With a stay at Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers, you'll be centrally located in Wellington, within a 5-minute drive of Te Papa and Cuba Street Mall. .This hostel is 1.4 mi (2.3 km) from Interislander Ferry Terminal and 0.1 mi (0.2 km) from Wellington Central Business District.
Wellington Central Business District - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
Lambton Quay - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
Te Papa - 16 min walk - 1.4 km
Cuba Street Mall - 19 min walk - 1.7 km
Interislander Ferry Terminal - 3 min drive - 2.3 km
Getting around
Wellington Station - 1 min walk
Wellington Intl. Airport (WLG) - 19 min drive
Restaurants
Mojo Featherston - 2 min walk
McDonald's - 1 min walk
Pita Pit Featherston - 5 min walk
Trax Bar & Cafe - 2 min walk
Thistle Inn Tavern - 4 min walk
About this property
Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers
Art Deco hostel with a 24-hour front desk and a restaurant
Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers offers 108 accommodations with safes. Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Housekeeping is provided daily.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
Make yourself at home in one of the 108 guestrooms. Complimentary wireless internet access is available to keep you connected. Conveniences include safes, and housekeeping is provided daily.
Make use of convenient amenities, which include complimentary wireless internet access and a vending machine.
At Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers, enjoy a satisfying meal at the restaurant. Wrap up your day with a drink at the bar/lounge. Cooked-to-order breakfasts are served on weekdays from 8:00 AM to noon for a fee.
Featured amenities include express check-out, a 24-hour front desk, and laundry facilities.
Cooked-to-order breakfasts are available for a surcharge between 8:00 AM and noon on weekdays.
Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers has a restaurant on site.
Languages
Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, German, Italian
Property amenities
Internet
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Parking and transport
No on-site parking available
Food and drink
Weekday cooked-to-order breakfast available 8:00 AM to noon for a fee: NZD 15 to 30 for adults and NZD 10 to 30 for children
A bar/lounge
A restaurant
Family friendly
Laundry facilities
Conveniences
24-hour front desk
ATM
Laundry facilities
Lockers
Safe at front desk
Vending machine
Guest services
Housekeeping (daily)
Accessibility
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
Lift
Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
Room amenities
Bedroom
Bedsheets provided
Bathroom
Towels provided
Entertainment
Cable/satellite channels
More
Heating
Safe
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime
Early check-in subject to availability
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out
Check-out before 10 AM
Contactless check-out available
Late check-out subject to availability
Late check-out fee: NZD 10
Express check-out available
Special check-in instructions
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
At check-in, guests must provide a record of full COVID-19 vaccination
COVID-19 vaccination record requirement applies to all guests aged 12 and up; guests must have received complete COVID-19 vaccination at least 30 days prior to check-in
Access methods
Staffed front desk
Pets
Pets not allowed (service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees)
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available
Payment types
Important information
Fees
You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:
Deposit: NZD 20.00 per stay
We have included all charges provided to us by the property.
Optional extras
Fee for cooked-to-order breakfast: approximately NZD 15 to 30 for adults, and NZD 10 to 30 for children
Late check-out fee: NZD 10 (subject to availability)
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards and debit cards; cash is not accepted
Cashless transactions are available
National rating
For the benefit of our customers, we have provided a rating based on our rating system.
Property is also known as
Downtown Backpackers
Downtown Backpackers Hostel
Downtown Backpackers Hostel Wellington
Downtown Backpackers Wellington
Hotel Waterloo Backpackers
Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers Wellington
Hotel Waterloo Backpackers (formerly Downtown Backpackers)
Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers Hostel/Backpacker accommodation
Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers Reviews
Reviews
7.4
Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Rating 10 - Excellent. 234 out of 1000 reviews
10 - Excellent
234
Rating 8 - Good. 411 out of 1000 reviews
8 - Good
411
Rating 6 - Okay. 230 out of 1000 reviews
6 - Okay
230
Rating 4 - Poor. 68 out of 1000 reviews
4 - Poor
68
Rating 2 - Terrible. 57 out of 1000 reviews
2 - Terrible
57
7.6/10
Cleanliness
8.0/10
Staff & service
7.0/10
Amenities
6.8/10
Property conditions & facilities
6.6/10
Eco-friendliness
Reviews
6/10 Okay
Elin
16 Dec 2024
Nice
Elin
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024
6/10 Okay
WENDY
13 Dec 2024
Disliked: Cleanliness
Shower didn’t work properly
Didn’t get enough milk
Or toilet paper
Not as picture shows
The place was musty and smelled of mildew; it did not feel clean. The towels they provided were stained. A pane in the window was cracked and makes the room very cold and drafty at night.
Doesnt look like the photos at all. Moldy everywhere. Just a bed in a room with a small tv . Windows where moldy, curtains where moldy. Carpets was heavily stained. Smelt bad all over the property. Huuuge disapointment. Wouldnt recommend. I wanted a refund but didint feel comfortable talking to staff about it all as they didint seem like they wanted to even check me in. Lazy. Dont go here.
This place just had a creepy vibe to it. Did its job as a room but wouldn’t want to stay much longer than we did.
Lachie
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024
10/10 Excellent
Clemens
12 Nov 2024
Clemens
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024
8/10 Good
Sue
3 Nov 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
This is an old hotel in a location that is fantastically central to train and ferry. Despite the building being very tired, the bed was comfortable, sheets and towels, cup and kettle fresh and tidy. The receptionist was personable and pleasant. The luggage lockers are a real bonus.
Sue
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024
8/10 Good
Devki
25 Oct 2024
Disliked: Staff & service
Budget friendly for a reason
Location cannot be beat...nextto train station and ferry to South Island. But proximity is noisy, and building/rooms are old. Excellent coffee place around corner.
Property is quirky and interesting although very old and in need of renovation. Bathroom small and cramped but clean.
Location close to parliament convenient and also bus to airport.
Staff helpful and responsive. Luggage stored ahead of checking in. Dealt promptly with unruly patron.
Close to the Wellington Station for bus and train, close to the waterfront. It was an easy walk to the waterfront and the city and attractions, and there were plenty of eating/food choices nearby. It had all the facilities we needed for an overnight stay.
Bed was not made from the person that stayed before me.
The cleaner just made it thinking it was okay.
It was very upsetting. The staff man was very nice and helped us and gave us another room.
I wouldn’t ever stay there again.
I stayed in the double bed ensuite room.
Jesse
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024
6/10 Okay
Andrew
30 Sept 2024
Liked: Staff & service
Being my real only option for a place to stay (two big events happening in town) it served it’s purpose the bad points where the size of the 6 bedroom dormitory and ensuite ( climbing the ladder to the top bunk was dodgy and the plug to block off the tap for the shower meant low water pressure) I wouldn’t stay more than one night in the dormitory but the single room with ensuite probably would have been a better option for me.
The location ( public transport, sports stadium and town) and being able to use to lockers before check in was a bonus.