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Reviews of Base Rotorua - Hostel

2 out of 5
Base Rotorua - Hostel
1286 Arawa Street, Rotorua

Reviews

7.8

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 24 out of 85 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 36 out of 85 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 19 out of 85 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 4 out of 85 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 85 reviews" "

7.4/10

Cleanliness

8.2/10

Staff & service

8.0/10

Amenities

7.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
Disliked: Cleanliness
Average
Only one thing is the cleanliness. Need to be improved, especially for the kitchen.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location, provides the basics you need at a reasonable price.
Stayed 6 nights in Feb 2020
Response from Liv on Feb 14, 2020
Hi there, thank you for your review! We are glad you enjoyed your stay here and hope to see you come back. Have an awesome weekend and safe travels :)

10/10 Excellent

Craig, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The beds could be better, but for the price, this hostel is a great find. It’s clean and the staff is friendly. There’s even a geothermal pool on site. The food at the bar is tasty and affordable. I think the place must have been recently renovated because it is so clean. We had a private room with two beds (a double and a twin) with private bath and kitchen (microwave, fridge, sink, kettle). It’s certainly nothing fancy, but a clean comfortable place to stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2020
Response from Base Rotorua on Jan 15, 2020
Kia Ora Craig! Thank you for the 5 out of 5! It is so great to see you enjoyed your time here and our cleanliness and customer service did not disappoint during your stay! How awesome is our heated swimming pool? We wish you all the best on your continued travels and hope to welcome you back again if you find yourself back in Rotorua. Safe travels.

8/10 Good

Adam

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Good hostel experience
Overall it was a good hostel experience. Nice people working there, very accomodating. Great location, very close to the mountain.The dorm room near the entrance is adjacent to a bar so it was a little noisy til around 12:30 am, but that was no big deal.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019
Response from Base Rotorua on Jan 15, 2020
Kia Ora Adam and thank you for taking the time to write us such a wonderful review. We are so glad to see you enjoyed your time here and hope to wish you back in the future. All the best for your travels.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Anne

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Proper Hostel
Good location for visiting the thermal pools and sightseeing. Bit of a younger crowd which may be appealing to some. Bar downstairs is lively and drinks are cheap. Parking is easy. Get what you pay for-proper hostel. No more, no less. Easy to book sightseeing activities. Yes, the town smells, but that’s not the Hostel’s fault. It smells like sulfur.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019
Response from Liv on Aug 6, 2019
Hi Anne, thank you so much for your review. I am so glad you enjoyed your stay here as well as our bar downstairs! And you're totally right, its not our fault rotorua smells ;) We hope to see you again!

8/10 Good

Pammie, Nelson, NZ

Traveled with family
Liked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
I am pleased that the room that I've requested which is away from large crowd/noise was provided to me and my family. We are able to get a good sleep.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019
Response from Base Rotorua on May 6, 2019
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. Its great to see that you enjoyed your stay with us. We hope that you continue to enjoy your travels through New Zealand.

10/10 Excellent

Vicky

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stay
Had a private room. Clean and spacious. Good location a short walk from town
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019
Response from Base Rotorua :) on Mar 19, 2019
Kia Ora, Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. It is great to see you enjoyed your stay with us! Hope to welcome you back in the future! Safe travels.

8/10 Good

Steph

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Stay here!
Staying in the Sanctuary area of the hostel was quieter and away from the noise of the nightclub especially on Saturday night. Friday night was so quiet I had the eight bed dorm to myself. The cleaners work really hard and are doing a great job. There isn't a lift and the stairs are a bit awkward but I spent 60 pounds for three nights worth it. Go to The Fat Dog Cafe, the cat cafe down the road and the park opposite the hostel has geothermal activity and footpools. Worth staying here and Rotorua is amazing.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2019
Response from Base Rotorua Crew :) on Mar 19, 2019
Kia Ora and thank you for taking the time to leave us a review! It is great to see that you enjoyed your stay with us! Our cleaners are great, aren't they? We take real pride in cleanliness here at Base Rotorua! Stoked to see you enjoyed Rotorua so much, we hope to welcome you back in the near future. Safe Travels.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
,Handy location close to the city and local attractions
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2018
Response from Base Rotorua on Jan 9, 2019
Many thanks for taking the time to review our hostel! We are glad to see that you enjoyed your stay with us. We wish you all the best on your continued travels throughout New Zealand!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2018
Response from Kelly on Dec 15, 2018
Hi there, Thank you for taking the time to leave a 5 star review. If you have anything else to add please do not hesitate to get in contact with us directly. Kind regards.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great pool and service
The staff were extremely friendly and helpful especially when I missed the bus to the Maori village. The pool is amazing 36-38 degrees can spend hours in there. The room was comfortable and had enough room. Only downside was the kitchen was dirty everytime I went in there. Bar opposite goes till midnight if you have one of the rooms on that side you can hear the music but it doesn't stay open too late.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2018
Response from Kelly on Dec 13, 2018
Hi there, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Our staff love helping out our guests whenever we can! I'm very happy that you still made it out to the village! The pool is amazing! I'm sorry that the kitchen was dirty every time you used it. Staff clean it three times a day, however, we do have guests using it between these times and unfortunately they don't always clean up after themselves. This is a shame because it is a communal kitchen. We hope you enjoy the rest of your travels!

6/10 Okay

Mel, Palmy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Lucky I had a few drinks otherwise I doubt I would have gone to sleep. Pretty noisy but what do u expect!!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018
Response from Kelly on Oct 25, 2018
Hi there, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We are sorry that you felt this way. We hope it didn't affect your stay too much. We wish you all the best.

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Disappointing and rundown
Base feels shabby and tired. Bathrooms were small and not very clean. Kitchen was dirty with damaged cupboards and hardly any space or crockery/cutlery, dirty fridges and no tea towels(all the dishes were in the draining rack!). Wish we had stayed at the YHA which looked new and very close by!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Steve, Hamilton NZ

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Clean, tidy and simple. Perfect location in the city. Right next to a bar which could be loud at night I imagine but that's half the reason for staying there
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2018
Response from Kelly on Jun 13, 2018
Kia ora Steve, thank you for taking the time to leave a review! We appreciate all feedback that we receive. We hope you enjoyed your time in Rororua!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice hôtel with à lot of facilities
The staff is very compétent and gentle. Place is very central. A lot of informations Was given to me about what coule be done in the Rotorua area.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2018
Response from Kelly on May 3, 2018
Kia ora, thanks for taking the time to leave a review, we really appreciate it. We're glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us! We hope that you had an amazing holiday!!

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, room comfort
Risk your personal belongings
I was really disappointed that the hostel does not offer any kind of safe storage such as lockers. When i asked about this, the receptionist kind of laughed in my face which made me feel as though they did not care about the safety of my personal belongings. I felt that this represented the businesses lack of understanding towards their target market, people who are travelling from different countries with important documents such as passports, cameras and mobile phones. Apart from that, I enjoyed my time staying here.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2017
Response from Kelly on May 3, 2018
Hi there. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I'm sorry that you felt this way. In regard to lockers only specific rooms have them. However, the receptionist would have told you that we do have a 24 hour desk and we would happily keep your stuff in the office safe, for your peace of mind. I'm glad to hear that other than that you did enjoy your time here. We hope the rest of your trip was amazing.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Clean, decent place to stay
Nice, clean room and beds; bring an eye mask as no curtains on room windows, but not a major. Comfortable bed, clean duvet and pillow
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2017
Response from Kelly on May 3, 2018
Hi there, thanks for leaving a review. We are sorry about the curtains, they had to be taken down to be cleaned. Hopefully your trip was amazing!

10/10 Excellent

Priscilla Patrick, New Zealand

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Best Backpackers in Rotorua, NZ
By far..this is the best hostel n chain of hostels in New Zealand. I highly recommend the one in rotorua.
Response from Kelly on May 3, 2018
Ho there. Thanks for taking the time to leave us an amazing review! It's great to hear that you enjoy staying at Base!

6/10 Okay

Lotoholik pl, Warsaw Poland

Liked: Staff & service
Not bad if u are a party animal ;)
Lava club next door makes it loud in most of the rooms. Location ok. Super friendly staff. In winter it's a bit cold in the rooms - heating was off and couldn't close widows properly. In summer should be fine. Outdoor pool is a big plus.

8/10 Good

Gwynneth, Wellington, NZ

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Warm in every way, welcoming and relaxing.
Loved the room and the welcoming staff. Our room overlooked the pool and was very comfortable. We had a great night's sleep. Highly recommended.
Our room
View from our room.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Convenient for bus terminal and town facilities.
It would have helped to have a fan in room as it was very hot. I enjoyed having use of a pool. Adequate accommodation and helpful staff.

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Noisy and dirty
Situated next to a noisy bar which is open till late night. Rooms were ok with overused linens and soft beds. Bathrooms were outdated and not very clean.

10/10 Excellent

robyn, New Zealand - Bay of Islands

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Facilities: Nice ;

8/10 Good

Maureen, hamilton

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
the quick fix for a night in Rotorua
great for a comfortable sleep, even on a top bunk shared with 7 others (unknown others) Please see to leaky or wet toilet floor area in the girls room though then the Sanctury of this room would get a top rating from me.

8/10 Good

Forest

Liked: Staff & service
Valuable to stay
It's good for value. But, if you are a young man or girl, this will suit you more as the bar is too close and lots of young people sing and yelling all night.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness
Large room in a nice location
I booked a private double room with ensuite for four nights and was happy with the large size of the room. There were actually two beds, kitchenette, and TV on the ground floor. I felt that the room could have been cleaner. There were quite a few spider webs in the bathroom ceilings and corners that looked like they'd been there for a while, sand on the bathroom counter and an old tooth brush in the shower. The bedding also had a bit of a funky smell. Everything was fairly dated and older, but mostly functional.

10/10 Excellent

mia, Netherlands

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stopover
I spent a night in the women's only dorm, aside from the noise of the bar and the traffic, it was a good stopover. Hostel staff were very friendly, helpful and patient.

10/10 Excellent

Tara, Australia - NSW - Sydney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

6/10 Okay

Jamie, Sydney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Great place to base your exploration of the region
The only downside (a major one) is that this hotel is situated next to a nightclub. As we were on the ground floor, every night we would get people spewing, peeing and just generally acting the fool outside our room. Not only is it extremely unnerving to have this happen a few metres from where you are trying to sleep, but it also meant we were tired each day, which is not ideal for sightseeing and long drives! Apart from that the staff are really great, and the room we had (double with private bathroom/kitchen) was good, albeit a bit old fashioned. Would probably stay again, but request a room as far up and away from the nightclub as possible. I would suggest maybe locking the carpark at night so that the drunks aren't able to wander around everyone's cars and rooms!

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort

6/10 Okay

Lavina, HASTINGS

Liked: Room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
PLEASE BRING TRUE HOSPITALITY BACK.!
I Enjoyed the Practical set up of the place every thing you needed was catered for,But in All honesty the Hospitality left a lot to be desired...I would kindly ask if proper training could be given to staff as in how they introduce them selves and how they respond when asked for help in an area,This left the hotel looking like it was run by Unruly teen-ages which was not a good reflection of the place.Other than that,Its A really lovely place and i would love to visit again,But only the Staff would make me second guess my decision...

6/10 Okay

Jon, New York, NY

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Pretty good!
For a hostel this place is definitely decent. The room was clean, spacious and quiet. Bed was comfortable. I was in the four person room. Wifi worked well but they do charge for that and a towel. Shannon at the front desk was very friendly and helpful. I would recommend this place and would stay there again.

10/10 Excellent

Eli, New Zealand - Bay of Plenty

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Value: Great deal; Service: Go the extra mile; Cleanliness: Pristine;

8/10 Good

Carey, Wellington

Disliked: Staff & service
Ideal location
An ideal spot for what I needed. Good budget accommodation if you want backpacker rooms.

10/10 Excellent

Maureen, Hamilton NZ

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Friendly, helpful staff
The reception staff are always so attentive and helpful to your enquiries. They try to make your stay pleasant. I recommend the hot pool and sit down pool. A luxury to unwind after a hard day on the slog about Rotorua. So close to all roads, town and lake. Kitchen is clean as a whistle in the morning and everyone seems to respect this and tries to keep it in a clean state through the day.

8/10 Good

rahul, Sydney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent location, great value for money
Hired a private room, which had excellent facilities. Quite happy with the overall arrangement. Central location, close to everything.

6/10 Okay

Simon, Auckland

1 night stay
Average property, bathroom could do with a clean. In gerenal if you are just looking for a place to rest our head on a budget then not a bad option

6/10 Okay

Aaron, New Zealand - Manawatu

10/10 Excellent

pradeep, melbourne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
fantastic base
the best and comfortable in rotorua

10/10 Excellent

Gracie, Australia - NSW - Sydney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Facilities: Good, Nice , Above average, Clean covers all needs; Service: Professional, Respectful, Courteous, super helpful and funny;

10/10 Excellent

Erica, Studio City, CA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

8/10 Good

Alex, Montreal, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Typical backpacker place.
We had a private room with a double bed and shared the bathroom with several other rooms. Never did I have to wait to use the bathroom nor the shower. Staff cleaned them very well but as usual some travelers don't care what kind of mess they leave behind them so as usual be the first in. The kitchen was large with enough stove and fridge space for everyone to use. They will organise tours for you at no extra cost. The hostel is right across the street from a park which has several hot bubbling mud pools and a couple of hot water lakes, it even has a hot foot soaking bath to relax your feet in. All for free. Short walk to the bus stop and information center. Grocery is nearby.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Good Location!
Good central location, only a couple of minutes walk to the cafe's/bars, etc. Great to have the pool out the back, and the bar is right next door for a drink in the evening. Room was clean and they can assist in booking tours in the surrounding area (usually with reduced rates). Would definitely stay here again.

8/10 Good

yvonne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Facilities: Home away from home; Value: Inexpensive; Service: Professional; Cleanliness: Immaculate;

8/10 Good

Ben, New Zealand - Auckland

Liked: Cleanliness
Facilities: Basic; Value: Inexpensive; Service: Polite; yes I was informed on arrival that there was a $20 deposit for the room key!!

10/10 Excellent

Nimbus, Auckland

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Great Location
The perfect place to be, for a girls night out ! Literally next door to night clubs, minutes from everything you need.

8/10 Good

Richard, England

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness
Facilities: Basic, Everyday; Value: Fantastic; Service: Friendly; Cleanliness: Dirty, Lacking;

6/10 Okay

Bron

Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
Great hostel but better if you want to party!
Quick walk to centre of town and really close to the park which is beautiful. But the bar next door is open late and the music is loud so not great for light sleepers.