With a stay at Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers, you'll be centrally located in Wellington, within a 5-minute drive of Interislander Ferry Terminal and Lambton Quay. .This hostel is 0.1 mi (0.2 km) from Wellington Central Business District and 0.3 mi (0.5 km) from Old St Paul's.
Wellington Central Business District - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
Lambton Quay - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
Archives New Zealand - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
New Zealand Parliament Buildings - 6 min walk - 0.6 km
Sky Stadium - 13 min walk - 1.1 km
Getting around
Wellington Station - 1 min walk
Wellington Intl. Airport (WLG) - 19 min drive
Restaurants
Mojo Featherston - 2 min walk
Concorde Café - 5 min walk
Coffee Supreme Midland Park - 6 min walk
Trax Cafe & Bar - 2 min walk
Master Kong - 4 min walk
About this property
Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers
Art Deco hostel with a restaurant, near Interislander Ferry Terminal
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.
Featured amenities include express check-out, a 24-hour front desk, and laundry facilities.
Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers has a restaurant on site.
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
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.
Front entrance ramp
Lift
Well-lit path to entrance
Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
Wheelchair-accessible lounge
Wheelchair-accessible path to lift
Wheelchair-accessible public bathroom
Wheelchair-accessible restaurant
More
Art Deco architecture
Smoke-free property
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
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
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
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
Property class, provided by our rating system, is based on property type, amenities, and services.
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
7.6
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. 248 out of 1010 reviews
10 - Excellent
248
Rating 8 - Good. 406 out of 1010 reviews
8 - Good
406
Rating 6 - Okay. 223 out of 1010 reviews
6 - Okay
223
Rating 4 - Poor. 74 out of 1010 reviews
4 - Poor
74
Rating 2 - Terrible. 59 out of 1010 reviews
2 - Terrible
59
7.6/10
Cleanliness
8.0/10
Staff & service
7.2/10
Amenities
6.8/10
Property conditions & facilities
Reviews
4/10 Poor
Melinda
15 Jan 2026
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Melinda
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026
8/10 Good
Colleen
13 Nov 2025
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Colleen
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025
8/10 Good
Elise
Travelled with family
11 Nov 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
The room was very clean and well laid out. The cleaning staff that I bumped into in the hall were so lovely.
I wouldn’t recommend this place for someone that is a light-sleeper - as the building is very old, the sound proofing on the windows is non-existent so you can hear everything from the road below.
Elise
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025
6/10 Okay
gaelle
9 Nov 2025
Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
You get what you pay for.
That said, great location.
We really enjoyed our stay at Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers. The place felt welcoming from the start. Solid facilities, and genuinely warm, attentive staff all contributed to a relaxed and pleasant experience.
Do not stay here!! Pictures on websites are deceptive to what the actual rooms and facilities are. Place stinks, is old and terribly outdated. Beds and beddings have stains and smelly. Floor carpet is filthy and smells. Overall stay was a nightmare. Staff unhelpful.
anish
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025
6/10 Okay
Gordon
Travelled with family
3 Oct 2025
A 2 star hotel so it's a bit old and tired, but has comfortable beds and hot showers.
Close to public transport, eateries and within walking distance of the CBD
I have stayed 3 times. I enjoyed the whole stay. Loved the views from recent stays. Look forward to staying again
Katina
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025
4/10 Poor
Ben
15 Sept 2025
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
It's a real propper dive. Booked here as it was the last available place in town with space. Now I know why. Staff were friendly enough but there's no getting around the dire facility.