:

4. Based by the Lake

Purpose-built for backpackers in a convenient central location, Based by the Lake makes an ideal, well, base! Many of their dorm rooms have an ensuite shower room, so there are no midnight missions to the bathroom. Those who want to treat themselves can get a room with a balcony overlooking Lake Taupo and the volcanoes beyond. Otherwise, you can enjoy the views from the balcony in the communal kitchen and dining area. Find this hostel close to Taupo’s bars and nightlife scene, even its own Mexican-themed bar and restaurant, Tejano Cantina, which you can learn more about in The Top Cheap Eats in Taupo.

Check Based by the Lake out:

[CLOSED] Taupo Urban Retreat

Urban Retreat’s advantages lie in its spacious common area, which gives you the feeling of being outside without having to be outside! Natural light fills the wooden interior room. Alternatively, just sit outside… The hostel has an onsite bar with $4 happy hour at 7 pm and cycle hire. They also feature in our Cheap Eats in Taupo.

[CLOSED] Tiki Lodge

Taupo’s upmarket hostel has great lake views and a quiet location in town. Make use of the free spa pool and free WiFi. Breakfast is also free during the shoulder and off-season.

[CLOSED] Berkenhoff Lodge

Berkenhoff or “B’hoff” is a hostel full of character with mural paintings, a swimming pool in the backyard and its very own backpacker bar, The Chain. Get yourself a $5 beer or a $6.50 BBQ meal for those days that you just can’t be bothered.

More Hostels in Taupo

Now that you know the best hostels in Taupo, check out what awesome things there are to do, as well as alternative accommodations:

Finally, if there’s anything we’ve missed, you’re likely to find it in The Travel Guide to Taupo on a Budget.

Sources:

The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:

Tourism New Zealand (General travel advice - Updated [2024])
Tourism Export Council New Zealand (Tourism trade association - Updated [2024])
TIA (Independent tourism association - Updated [2024])
NZ Māori Tourism (Official Māori Tourism platform - Updated [2024])
Department of Conservation (Tracks, hikes, campsites and more - Updated [2024])
Council websites and freedom camping maps (Local travel advice region by region - Updated [2024])
Tiaki Promise (Care for people place and culture - Updated [2024])

Our editorial standards: At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.

About The Author

Robin C.

This article has been reviewed and approved by Robin, who is the co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. With more than 15 years of experience in the New Zealand tourism industry, Robin has co-founded three influential tourism businesses and five additional travel guides for South Pacific nations. He is an expert in New Zealand travel and has tested over 600 activities and 300+ accommodations across the country.

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