Tuatara Lodge

Wonderfull, friendly and very helpful staff. Nice soft beds after 4 months of hiking with great hot showers, washing machines on each floor and a restaurant and cafe open early for breakfast and late to celebrate complicating your te araroa hike. definitely recommend a night or two.

Had checked out the rooms the day prior to staying.Had hoped to stay 4 nights. One was even 2 many. Paid 90$ for a private double bed room shower etc across the hall Mattress was soft, room Spartan Shocked to find no tea bags,no coffee,or sugar in kitchen to make a cup of tea even. No soap dispenser or soap dish in shower cubicle unit.Door would not lock either. Worst of all the coffee shop opens at 7 At 6-45 exactly I woke to the noise of pop music playing in the coffee shop.I could not get back to sleep.How stupid can staff be knowing people want to sleep ie being on holiday till maybe 7-45 or 8 .Mad system

A spotlessly clean hostel. It felt recently refurbished. The bathrooms were very clean and modern. The kitchen/dining was great, huge, clean and full of light. The whole place felt big and spacious. I got a double room which was $90 and then a backpacker dorm room the following night. I was surprised at how large, modern and nice the place was. The double room bed felt like a fancy hotel one. The rooms overlook the street which was very busy and noisy, but they have installed double windows which cuts the noise down significantly and also keeps the room warmer. They also offer earplugs when you check in. We got warned that it was party season and there would also be noise from the cafe next door. I didn’t notice it much - I don’t think they can do much about the noise other than what they have done - the double windows are genius. The reception/cleaning lady was lovely! Absolutely no complaints about the place. Having stayed in dozens of NZ backpackers it’s one of the nicest. The cafe next door was also good quality, large and spacious.

The facility has three floors which are comprised of dorms, single rooms, ensuites and other rooms. It includes a kitchen and TV room (TV wasn't working when I visited) on the second floor, rooms, a courtyard and onsite restaurant/cafe at ground level and laundry rooms on first floor. At check-in you are given a swipe card which enables you to enter the facility and your allocated room. There is no curfew at the facility so you can just come and go as you please. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay here and would recommend this place to others looking for somewhere to stay in Invercargill

The lodge was excellent value. Staff were friendly. And very helpfull. Would recommend it to all travelers who go to invercargaill. It's in the town center with easy access to transport. Clean an secure. Great place to stay while in invercargail.

I stayed in a dorm room which was clean and well laid out. The staff were very friendly. It’s a good stop over location when travelling. Parking not the easiest as I could find free parking but not overly expensive.

I have never ever seen such a clean n tidy backpacker lodge like this. I’m travelling with my family’s n small baby. Really nice reception also the owner. Staff member also very nice n kind with the guest. Hope all the best.

From the moment we arrived we had a bad feel for this place. The front door was locked at 3pm. We had to wait in the cafe for someone to see to us. There was this smell about the place. The place was so cold, not just the temperature but the a**osphere too. The heater in the room did not heat the room at all, kept it on all night and still not warm, slept with 2 duvets still cold all night. No heating in the corridors, I did try to turn it on but nothing. The lounge on floor 1 if you put the kettle and microwave on it trips the electricity so had to take my half cooked porridge upstairs kitchen. What is it with people leaving windows open, it is freezing outside! The fire door in the kitchen on level 2 did not close. We left after one night couldn't bear to stay for the 2nd night we had booked. We had loud music starting at 10pm that vibrated through the floor. Only good thing was the pizzas and beer in the cafe downstairs.

Ordered a beer and sat down to do some computer work. The bar manager came up and pulled my laptop plug out of the wall and said “we don’t allow charging here”…. in a travel lodge bar. How cheap can you get. I’ll take my $ somewhere else. AVOID.