Hostels in Auckland
There are 29 hostels listed within about five miles of central Auckland, which is 2.1% of everything on offer in the city — a strong hostel scene by the standards of this survey. This page covers what that actually means for a trip: which hostels are here, how they rate against Auckland's hotels, and which are worth it if you are coming for a show.
How strong is the hostel scene in Auckland?
Two numbers answer that, and neither means much on its own. The first is how much of Auckland's accommodation is hostels rather than hotels — a city can have plenty of hostels and still be a hotel city. The second is how those hostels score against the hotels sitting next to them, which is the only fair benchmark, because guest scores drift by city and a 7.8 in one place is not a 7.8 in another.
| Measure | Auckland | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Hostels listed | 29 | Dedicated hostels and backpacker accommodation within roughly five miles of the centre. |
| Share of all accommodation | 2.1% | A strong hostel scene by the standards of this survey. Measured against all 1,356 properties listed in the same radius. |
| Average hostel guest score | 7.6/10 | Averaged across the hostels above. Supplied by our accommodation partner, not a StubOrder rating. |
| Average hotel guest score | 7.9/10 | The same measure for Auckland’s hotels, with hostels excluded so the comparison is not partly against itself. |
The short version: hostels in Auckland score a little below the city's hotels — a gap of 0.3 points. That gap is normal and mostly measures the product, not the management: a shared room with six strangers in it will rarely be scored like a private one, however well the place is run. It is worth reading the individual scores below rather than the average.
Hostels in Auckland, closest to the centre first
Distances are measured from the middle of Auckland. Pick your dates to see what a bed actually costs — hostel pricing moves more than hotel pricing does, because a dorm can sell out one bed at a time.
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Grafton Backpackers
6A-6C Glenside Crescent, Auckland
Enjoy Stunning Views and Convenient Amenities Bask in the beauty from the terrace and garden, and stay connected with free Wi-Fi. Luggage storage, laundry facilities, and an ATM e…
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215 Edinburgh Castle
215 symonds street, eden terrace, Auckland
Charming Garden and Terrace: Enjoy the lush garden, cozy terrace, and shared lounge at 215 Edinburgh Castle for a relaxing stay in Auckland. Exciting Amenities: From karaoke night…
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Newton Lodge Auckland
27 CROSS STREET, Auckland
Convenient Location Newton Lodge Auckland, located in the heart of Auckland CBD, offers easy access to K Road and the airport bus stop, making it a perfect choice for travelers. C…
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BK Hostel
3 Mercury Lane, Auckland
Central Location in Auckland CBD BK Hostel, centrally located in Auckland CBD, offers free unlimited WiFi to all guests. Just a short 5-minute walk from the Airbus-stop on Queen S…
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HIT Hostel
145 Karangahape Road, Auckland
Central Location and Views Enjoy the views from the terrace and garden at HIT Hostel, centrally located in Auckland. Explore nearby attractions such as Queen Street Shopping Distr…
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Haka House Auckland K'Road
373 Karangahape Rd, Auckland
Central Location in Auckland CBD Located in the heart of Auckland's Central Business District, Haka Lodge Auckland offers a convenient stay for guests looking to explore the city.…
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Haka House Auckland City
5 Turner Street, Auckland
TV Lounge and Communal Kitchen Enjoy the cozy ambiance of the TV lounge and the convenience of a communal kitchen at Haka House Auckland City. Convenient Location Located just a s…
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City Lodge Accommodation
150 Vincent Street, Auckland
Luxurious 5-Star Accommodation in Central Auckland Convenient Location: Situated in a peaceful tree-lined street, City Lodge is a short stroll from Auckland's bustling CBD and ico…
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Verandahs Parkside Lodge - Hostel
4-6 Hopetoun Street, Auckland
Recreational Activities and Scenic Views Enjoy the use of bicycles and take in the beautiful views from the terrace and garden. Modern Amenities Benefit from complimentary wireles…
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Silverfern Backpackers
234 Hobson Street, Auckland
City Views from Rooms Enjoy stunning city views right from your room at Silverfern Backpackers, located in the heart of Auckland CBD. Convenient Location With just a 5-minute walk…
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TMACS Backpackers
118-122 Nelson St, Auckland
Panoramic Views and Urban Garden Oasis Enjoy stunning views from the terrace, relax in the lush garden, and stay connected with complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the property. Conven…
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Freemans Backpackers Lodge - Hostel
65 Wellington Street, Auckland
Recreation Amenities Enjoy recreation amenities such as bicycles to rent or take in the view from a garden. Featured Amenities This hostel features complimentary wireless internet…
Staying in a hostel for an Auckland event
A hostel makes most sense on exactly the kind of trip StubOrder sends people on: one or two nights, built around a fixed start time, where you are out of the building all evening. The bed is somewhere to sleep afterwards, not somewhere to spend the weekend, and the saving against a hotel on a sold-out event night is usually the largest saving available on the whole trip — event nights are when city hotel rates spike and hostel beds barely move.
The two things to check before you book are the ones that catch people out. First, front-desk hours: a support act running long can put you back at 23:45, which is no use if reception closes at 23:00 and there is no night code. Second, whether the rate is per bed or per room — a private twin at £70 and a dorm bed at £35 each are the same money for two people, and the private room is the better buy.
What is on in Auckland
- From about $81.00View Tickets
- From about $80.00View Tickets
Matinee
Cabaret
- From about $159.00View Tickets
- From about $81.00View Tickets
Distance from a specific venue
The hostels above are measured from the centre of town. If you want to know what is actually walkable from the doors of one building, each venue has its own accommodation page that sorts every nearby property by real distance.
Dorm bed or private room?
This is the decision that actually determines what your stay is like, and it is not the same decision as hostel-or-hotel. Almost every hostel in Auckland sells both, at prices that overlap with the cheaper end of the city's hotels.
| Dorm bed | Hostel private room | |
|---|---|---|
| Priced by | The bed. Two people pay twice. | The room, like a hotel. |
| Best for | Solo travel, and meeting people. | Two people, or anyone who wants a door that locks. |
| Bathroom | Usually shared down the hall. | Often private, but check — many are not. |
| Getting in late | Fine, but you will wake people. | No issue. |
| Luggage | A locker, usually needing your own padlock. | In the room. |
| Versus a cheap hotel | Much cheaper, especially on event nights. | Often similar money — compare properly. |
The rule of thumb that holds nearly everywhere: travelling alone, take the dorm; travelling as two, price the private room against a budget hotel before assuming the hostel wins. On an ordinary weeknight the hotel sometimes does. On the night of a sold-out event, the hostel almost always does.
What to check before booking a hostel
Hostels vary in ways hotels mostly do not, and the variation is in the policies rather than the rooms. None of the following is unusual, and all of it is easier to find out now than at 1am.
- Age limits. Some hostels are 18–35 only, some refuse under-18s without an adult, and a few are over-18 with no upper bound. This is a property-by-property rule, not a city rule.
- Reception hours and curfews. A genuine curfew is rare now, but limited front-desk hours are common. If your event finishes late, confirm there is a night entry code.
- Whether the rate includes linen. Mostly yes; occasionally a few pounds or dollars extra at check-in, which quietly changes the comparison against a hotel.
- Lockers and padlocks. Nearly every dorm has lockers. A good number expect you to bring your own padlock, and the ones sold at the desk cost more than one from home.
- Deposits. Some hostels take a key or damage deposit in cash at arrival and return it on checkout — worth knowing if you are travelling cardless.
- Cancellation terms. The cheapest hostel rates are frequently non-refundable, which matters more than usual when the trip depends on an event that could be postponed.
Two of these — cancellation terms and what the rate actually includes — are shown on the booking screen once you pick dates, so check them there rather than assuming.
Plan the rest of the trip
Frequently asked questions
Can I book a private room in a hostel?
Most hostels sell private rooms alongside dorm beds, and they are usually cheaper than a hotel room of the same size. Whether a given property has one is shown when you pick your dates — if only dorm beds come back, that hostel has no privates free for that stay.
How many hostels are there in Auckland?
Our accommodation partner lists 29 hostels within about five miles of central Auckland, out of 1,356 places to stay in total — 2.1% of everything listed here. That count includes both dedicated hostels and backpacker accommodation.
Does StubOrder sell hostel beds and tickets together?
No. Tickets come from our resale marketplace and accommodation from our booking partner. They are two separate bookings with separate confirmations, and neither depends on the other.
Is a hostel a sensible place to stay for a concert or a game?
For a one- or two-night trip built around an event, often yes — you are out of the building most of the evening anyway. The things to check are the front-desk hours and whether there is a curfew, because a show that ends at 23:30 is no use if reception shut at 23:00.
Are there hostels near the venues in Auckland?
The hostels on this page are measured from the middle of Auckland, not from any one venue. For distance from a specific building, use that venue's own accommodation page — each one is linked above and sorts every nearby property by real distance from the doors.
Are hostels in Auckland any good?
Auckland's hostels average 7.6/10 in guest scores against 7.9/10 for the city's hotels, so they score a little below the city's hotels. Those scores come from our accommodation partner, not from StubOrder.
