Happy Apple Backpackers

Hostel

Stumbled across this page whilst reminiscing! My husband and I have fond memories of managing this place back in the day when we were travellers. Lovely to see it still going strong.

RUDE STAFF! AVOID GOING! I'm giving this horrible place one star only because a rank of zero stars isn't possible. Be sure to wipe your dishes with a towl after washing them, or else the staff would scream at you for "leaving the kitchen dirty" even if you did an honest mistake. My two friends and I just finished a 5 day hike in the Nelson Lakes national preserve. We cooked dinner, ate, and wash the dishes. Just when we got ready to go to bed, the bizzar saga begun. Thr female manager accused me personally for leaving the kitchen dirty after she "saw it in the cameras" (The staff actually looks in the cameras every night when the kitchen isn't left clean in order to find the "suspects" and either scream at them or kick them out of the hostel). When I said it's not true, they took me to the main office and THE MALE MANAGER ALMOST PHYSICALLY ATTACKED me while questioning me about "how on earth was I so rude for not wiping the dishes". When I said it was an honest mistake leaving the dishes washed clean to dry on the bench and that I'm not used to wiping stuff because in my country we have a dish stand (where dishes are left to dry), the man yelled "WELL YOU'RE NOT IN YOUR COUNTRY". They accused Asians (I'm not Asian) for "always leaving the dishes unwiped". They said they spent 16 years living in Asia — if that's true then don't be surprised when people aren't used to drying their dishes! This was just a tip of the edge in this bizzar one hour saga.

I recently stayed here with my 4 kids (under 5 years of age) and it was THE BEST! It was well organized and comforting. I would definitely recommend this place AND come again.

Shity place where you have to pay 10 dollar for stay in the hostel after your stay.

Nice environment，many facilities for leisure, big kitchen and enough kitchenware, but the rooms are not really soundproofed, it’s annoying once you had noisy neighbors.

Best Backpacker Hostel. Have all what do you wish. Nice Night sky.

Hostel dirty and staff infects! Very bad experience.

A very bad experience!
The owners were extremely incorrect. Moreover, we discovered on arrival that backpackers-workers such as us, slept in tents (while we had booked for a double room)! Nothing more enjoyable after a day of work, especially when the nights are very cool… As for the common rooms, they were invaded by the flies.
To top it off, the hostel is 20 minutes walk from the city center.
We were going to stay there for two weeks. We held seven days. It was out of the question to stay another week in this place!

Very nice&clean place for ppl to stay. Really impressed with it.

+ very nice common areas + good kitchen + helpful staff + good Wi-Fi — crappy mattress.

Our family loved our stay! Thanks team! Great, clean facilities! Very accomdating!

Very accommodating, in spite of mistakes by Hostel World. Lovely space, great facilities, good location, great advice.

Cool Accommodation in Motueka. Free WI-FI, large Kitchen, pool table, Washer, Dryer. Everything a good Hostel needs. There is also a large Garden that invites you to relax.
The Staff were friendly and helpful at all Times.

Best hostel I have stayed in in New Zealand! Excellent atmosphere, clean, spacious and Kelly and Craig the owners are wonderful. Will definitely be back!

Beds not very comfortable but sheets, large kitchen, games on the spot. Bathroom OK. Quite poorly soundproof as bcp of hostels.

Really well run hostel, beautiful garden, great facilities, free bike rental and clean throughout and just a general nice feel. Thanks.

Real hostel feeling, like music, fun, game consols, pool table, guys from around the world, but without the downsides. Its clean, even paper in the loo, confy beds, friendly staff, cool vibes. :)

Kelly the host is awesome friendly atmosphere.

We were very impressed with the facilities and rooms here. Kelly was very obliging to any thing we needed and made us feel very welcome. Will definitely be coming back again :)

Beautiful hostel. Awesome outdoor space. Garden with fresh greens and the owners have us a few eggs from the chickens. Great, clean, big kitchen. We camped here for two nights and absolutely loved our stay!

Place is nice and rooms are ok. Recommend for a quick stop. Owners are great people.

A well kept backpackers with decent private rooms and clean bathrooms (note that the bathrooms are unisex)

We had a very pleasant stay at happy apple in a double room. Very friendly staff and e extremely cool atmosphere among guests in kitchen and garden.

Clean room, kitchen and bathrooms. You can take free bike to the town (10 mins ride). Lovely stuff.

Amazing experience. Really welcoming host and a tidy place. Camped there on the grounds but has access to facilities. Probably one of the only backpackers with a spa.

Nice hostel run by a lovely, very friendly couple. Positives: Free spa/hot tub, open fire place, cosy outdoor area, large garden with unmarked tent sites, lots of parking spaces and free unlimited Wi-Fi, very reasonably priced, ping pong table, living room with pool table and X-Box. Negatives: Could use more washing machines and dryers and some extra sinks in the kitchen.

Stayed here for 2+ months way back in 2014, the owners made it a very tolerable place to work and base myself. 2 mile walk to the supermarket, bikes provided if you want them. Lots of space, Wi-Fi was adequate, kitchen was clean and rooms were warm and comfortable. Many friends and memories acquired here, as well as a foul taste for apple picking.

Big place, many people, good Wi-Fi.

Very good hostel. Resourcing especially when you compare the price with other hostel of the same quality.

Super clean, tidy and organised hostel with spacious communal areas, lovely management and extremely comfortable mattresses also a TV in the double rooms and fast Wi-Fi is a bonus! Up there with one of the best hostels I have stayed in!

I called this place thinking it is a working hostel and asked if they have any availability. The people were incredibly unfriendly and insulted me on the phone, even though I was pleasant and only enquired about their place. So if you want a nice place to stay and possibly work rather stay away from this one.

Feb-2011. We stayed here for a couple of nights and enjoyed our stay. It was pretty far (5km? ) from Motueka city centre but wasn't a problem for us because we had bikes. There was a nice covered area to eat and we ate some of the best indian food that we got from one of the places in town. I think they also have a few lender bikes that people can take into town or to work in the fruit orchards near by. Also be prepared to meet a few people who have been staying there for a while because there is a large fruit picking industry in the area for travelers.