Based by the Lake - Hostel

2.0 star property
Lakefront hostel in Taupo with restaurant and bar/lounge

Choose dates to view prices

Photo gallery for Based by the Lake - Hostel

Restaurant
Basic Triple Room | Bathroom
Deluxe Double or Twin Room
Restaurant
Interior

Reviews

7.4 out of 10
Good
Nestled by the lake, Based by the Lake - Hostel offers a warm and lively atmosphere with laundry facilities, a bar, and restaurant. Take advantage of in-room WiFi to plan your next adventure like hiking or skydiving nearby. With helpful staff on hand and amenities such as billiards/pool table plus luggage storage you're sure to feel right at home.

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • Laundry facilities
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant

Main amenities (11)

  • Daily housekeeping
  • Restaurant and bar/lounge
  • Front-desk safe
  • ATM/banking services
  • Vending machine
  • Microwave in a common area
  • Refrigerator in a common area
  • Self-serve laundry
  • Free newspapers in the lobby
  • Luggage storage
  • Hiking/biking trails

Feel at home (4)

  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Laundry facilities
  • Elevator

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 4 of 4 rooms

Basic Triple Room

Highlights

Heating
Refrigerator
Private bathroom
Cookware/dishes/utensils
Toaster
Shared/communal kitchen
Stovetop
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bunk Bed

Double Room

Highlights

Heating
Refrigerator
LCD TV
Private bathroom
Cookware/dishes/utensils
Toaster
Shared/communal kitchen
Stovetop
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

Deluxe Double or Twin Room

Highlights

Heating
Refrigerator
LCD TV
Private bathroom
Cookware/dishes/utensils
Toaster
Shared/communal kitchen
Stovetop
  • Lake view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed OR 2 Twin Beds

Shared Dormitory

Highlights

Heating
Refrigerator
Private bathroom
Cookware/dishes/utensils
Toaster
Shared/communal kitchen
Stovetop
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed
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About the area

Map
7 Tuwharetoa Street, Taupo, North Island, 3330

What's nearby

  • Taupo i-SITE Visitor Information Centre - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Taupo Museum and Art Gallery - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Taupo Marina and Boat Ramp - 6 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Spa Thermal Park - 4 min drive - 3.0 km
  • Taupo Hot Springs - 6 min drive - 4.2 km

Getting around

  • Taupo (TUO) - 12 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Malabar Beyond India - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪Dixie Brown's - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪Kfc - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪Vine Eatery & Bar - ‬1 min walk

About this property

Based by the Lake - Hostel

Based by the Lake - Hostel offers a great location, putting you within just a 10-minute walk of Lake Taupo. Guests looking for a bite to eat can check out the restaurant, and the bar/lounge is the perfect spot to grab a drink at the end of the day. Fellow travelers say great things about the helpful staff.

Languages

English

At a glance

DONE

Hotel size

    • 34 rooms
DONE

Arriving/Leaving

    • Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime
    • Contactless check-in available
    • Minimum check-in age: 18
    • Check-out time is 10:00 AM
    • Contactless check-out available
DONE

Special check-in instructions

    • The front desk is open Sunday - Thursday (8:00 AM - 5:00 PM) and Friday - Saturday (8:00 AM - 5:00 AM)
    • Guests will receive smart lock details
DONE

Required at check-in

    • Credit card, debit card, or cash deposit required for incidental charges
    • Government-issued photo ID may be required
    • Minimum check-in age is 18
DONE

Children

    • No cribs (infant beds)
DONE

Pets

    • Pets not allowed
    • Service animals welcome
WIFI

Internet

    • Free WiFi in public areas
    • Free WiFi in rooms
LOCAL_PARKING

Parking

    • No onsite parking
DONE

Other information

    • Designated smoking areas

Property amenities

Food and drink

  • Restaurant
  • Bar/lounge
  • Shared microwave
  • Shared refrigerator

What to do

  • Hiking/biking trails
  • Skydiving
  • Pool table
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Horse riding nearby
  • Skiing nearby
  • Scooter/moped rentals nearby
  • Hot springs nearby

Services

  • Laundry facilities
  • Free newspapers in lobby
  • Luggage storage

Facilities

  • ATM/banking
  • Safe-deposit box at front desk

Accessibility

  • Elevator
  • Wheelchair-accessible path of travel
  • Wheelchair-accessible public washroom
  • Wheelchair-accessible path to elevator
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk
  • Wheelchair-accessible restaurant
  • Visual alarms in hallways
  • Handrails in stairways
  • Well-lit path to entrance

Room amenities

Home comfort

  • Heating

Sleep well

  • Bed sheets provided

Freshen up

  • Shower only

Stay connected

  • Free WiFi

Food and drink

  • Refrigerator
  • Shared kitchen access
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster
  • Cookware, dishes, and utensils

More

  • Daily housekeeping
  • Cleaning supplies

Fees & policies

Policies

Guests can rest easy knowing there's a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, and a first aid kit on site.
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards and cash.
Credit cards accepted: Visa, Mastercard
Cashless transactions are available.

Also known as

Based by the Lake
Based By The Lake Hostel Taupo
Based by the Lake - Hostel Taupo
Based by the Lake - Hostel Hostel/Backpacker accommodation
Based by the Lake - Hostel Hostel/Backpacker accommodation Taupo

Frequently asked questions

Does Based by the Lake - Hostel offer free cancellation for a full refund?

Yes, Based by the Lake - Hostel does have fully refundable room rates available to book on our site. If you’ve booked a fully refundable room rate, this can be cancelled up to a few days before check-in depending on the property's cancellation policy. Just make sure to check this property's cancellation policy for the exact terms and conditions.

Are pets allowed at Based by the Lake - Hostel?

Sorry, pets aren't allowed, but service animals are welcome.

Is parking offered on site at Based by the Lake - Hostel?

Sorry, there's no onsite parking at Based by the Lake - Hostel.

What are the check-in and check-out times at Based by the Lake - Hostel?

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime. Check-out time is 10:00 AM. Contactless check-in and check-out are available.

What is there to do at Based by the Lake - Hostel and nearby?

Have fun with onsite activities like skydiving and hiking. Additional recreation nearby includes hot springs and ecotours.

Are there restaurants at or near Based by the Lake - Hostel?

Yes, there's an onsite restaurant.

What's the area around Based by the Lake - Hostel like?

Based by the Lake - Hostel is in Taupō Central, a short 8-minute walk from Lake Taupo and 6 minutes' walk from Taupo Marina and Boat Ramp.

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Reviews

7.4

Good

7.8/10

Cleanliness

8.2/10

Staff & service

7.2/10

Amenities

7.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

7.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Popular mentions

Room
Service staff
Location
Lobby
View
Elevator
Refrigerator
Parking
Shower
Towns

Reviews

4/10 Fair

Convenience the only reason we stayed here

We stayed here last year and booked again well ahead of time and were given a room on the noisy side and up on the top floor and the lift only goes to the first floor, it's got more run down since our last stay, no knob on toilet cistern, no teaspoons, no plug for hand basin and kitchen very rough
4-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

2/10 Poor

I don't recommend staying here at all. The noise from other rooms (slamming doors, thin walls) and the noise from outside make for an awful stay. If you do decide to come here, bring earplugs or construction headphones. Even then you'll be vibrated out of your bed. The facilities are sparse and dirty. The kitchen is grimy, disgusting, and missing chairs. Almost all the plastic chairs for the balcony are missing a leg or are completely broken. Sparrows are regularly flying in and out of the kitchen to pick away at breadcrumbs, and leaving birdpoop behind: on the tables, on the counters. We will never return here.
Myrthe, 2-night romance trip
Verified Lastminute guest review

10/10 Exceptional

Good service
Nicholas, 3-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review

6/10 Good

It is good the price we paid for. It’s noisy and small room with bathroom which was nice and clean. Its value for money, no complaints!
Raman, 1-night family trip
Verified Expedia guest review

10/10 Exceptional

Jemma, 1-night trip
Verified Wotif guest review

6/10 Good

Property was fine, room was clean and was fine. What I didn't like much was the kitchenette as the fridges weren't completely clean.
Liliana, 1-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review

10/10 Exceptional

2-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

10/10 Exceptional

Emma, 1-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review

6/10 Good

Melanie, 4-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

4/10 Fair

The windows in our room were left open and the ceiling was covered in sandflies because of this. The room smelled quite bad, and there were no forks or spoons available to use in the kitchen.
Jenna, 1-night romance trip
Verified Expedia guest review

10/10 Exceptional

Everything was perfect
Satbir, 1-night trip with friends
Verified Expedia guest review

10/10 Exceptional

Easy access to the township. An affordable stay, great value for money.
Jackie, 2-night family trip
Verified Wotif guest review

10/10 Exceptional

Very central, easy parking and good service
Rose, 1-night romance trip
Verified Expedia guest review

2/10 Poor

Erick, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

8/10 Very good

There were a couple of things that we didn’t enjoy about staying here, and that was the loud music and noise coming from the nightclub over the road, and the squeaky floor boards upstairs, when people walked up & down the corridor during the night, apart from that, everything else was ok.
Donna, 1-night romance trip
Verified Lastminute guest review

10/10 Exceptional

all good , but loud til 2 am on friday saturday
patrick, 5-night trip
Verified Orbitz guest review

10/10 Exceptional

priscilla, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

8/10 Very good

Very basic but all that we needed. We had an amazing view of lake and everything right at our doorstep. Only drawbacks were that there was no fridge in the room, the plumbing from the room next door was very noisy and there is no lift (we were on the third floor). All in all it was good value for money and suited our budget.
Wendy, 2-night romance trip
Verified Expedia guest review

8/10 Very good

The hostel was pretty much ok. I had a private room and it was like a hotel room. The kitchen was a little bit run down but ok. Unfortunately was my room close to the main AC or something very noisy during the whole night.
Sabine, 1-night trip
Verified Wotif guest review

6/10 Good

Noise from pub below until after midnight. Then street cleaning noises in early morning meant we didn't get a good night's sleep.
Chesson, 1-night romance trip
Verified Lastminute guest review

2/10 Poor

The booking was cancelled by the hostel. They advised the room booked was not available and the reception is not staffed after 10 pm despite it being listed as staffed from 8am- 5am
Karl, 1-night trip
Verified Wotif guest review

8/10 Very good

Good place to stay in an excellent location. Ear plugs are included in room and were needed due to street party noise
Tony, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

10/10 Exceptional

Awesome location

Awesome location with everything you need
Helen, 2-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

10/10 Exceptional

Close & easy

A 2 night stay for the Taupō Summer Concert. A perfect place to stay as parked the car. & left it for the weekend as everything was walkable.
Broken fan base
View from our balcony in 305
Helen, 2-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

8/10 Very good

Samara, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review