Rock Solid Backpackers

10/10

Exceptional

23 Mar 2026

Elena

The location is great, close to everything. We had an ensuite room, which was nice and clean. The staff was courteous and helpful, and it was a pleasant surprise to have a rock-climbing facility, even though we didn't use it.

Friends

2/10

Poor

02 Mar 2026

Hamish

Dark dingy and smelly, hot and no fresh air

Self

10/10

Exceptional

16 Feb 2026

Jay

I was only here for a night. Price was reasonable. The area seemed nice and I’ve seen places to eat and drink. The place was clean, and kept up. The staff was nice. If I ever make it back to Rotorua I will stay here again.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

14 Feb 2026

Judith

I stayed in a mixed 6 bed dorm and it was fine, no issues. I have stayed in a lot worse hostels / backpackers. Staff were super friendly and cleaning all day and kitchen and bathroom facilities were well maintained. Only issue I could mention is room was very hot, no AC, I did struggle to fall asleep because of this, there was a fan but in a room of 6 it didn't really do much

Self

6/10

Pleasant

11 Feb 2026

Linda

The staff, front desk, were lovely and welcoming. The facility is very basic. I don't mind basic but I like clean basic and this was not it.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

17 Jan 2026

Annie

Very helpful staff. Good location at 5mn walk from Intercity bus station and 8mn walk from Pak'N Save supermarket.

Self

4/10

Poor

11 Jan 2026

Ian

Rooms are as you would expect from a backpackers: very average. But wow, the amenities are great. Rockwall, movie room. If you are backpacking through Rotorua, definitly stay here.

Self

8/10

Excellent

02 Jan 2026

Anita

Great staff and clean room

10/10

Exceptional

06 Dec 2025

Aimee

Clean room, good amenities, fantastic hostel - and really lovely people!

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

25 Nov 2025

VALANI

A proximité boutiques et restauration c'était génial

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Oct 2025

Jesse

Clean room. Easy check in and friendly staff. Nice location in town

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 May 2025

Rocio

The staff is amazing and treats everyone like VIP! Clean and easy to move around the building. They are very organised. Close to everything!

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

25 Apr 2025

Satish

No parking, no lifts, mostly suitable for backpacker groups. The property is well inside a building complex , have to walk some distance by carrying luggage. Window view is adjacent buildings. Pricey for the facilities. However the property was clean.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

09 Apr 2025

Andrea

I had a great stay here! I love that there are sloped ramps instead of stairs up. There were 3 bunks in my room and 2 single twin beds! I enjoyed a night of not having anyone above or close to me! Staff was super friendly. Lots of supplies in the kitchen for cooking. Walking distance to the Polynesian Spa. Overall loved my stay here!!

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

28 Feb 2025

Yi Yue

A group was having late party on our floor even there was a quiet hour rule. There was a number to call but we did not know. Room doesn’t have dryer so I used the one in the shared bathroom. Be aware that there is no AC but a fan in the room. Shower is also small. Everything else was great. There is entertainment inside and local discounts

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

26 Dec 2024

Vedant Ulhas

Booked a private room in this hostel. The property was clean, the bed was comfortable. Please note this doesn’t have air conditioning but does have heater as well as a fan. Parking was easy. Satisfied with the stay otherwise given the price.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Dec 2024

Kaji

Clean. Staff are great people.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

27 Nov 2024

MANAVJOT

This was my first staying in a hostel and I had a great time. The room was super tidy. The staff is great and super helpful.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

26 Nov 2024

Patricia

Lovely staff and very clean

8/10

Excellent

08 Nov 2024

Oliver

Blanket could be better quality

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

19 Oct 2024

Hans

Central location.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

30 Sep 2024

Lee

Good.

6/10

Pleasant

05 May 2024

Tania

The staff member who greeted me was amazing he was so helpful and enthusiatic I would return purely becasue of the servie he provided. I know it was Rotorua but in the area near the kitchen it smelted like people had not showered for weeks were in the rooms and the carpet and kitchen floors were dirty and I did not want to walk around in barefeet.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

24 Apr 2024

Sharon

Centrally located so great for getting around. Friendly and helpful staff, helpful about providing bus information etc. Luggage storage in a locked room. Lots of kitchens and lounges. I had a private room with ensuite which was fine, a bit basic but everything I needed. Only thing I didn't like was that the bed linen was very pilly which was a bit uncomfortable.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

09 Apr 2024

CHANG

Atendimento excelente, o menino esqueci o nome nos atendeu muito bem, o hotel tem excelente localização, o banheiro e o quarto limpos, os móveis são velhos e a cozinha as panelas estavam muito enferrujadas…

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

06 Mar 2024

Abigail

Great location, good facilities. Not sure if i was off-season but it seems a very quiet hostel. Huge lounge/communal space on third floor. Women’s bathrooms have hairdryer and straighteners in them which is a nice touch. Free parking a short walk away. The top bunk bed did not have a bar or edge so may be an issue if you toss and turn in your sleep. Overall a great stay-I ended up staying here twice during my travels. The Lotus cage next door also does good breakfast.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

24 Feb 2024

Abigail

Great location. Plenty of facilities for number of guests that were staying while I was there, nothing felt crowded. Everything was clean. Big lockers to store your bags in which is good. Free parking a short walk away too!

10/10

Exceptional

15 Feb 2024

Kimberley

Rotorua is a pretty small town so you can walk to pretty much everywhere in the “downtown” area. Can walk to start your tours and shuttles within 5 minutes.

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

24 Dec 2023

Gurbir

Amazing

10/10

Exceptional

23 Dec 2023

Mike

The service is so good

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

16 Nov 2023

Callum

Private room was big with good facilities. Nice comfortable bed. Hostel itself is huge and has good common areas including a very big kitchen. Staff were friendly. In good location walking distance to bars, cafes etc.

Self

8/10

Excellent

26 Aug 2023

Yusei

Need some more outlets or extension cords in room

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

20 Aug 2023

Ichiro

Good

Comfortable .

Self

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jun 2023

Jordan

For anyone just looking for an affordable place to stay while in Rotorua and doesn't care about all the hotel-type \"luxuries\", this place is fantastic. Basically a nice, quiet small private room with bed and small table, and shared common facilities e.g. bathrooms, showers, kitchen, and rec room. As someone who was traveling solo and just looking for something cheap and close to downtown, and didn't plan on spending a whole lot of time at the hotel, this was absolutely it. The guy who checked me in at the front was incredibly nice and helpful about things to do in Rotorua and I enjoyed the general \"honor system\" type of culture toward respecting others in the shared spaces. Great vibes, lovely people, and nice and cheap. Towels are supplied but bring your own soap, toiletries, etc.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

16 May 2023

werapat

Very nice

10/10

Exceptional

04 Mar 2023

Martin

Great Hostel, would come again.

The hostel was great, the beds were comfy, it is centrally located and the staff were super helpful.
The bathrooms could be in better condition (they were clean), and the showers really need a place to hold towels/ clothes.

Self

8/10

Excellent

10 Jan 2023

Janelle

We were a company of 2 and had a premium room which had a double and single bed. The beds were beautifully presented - as in a hotel. We were very grateful for the provided fan as no windows. An extension cord would have been an appreciated bonus. Since we were in the ‘group’ section, we did need to share the common spaces with a large, boisterous group which partied well into the night. The rooms are well insulated as we only heard the occasional ‘running through the hall’ . The kitchen appeared to be well equipped, good amount of seating and a lovely lounge area. Showers clean and facilities well kept. Great location. Free parking 6 pm - 9 am another bonus.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jan 2023

Raymark

Convenient at the heart of the city.

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

29 Nov 2022

Christopher

Not exactly the cleanest especially the showers and common area. The whole place needs a deep clean.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

18 Nov 2022

IEUFAKA

This establishment attracts a wide range of guests which makes for a very pleasant experience. Staff are very customer service oriented and the vibe is consumer friendly. I will return to stay here on future journeys to Rotorua NZ.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

12 Nov 2022

Verified traveler

Location okey but not really comfortable

The hostel location is good . I stayed in female dorm next to shower room , so much noise when people come and go .Also there is weird smell in the room; The pillow is too thin made my neck pain after two night stays .

8/10

Excellent

23 Oct 2022

Amy

The hostel is in a great location, close to the bus stop, the spa and plenty of bars and restaurants. Staff were really welcoming. The bed was comfortable but the room lacked any sockets near the bed and the curtain did not fit the window very well. I thought the kitchen could do with a deep clean and if the hostel is full you might be waiting to cook your dinner.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

08 Sep 2022

Siew Yan

It is at a centralised area where easy to access supermarkets and shopping.

10/10

Exceptional

07 Sep 2022

Kate

So much fun to have the climbing gym right there! I had a great stay and even booked an extra night because I was enjoying Rotorua so much. Very clean rooms and super friendly service, next time I'm back I know where I'm staying!

Leisure Self

4/10

Poor

11 Jul 2022

Verified traveler

Needs more cleaning

Room is so stinky. I can smell dried sweat all over the room, sofa. Carpet smells so bad too

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 May 2022

Bradley - Graham

Compliment

It was a Excellent ! stay for a break away from town

10/10

Exceptional

20 Feb 2022

Julie

Has cinema and rock climbing on site! Luggage storage available for short time on site. Great communal bathroom and kitchen facilities. And single rooms fantastic with opening window.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

17 Jan 2022

Evelyn

Good hostel for the money I've paid

The location is great walking distance to the I-Site and to the mall, there's Starbucks nearby too and Dunkin Donut just around the corner. The hostel room is big enough for two people and the bathroom as well is ok. Clean renovated room with new carpet or near new. We stayed for 4days and no cleaners to clean the room but it's alright we're not messy people. There was only one time there's a noise like moving furniture around late at night so not sure if that was a new arrival or somebody are living in this hostel. So far it's good for the money. There's also some activities for your kids to do like the rock climbing inside the hostel down below and a cinema too!

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

25 Dec 2021

Karyl

Awesome facility !

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

26 Jul 2021

Verified traveler

It was our first time ever staying in backpackers facility, however we weren't expecting 5 star, but it was okay. The only thing that we didn't like were the noise coming from the other rooms. Perhaps sound proof walls could accomodate this.

Leisure Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

07 Jun 2021

Verified traveler

Pillows were horrible, very thin and should have been at least 2 to double up on, four to a private bed room. We stayed long weekend so group of NZ sports team were staying & families, a lot of noise, would recommend they install soft closing doors to all rooms and also for security with private rooms, a latch as a simple single button door handle made you feel a little uneasy. Good location, parking available nearby but wouldn’t stay more than 1 night, after hours locked box was adequate. Kitchen had no windows so expect cooking smells to stay around or spread through the backpackers especially if groups cooking. Would of provided feedback to desk but no staff to be seen at checkout.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

05 Apr 2021

Verified traveler

Admin was very nice place was tidy the only thing was the visitors didnt understand stuff like the cooking of spicy or strong smelling food and people that were ignorant and being noisy while others was trying to rest

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

03 Jan 2021

Verified traveler

The location is good although the facilities are not up to the standard.

Leisure Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

11 Dec 2020

Verified traveler

En suite twin room

The room was larger than we expected. The bathroom was great, the beds were comfy and the hostel is in a great location.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jul 2020

Verified traveler

Great service. Great set up. Bedding ,towels, tea coffee milk and jug in our room.

Business Friends

8/10

Excellent

10 Mar 2020

Verified traveler

very much what i expected from a backpackers but the staff were very nice and helpful.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

04 Jan 2020

Verified traveler

Rock claiming wall is interesting. Real highlight is movie theatre downstairs

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

21 Dec 2019

Jin

the stay would be better if there is a TV in the room and the Wifi does not interrupted at night (have to re-connected in the morning in poor signal env)

Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Dec 2019

Verified traveler

Central location and internal climbing wall. Kitchen ok very warm as it an internal room

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

13 Jul 2019

J

Room was slightly musky, no power socket near bed, only on the other side. extension cable provided but wasn’t long enough to make it half way. Toilet cleanliness average.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

29 Jun 2019

Lucy

Recommend to stay here

Hostel was really nice, good kitchen area with everything you need and lounge area was nice to relax in. They also have table tennis and you can watch people on the rock climbing wall. I stayed in a 4 bed female dorm with 2 single beds and a bunk bed. Super comfortable bed with a heater in the room which is great for this time of year. Only downfall was that there isn’t WiFi in the rooms and you have to sit in the communal area to use it. Great location though. Would return!

4/10

Poor

02 Jun 2019

Verified traveler

Good location and friendly staff but dirty sheets and poor WiFi.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

05 May 2019

Verified traveler

Chose to stay in Rock Solid Backpackers Rotorua due to its close proximity to i-SITE and Hobbiton Tours pick-up / drop off points. Generally the stay was satisfactory except that the wifi connection was poor in the room and there was only one soap dispenser next to the basin (none in the shower).

Family

4/10

Poor

25 Apr 2019

Sean

The area of the city was convenient however the cleanliness at times was questioned. Improvements can be made.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Apr 2019

Lynn

Spacious room, convenient location, well equipped kitchen and helpful staff. Wifi a little bit poor in the room.

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

23 Apr 2019

HONG WA

Okay for 1 night, but nthg more

Great location, friendly staff.
But the place doesn’t look exactly like the photos. The photos obviously looked much brighter than reality. (The kitchen looked depressing...)
The wifi in our room didn’t work during our whole stay (2 nights) Bathroom was so-so, it’s not dirty, but it doesn’t look clean either.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

19 Mar 2019

Verified traveler

Need to improve

Staff is friendly and helpful. Bathroom and toilet are not clean. Wall is thin... so you can hear people's talking on the corridor and/or the room next to you.

8/10

Excellent

24 Dec 2018

Verified traveler

The hostel is quite nice. Facilities are clean and comfortable. Curtains in the room are not too good.

10/10

Exceptional

23 Dec 2018

Verified traveler

Really nice room, tidy kitchen, but wold love to have a better jag, as it was small and broken.

6/10

Pleasant

06 Dec 2018

KK

Need to climb a couple of stairs to get to my room.

8/10

Excellent

18 Nov 2018

Junpeng

Just so so. It is bigger than most other hostels.But the room is too small for 6 beds.I can’t say more accord to the price. Just one night, you can have a try,

10/10

Exceptional

17 Nov 2018

PM

Right in the CBD of Rotorua, this facility is clean and walkable. Amenities work well. From 9 AM to 5 PM, free parking is a block away, from 5 PM to 9 AM free parking is right out in front of the facility. Staff is great, security is good and common rooms are clean and well maintained. We’d be pleased to stay there again.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

21 Oct 2018

Verified traveler

Good Backpacker's hostel. Well-located : close to lot of restaurants, bars, spa... The staff is professional and kind.

8/10

Excellent

06 Oct 2018

Colette

Decent no-frills stay

Location was ideal. Place was mostly clean but could use a freshening up. There is a lack of windows in the common areas which makes it seem drearier. Very cool looking rock climbing wall. We had a private ensuite and we slept well. Bathroom was clean.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

08 Aug 2018

Verified traveler

One of the top choices among backpackers in NZ

Clean and quiet room. Friendly staff and the place is friendly to disabled people, no stairs to climb. Right in middle of city centre. Large kitchen with fully equipped facilities. Plenty of showers and toilets provided. Good wifi reception in common areas. Easy access to anywhere.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jun 2018

LiLiane

Great hostel in towne centre

This was one of the best hostels! Stayed three nights. Super close to everything and in the heart of towne! A five to seven minutes walk everywhere especially to Polynesian Spa. Staff is great---thank you to Chloe for her going above and beyond!!!

***LOCKERS ARE HUGE. Literally, two people can stand inside one (not that we tried)! My huge suitcase fit, as did my carry on and a bunch of other bags! Hostel offers lots of discounts to excursions around towne.

10/10

Exceptional

13 May 2018

Verified traveler

Lovely facilities, friendly staff

Love the many facilities that are available, such as the pool table, and table tennis table!

10/10

Exceptional

07 May 2018

Glenn

Modern and comfortable hostel.

Very comfortable hostel. I stay here annually when I run the Rotorua half marathon.

8/10

Excellent

03 May 2018

Melissa

Other than only have one outlet area in the room, my stay was very pleasant. Everyone was welcoming and friendly and it was very easy to walk to many places throughout the city.

8/10

Excellent

25 Apr 2018

Verified traveler

Social atmosphere and in the heart of Rotorua. The common area is on a different floor than the rooms, so should not disturb anyone's sleep, and the common area is fairly active. Would stay here again.

8/10

Excellent

14 Apr 2018

Christopher

Nice place

It has a good location close to the bus pick ups and to the supermarket, room was big enough and comfortable, the have ping pong and pool table at reception in case u are bored.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

10 Mar 2018

adri

Great place, central and spacious rooms!

I stayed in a 4 bed dorm and loved it! The lockers were huge, making the room much easier to stay de cluttered. It was also very central to Rotorua, and the staff were awesome! Kitchen was also clean, overall a great stay

8/10

Excellent

03 Mar 2018

Patti

Great location

This was my first experience staying in a hostel. I stayed in a 4 bed dorm.The walls are very thin as you could hear the people in the next room.The staff was incredible..very helpful and greeted you by name when they saw you.The hostel is right in the middle of city center.Great area to relax in the lounge..play pool, pingpong or watch people climb the rockwall.

8/10

Excellent

02 Mar 2018

Brian

Solid hostel with awesome staff

Very central location. That's great for shopping but less great if you're woken at 2.15am by the drunk dude in the street professing his love for some woman he just met. And then the 5am rubbish truck etc (But the hostel has loads of ear plugs for you)

Staff are super, super helpful and friendly. 5 gold stars for them.

Hostel is safe, decently clean throughout (the bathrooms can get a bit well...you know), large kitchen with good equipment. Rooms are clean and comfortable. Some lockers so bring a padlock.

6/10

Pleasant

01 Mar 2018

Rick

2 nights in Rotorua

I booked a private double room with bathroom to save some money on a hotel. I've stayed in plenty of hostels before (including on this trip) but there is not anything exciting about this one (except perhaps the indoor rock climbing). The room is large enough but with just a basic double sized bed (no fridge, tv etc). The bathroom is modern but was dirty when we checked in (skidmarks, grime and pubic hairs on/in the toilet; the shower screen has so much soap scum you can't see through the glass and the frames are mouldy. We were informed of daily housekeeping. Housekeeping entered our room (without knocking) to our surprise. We told them we would leave so they could clean, so we left and returned after 5 hours - room hadn't been touched. The reception girl apologised and told me that the room is only cleaned after we check out - if that's the case then why did housekeeping enter the room?

The room is quite pricey by hostel standards so I would recommend paying the extra and getting an actual motel/hotel room if you want something private.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

11 Jan 2018

Caroline

Fine

Fine for a hostel. Needs more fridge space! And our room was very, very hot and the windows barely opened, so it wasn’t very pleasant in the early evening.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

30 Dec 2017

Verified traveler

Great hostel in Rotorua

Great staff, clean room, good use of lobby as a game room and laptop lounge. Kitchen was large. All day parking is 2 blocks away, but overnight parking is only good until 7 or 8 am (public).

10/10

Exceptional

08 Dec 2017

Linda

Great place as we were within walking distance of everything.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

06 Dec 2017

Shannon

Modern prison

Felt like a prison. They need to work on having more late lounges since their wofo doesn't work in our rooms

10/10

Exceptional

27 Nov 2017

Verified traveler

Fantastic hostel

Really great place to stay, literally has everything you need! Roomy, plenty of lounge areas, big kitchen and great WiFi.

8/10

Excellent

08 Nov 2017

Nuno

A well organized hostel

The hostel was well organized, centrally located near everything, and had small details that make the difference between caring for your customers or not. I would stay here on a next trip.

10/10

Exceptional

02 Sep 2017

TomCeratops

Amazing Hostel Experience!!!

We got a double ensuite room and it was amazing! There were very few rooms around ours and it was really quiet for a hostel. The beds were comfy and the bathroom was nice and big. The kitchen is great and has newer appliances and cookware. I couldn't have asked for a better location in town and it was within walking distance of everything you could ever need. The breakfast place right next door (Lotus Cafe) had an amazing bacon and egg breakfast for only $9.50 NZD and we ate there every morning. It had a bar, cinema and rock climbing wall under the hostel. Truly the ultimate backpackers hostel especially for a pair!

8/10

Excellent

15 Jul 2017

Junkey

Rotorua July 2017

We booked a twin room with attached toilet. Very conveniently located and close to EAT street. Receptionist is very helpful in answering our queries. Value for money.

Family

8/10

Excellent

12 Mar 2017

Terianne

Overall a great hostel. The staff is very helpful and friendly, they even loaned me an umbrella at no charge.

The room I was in was very comfortable and spacious, especially for a hostel. I didn't feel crowded in for the first time. I love the big locker space where I could actually fit my carry-on luggage and my backpack. The rooms were clean and having a light above the bed is very helpful.

The bathroom and showers were clean and kept up well and the living room space was big and spacious, with a cool view of the rock climbers next door.

I have 2 small issues with this place. I arrived very late to Rotorua and I couldn't check in here because they close the front desk at 10pm. This forced me to booked another hostel nearby that was 24 hrs. I was of course not happy about this, and I was charged that first night even though I could not check in and had to pay double that night.

My other complaint is that the walls are very thin. I had a room right next to the women's bathroom and it would slam open and shut all day long. At night when you're sleeping this can definitely wake you up. I could also hear the floor above me. I could hear people moving around and luggage rolling on the floor. It's possible the place is also very echoey, which is why I could hear it all, but I did wake up on occasion.

Other than those things, I enjoyed staying at this hostel a lot. I would recommend this place to others.

10/10

Exceptional

11 Feb 2017

Verified traveler

Staff were helpful. Big kitchen and dining area. Toilets are located across 2 floors with a ramp to go between levels. Hostel is in a great location within Rotorua. Nice lounge areas within hostel with many things to do.

Family

8/10

Excellent

10 Jan 2017

Verified traveler

good budget hostel

very secure place with different keys to enter the room and building. the room is spacious and clean, the ensuite bathroom has a hot water and work well.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

10 Dec 2016

Heather

Clean Hostel in good location

Staff was friendly and helpful, room and bathrooms clean and was pretty quiet when we stayed.

8/10

Excellent

21 Nov 2016

Nathan

Adequate Stay