Name: Wakatu Lodge - Hostel
Address: 125 Waimea Road, Nelson, Nelson, Nelson, 7010, New Zealand
Rating: 9

Smoking areas

Smoke-free property

Heating

Terrace

General

Non-smoking rooms

Family room

Wardrobe/Closet

Linens

Rooms

Accessibility features

Accessibility

Laundry

Luggage storage

Services and amenities

Common kitchen

Meals

Free Wi-Fi

Internet

Free bicycle rental

Library

Bike rental

Barbecue grill(s)

Billiards

Barbeque

Sun Deck

Ping-Pong

Recreation

Free parking

Parking

Swimming pool

Outdoor pool

Beach/pool towels

Pool and beach

Cycling

Sports

Playroom

Family/Kid Friendly

Kids

Pets Not Allowed

Pets

Location

At the hostel

Nelson Airport

Woodbourne Airport

Wakatu Lodge - Hostel

Nelson

I booked this lodge for a nights stay with my family. The morning we were to arrive I received a txt message asking for vaccine passports. This was not stated ANYWHERE on their website or with booking agent. When I rang to explain we had all recently had COVID and could download a vaccine pass I was told this was not acceptable and they only allow vaccinated people to stay. Every business has a choice regarding passports but I feel it should have been made clear at time of booking that passports are required. Heads up for other unvaccinated travellers!

Beware - Vaccine pass required

I stayed here long term as a student. the walls are very thin, the showers are on a 5 min timer and you have to stand there in the cold if you want a longer shower to start over. The toilets needed a good scrubbing… a highlight is you get a room to yourself. My bike helmet got stolen by another person in the hostel. The wifi frequently cuts out because of the amount of extenders used and the amount of people using it at one time. 

When I first stayed there I was given clean, white ironed sheets- yet afew months after I was given what looked like grey sheets from the second hand store. They were still cleaned but I was confused as to why they changed… maybe a budget cut? 

It costs $2 to wash your clothes in the household machine there, which left black and yellow marks on my white jeans 🤢 maybe invest in a better washing machine. And it costs $4 for the dryer which is very large and a decent size.  There is a pool outside but during the winter it is green, I don’t think many have used it. Also where the parks are you will want to pick a park to the side of a tree, otherwise your car will get covered in bird excrement and leaves. 

If you or someone you are caring for is in a wheelchair however, whakatu will be suitable for you as this was once a hospital - Ramps and very wide doorways. 

When i left after my studies, I had paid $210 for a week of accomidation , but I was leaving on the Monday so only used one day of that last week. I had informed the owners that I was planning to leave long before I left the hostel. When I asked for a refund of what was overpaid, I was told no and i was only aloud a credit to use for my next stay - WHICH HAD TO BE USED WITHIN THAT YEAR (it was September so I had 3 months to use this.) I was a broke student at the time and had to sort out a bond for another place I was moving to and paying two lots of rent because I was not refunded. 

I was angry when I found out that another person who had overpaid previously was refunded their money for what was overpaid. After trying to negotiate with them, they started medalling into my personal life with my relationships - This is not the way a business should be run. 

I will not be returning to whakatu, nor recommend this place to anyone who wants a fuss out of the owners.

Did not get refunded after I over paid

Stayed at Wakatu lodge couple weeks ago. Awesum place to relax. Massive coms room. Our kids would have loved it there.We were charged twice but once we emailed the owners they refunded us straight away. Great people to deal with. Definitely reccomend. 

Awesum

Friendly and helpful hosts with nice clean rooms and crisp linen/towels. The shared toilet & shower facilities were exceptionally clean & hygienic. Sun drenched rooms on the west side in the afternoons. Probably best value for money in Nelson. An old nurses home with funky 60s vibe. Good up to date info on things to do in region.   Eleven out of ten.

Great value for money

Affordable accommodation among a bit expensive Nelson City hotel scheme. Our room was OK with a bunk bed for 2 at the lower bed and 1 person at the upper bed. A bit small with very limited stuffs available in the room except the heater, that’s fine. Bathroom and toilet were shared as well as the shared kitchen, all clean and good. Bathroom’s hot water was timed to 7 minutes limit. Everything was basic but OK. On minor side, the location is a bit far from city centre and you need car to go to the city centre. During our night stay we smelled a bit unusual smell like oil smell, probably coming from the heater system, a bit annoying. A spacious dining room with several entertainment stuff and table tennis was also available. Anyway, you get what you paid. Parking is on the property.

Good and Affordable Lodge

Very enjoyable and comfortable, would stay again without doubt.

It was great for the type of hostel it is. We had a double bed with a bunk above us and the bathroom down the hall. All was clean and staff very nice. We may have gotten the last room for miles so we were very grateful. It was a bit pricey for a hostel but that may be because it was peak time.

Amazing staff who were SO accommodating given my really last minute needs!

Awesome Lodge

Much bigger in side, but small bed room, but clean. Use of Kitchen, fridge, microwave etc. Toilets and showers along the corridor. Large sitting and games room. Small swimming pool. More Hostel, than hotel, but very good for the price.

Very helpful staff, and pretty entrance, Flowers.

When my husband booked this lovely sounding lodge I pictured something rustic and romantic.
When I read what we'd printed off the day before arriving and discovered it was a HoStel not a Hotel I was not thrilled. I'm not a princess, but I'm not a "backpackers accommodation" kind of girl. 
On first impression it reminded me of a homeless shelter I used to go to for work in the 90s, however the place is very tidy, clean and calm. The owners friendly and the room was comfy - the beds gave us our second best sleep of our entire trip to NZ! The kids loved the pool table, the tv room and the resident cat.
The shared bathrooms and kitchens, although dated, were 100% clean and tidy.

Best part is that it was quiet. The noise rules (& heavy curtains) meant that we slept soundly each night which was much appreciated.

I'm not converted to hostel travel, but it wasn't as bad as I had imagined it would be.

Wakatu Lodge - Hostel

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