With a stay at Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers, you'll be centrally located in Wellington, steps from Wellington Central Business District and a short 2-minute drive from Te Papa. .This hostel is 1.4 mi (2.3 km) from Interislander Ferry Terminal and 0.1 mi (0.2 km) from Lambton Quay.
Wellington Central Business District - 2 min walk - 0.1 miles
Lambton Quay - 2 min walk - 0.1 miles
Archives New Zealand - 3 min walk - 0.2 miles
Beehive - 5 min walk - 0.3 miles
TSB Bank Arena - 8 min walk - 0.5 miles
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
Sir Breadwins - 6 min walk
The Old Bailey - 5 min walk
Flamingo Joe's Bar & Eatery - 3 min walk
About this property
Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers
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 transportation
No onsite 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.
Elevator
Front entrance ramp
Well-lit path to entrance
Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
Wheelchair-accessible lounge
Wheelchair-accessible path to elevator
Wheelchair-accessible public washroom
Wheelchair-accessible restaurant
More
Art Deco architecture
Smoking not allowed
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
Property 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
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
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
7.4
Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers 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. 243 out of 1002 reviews
10 - Excellent
243
Rating 8 - Good. 404 out of 1002 reviews
8 - Good
404
Rating 6 - Okay. 222 out of 1002 reviews
6 - Okay
222
Rating 4 - Poor. 74 out of 1002 reviews
4 - Poor
74
Rating 2 - Terrible. 59 out of 1002 reviews
2 - Terrible
59
7.6/10
Cleanliness
8.0/10
Staff & service
7.0/10
Amenities
6.8/10
Property conditions & facilities
Reviews
Verified
8/10 Good
Lisa
Mar 1, 2026
Excellent location, will stay again if in Wellington
Great location. Secure room. Room was clean even though some aspects dated - carpet buckled. Window in bathroom could not close - was tied in place with a shoelace. When a cold wind was blowing, the bathroom was very cold.
Elaine
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2026
Verified
8/10 Good
Ken
Aug 21, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Excellent location… right across the street from the RR station