Kmateo

This article is a simple introduce about budget hostel of New Zealand and where I ever lived. BBH: Budget Backpacker Hostels New Zealand. There are some budget backpacker hostel associations in New Zealand(NZ) like YHA, BBH, VIP..., most famous backpacker hostels is YHA and BBH, although all of YHA hostel have the same quality and is better than BBH normally - some of BBH hostel are better than YHA hostel but most of it are not(I know it from internet, I never live in YHA hostel) - but BBH is a little cheaper than YHA, even though I bought YHA and BBH member card when I was at Taiwan, I wont live in YHA hostel unless I can't find a good BBH hostel. Until now I just ever lived at 3 BBH hostels and live at non-BBH, non-YHA hostel now. 1.Verandahs - Auckland - 92% - 6 days I didn't book my first night hostel, just aimed my destination to first rating BBH hostel of Auckland.Even is winter now, but when I arrived Verandahs there was no rooms of dorm, but the owner gave me a double room and I just paid the price of dorm, it seems that is a good start of my trip. There are two kitchens, 4 toilets with shower in Verandahs and all keeps clean everyday, the bed is good, individual, not like others backpacker hostel looks like a cheap one and it has a big backyard and behind the backyard is a big park the Western Park. Those backpackers who lived at Verandahs from UK, France, USA, Japan, Irish, Germany...,I saw a Taiwaness left a note on their guestbook, this guy lived here 2 times. Internet: 1 pc can use for internet, but you need to pay. 2.Stable lodge - Napier - 76% - 1 day I lived here just one night and moved to Aqua lodge next day, because I got a work from Aqua lodge. There is a kitchen and 2(not sure) toilets with shower here, I think is not enough for backpackers, otherwise the dorm which I lived is for 6 people and is too small, but there are somewhere you can put your stuff. Internet: 1 pc can use and is FREE, but cant see most of Chinese website.(Operation System is Windows 98 and has Recovery card). When I lived at there, there was a special price that live 3 days you can get 1 free day at fourth day, and I am not sure this is winter special or regular special price. Stable lodge的中庭... Aqua lodge - Napier - 73% - 15 days This is a big backpacker hostel, most of people whom live here is for seasonal work, I saw the advertisement that they need seasonal worker at Auckland, another guy saw it at Rotorua.... There are three big house here, each one has its kitchen, toilet with shower..., thought I think it's not enough, but I can use one of them, so it's ok. And there is a parking site here, is good for someone who has car. Internet: 1 pc for internet, 6nz/1h, a little expensive, but the intenet is quiet expensive in the Napier, the cheaper one is 5NZ/ 1hr at library or a internet cafe by Taiwaness. Aqua其中一間的廚房... Even thouhg I knew many friends(Japanese) here, but I don't like it very much, because there were too many worker like me, most of us work long time a day and then some of them can't keep the kitchen or the room clean, so even though here is spacious, I didn't feel it has good quality.By the way, they don't have good stuff about the kitchen, but the goodness is they have washmachine, so you don't need to wash your dish(but we did)... 4. Sleeping Giant - Hastings - (non-BBH, non-YHA) - about 20 days continuing... Sleeping Giant(Hastings)is not belong to YHA neither BBH, but there are some good reasons let me live here: 1.Cheaper accommadation weekly rate, 90NZ for 1 week (First week is 100NZ). 2.Cheaper Internet, we just pay 10NZ to the owner and we can use internet 1 month, thought I need to share 1 PC with others backpackers and it doesn't have MSN, SKYPE, no Chinese input, can't see most of chinese website..., but 10NZ can't use more than 4 hours in internet cafe of Hastings.(The Operation System is Windows Professional 2000, I can't download Chinese font from internet, it need original CD, WHO KNOWS WHAT CAN i DO????) 3.Quiet, it doesn't have too many people live here, so I can use most of stuff anytime. 4.Convinient, postoffice, Supermarket, "moneymachine" .... close to it. 5.FREE wash machine.To a hard worker free wash machine likes a big gift. Sleeping Giant 的中庭 BBH rate: when you buy the member card of BBH, you can get a book of every hostel's rate - it was give by the BBH member who ever been lived at there. BPP%: Backpacker Percentage Ratings. 0 to 25 is very Bad, 25 to 50 is Poor, 50 to 75 is Good, 75 to 100 is Very Good. Room Type: Single : One person per room. Double : Two peopel per room in on double bed. Twin : Two people per room in separate beds. Share : up to 4 people per room. Dorm : More than 4 people per room (normally the bed is bunk) Reference: BBH guide. www.bbh.co.nz Backpacker website of Taiwan : www.backpackers.com.tw