Skip to main content
  1. Hotel reviews homepage
  2. New Zealand hotel reviews
  3. Auckland Region hotel reviews
  4. Auckland hotel reviews
  5. Reviews of Frienz Backpacker

Reviews of Frienz Backpacker 3 stars

27 Victoria Street East, 1010 Auckland, New Zealand

#172 of 202 hotels in Auckland

Guests' Choice

Review score

Based on 63 hostel reviews

6.4

Score breakdown

  • Cleanliness

    6.9

  • Comfort

    6.6

  • Location

    8.7

  • Facilities

    6.8

  • Staff

    8.1

  • Value for money

    6.9

  • Free WiFi

    8.1

100% verified reviews

Real guests. Real stays. Real opinions.

Read more- opens a dialog box
Write a review

Showing 1 – 25

  • Reviewed: 30 March 2025

    6.0
    Central low-budget option, not for the faint hearted
    • Business trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Bed in 4-Bed Female Dormitory Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Excellent location but premises are very run down. Mixed clientele with suggestion some are down at heel locals, not travellers. Inadequate security resulted in a ‘stray’ sleeping on the sofa in the common space.

    Stayed in March 2025

  • Reviewed: 25 January 2025

    5.0
    Alright for low cost last min option and short stay
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 4 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    No garlic or fish ruel. Drab communal area

    Big kitchen Slept well

    Stayed in January 2025

  • Reviewed: 17 November 2024

    7.0
    Good
    • Leisure trip
    • People with friends
    • Standard Twin Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Location was great. Room could have been cleaner. Generally it was okay and convenient. Staff were lovely.

    Stayed in November 2024

  • Reviewed: 25 June 2024

    5.0
    Thank you for keeping me safe
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Bed in 12-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room
    • Stayed 7 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    If drinking glass was available to use

    Location

    Stayed in June 2024

  • Reviewed: 4 June 2024

    5.0
    Stay is quite comfortable and bed sheet, pillow is clean.
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Bed in 12-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room
    • Stayed 7 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    I seem to like almost everything due to it's age. It's not to my standard i still like the place for it's age no complain, I feel comfortable.

    Stayed in June 2024

  • Reviewed: 26 March 2024

    5.0
    Passable
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Standard Twin Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Very noisy, the doors could only close when you banged them hard. Walls are paper-thin

    The location was good

    Stayed in March 2024

  • Reviewed: 17 March 2024

    7.0
    Well located hostel with good facilities.
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Bed in 12-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room
    • Stayed 1 night

    Very noisy outside (loud music) late into the night and early morning on Saturday night

    Tidy well presented rooms and facilities with plenty of space

    Stayed in March 2024

  • Reviewed: 28 January 2024

    7.0
    It was generally good and well organised, but there is room to improve.
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    No fly screen or air-conditioning in the private room, very noisy from the balcony

    Kind staffs, well organised kitchen and bathroom

    Stayed in January 2024

  • Reviewed: 12 July 2023

    5.0
    Passable
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Bed in 12-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Mattress very thin and bed squeaky. Not the most comfortable night sleep but for only all good!

    Quick to answer messages and location nice and central in Auckland CBD

    Stayed in July 2023

  • Reviewed: 1 July 2023

    5.0
    Passable
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Single Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    No good clean window and bad

    No

    Stayed in June 2023

  • Reviewed: 21 May 2023

    5.0
    D-rated accommodation but acceptable to those who know Auckland and what to expect
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Single Room
    • Stayed 1 night

    There's a lot that could be better but that would increase the cost to the client and I don't think it would bring in more customers due to its location, the basic furnishings, walls, bathroom, kitchen, etc As I said earlier, I did not expect more as I only wanted a 'cheap' night's accommodation so long as the premises were safe and certainly the lock on the bedroom door was very efficient.

    I did not expect the accommodation to be more than "fair" due to its location - there was a man lying in the doorway. I was pleased that I was able to be taken up to the 4th floor via lift even though it was after 6pm as I would not have managed the stairs. There was no towel offered or other facilities such as crockery/cutlery in the kitchen - or I couldn't find them! I had to call reception to locate the stairs down which I would come to leave the hostel at 8.30am - the operator was very helpful.

    Stayed in May 2023

  • Reviewed: 5 July 2022

    6.0
    Pleasant
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Bed in 6-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room
    • Stayed 3 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    is not a backpackers . the kitchen didn't have anything to use. was nit looking clean and is people long term living there. i wouldn't recommend for travellers. I had to leave as someone stole my stuff ,the Manager refunded the night and I moved

    the location

    Stayed in July 2022

  • Reviewed: 11 March 2025

    10
    Exceptional
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Bed in 12-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room
    • Stayed 5 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    No windows in room only door

    Got my own room

    Stayed in March 2025

  • Reviewed: 5 February 2025

    8.0
    Very good
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Economy Single Room
    • Stayed 5 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Busy noisy traffic but close to everything

    Location

    Stayed in February 2025

  • Reviewed: 14 November 2024

    3.0
    Felt unsafe and dirty
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Bed in 4-Bed Female Dormitory Room
    • Stayed 7 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Broken lift, place is run down, birds flying around the kitchen facilities and landing on all the surfaces, not enough cutlery, water leaking from the fridges and in the fridges, outside and inside of the building is seriously run down, the dorm I was in was next to the balcony where people smoked and chatted till the early hours. No where to hang your towels in room, needs lamps per bed. Way too pricey for facilities that were provided.

    Location and lots of space in rooms

    Stayed in November 2024

  • Reviewed: 9 August 2024

    3.0
    Poor
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Bed in 12-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room
    • Stayed 6 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    The place needs some money spending on it. The beds squeak like crazy and feel like they are about to fall apart. Was expecting hostel.vibes but there was no atmosphere and there was a significant proportion of the people staying there that made it feel like this was a half way house

    The price and the kitchen facilities

    Stayed in August 2024

  • Reviewed: 5 June 2024

    1.0
    Got multiple scam messages from their orginal booking.com system
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Bed in 12-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room
    • Stayed 3 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Got multiple scam messages, there need to focus on cybersecurity

    Stayed in May 2024

  • Reviewed: 10 March 2024

    3.0
    Never again, approach with care or desperation
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Economy Single Room
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Where do I start, people always seemed to be blocking the small doorway sitting on the steps making entrance difficult. At night not sure if a club to the right as it goes down stairs, so may be why people there at night. Reception on 1st floor I couldn’t see the directions easily. Lift to 4th floor only, my room on 5th floor next to roof terrace. No toilet/bathroom facilities on 5th floor, no security door to rooms other than room door. Although are security doors on other floors, I know this as had to use bathroom facilities on 4th floor and door is close at night so you have to use a code to gain entrance. Not the easiest thing to do in the early hours when your desperate for the toilet! Room consisted of a small metal bed, a side table and what looked like a small book case. One door may have lead to the terrace but it was locked. 3 temporary hooks on the door. Window cracked, could open but then you got the smoke from the terrace. Room not very clean, although bedding was. Ceiling light had the electric cover off!

    Location near park and art gallery not too far from harbour or sky tower

    Stayed in March 2024

  • Reviewed: 12 February 2024

    1.0
    Waste of money
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Bed in 4-Bed Female Dormitory Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    I wasn’t allowed to enter due to an invalid ID. I had only an 18+ card which is normally accepted but here I was turned away. I wasted $100 on money I couldn’t afford to spend to be turned away. If it wasn’t for the kindness of a friend I would’ve been homeless. No refund either. Disappointed and dismayed.

    Stayed in February 2024

  • Reviewed: 11 February 2024

    1.0
    Private room was grotty and way overpriced. Pay the extra and get a hotel instead.
    • Business trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Economy Single Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Private room was vile. I paid $140 for essentially a prison cell. I could have paid $40 more and gotten a nice hotel room in a similar location.

    Location was okay.

    Stayed in February 2024

  • Reviewed: 20 November 2023

    8.0
    Very good
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Bed in 6-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Friendly staff, just in Downtown. Near everywhere - ferry, restaurants, Art gallery

    Stayed in November 2023

  • Reviewed: 19 November 2023

    1.0
    Avoid at all costs
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Bed in 4-Bed Female Dormitory Room
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    This place is horrible! Easily the very worst hostel and definitely the grossest I have ever stayed in. There was black mold down the walls and on the ceiling, so much so I had an asthma attack and was having trouble breathing. The worker at the front desk was very sweet and apologized for the excessive rain they had received in Auckland. She moved me to another room that seemed to be mold free, and it was private which was very sweet. Still, the mold and whatever else in the hostel was so bad my nose was stuffy and i was wheezing, so I left the hostel for as long as humanly possible. When I returned, a large piece of taped up wall paper had fallen down, exposing a massive hole in the cinderblock filled with dirt. There were little bugs in the room, I’m not sure if it was from the hole. I went back to the desk, again, the person working was very sweet and told me I could speak to the manager in the morning about my stay. SHE IS A HEINOUS PERSON! I feel so bad for the staff for having to work for her. She looked me in the eyes and lied about there being mold in the hotel. Straight up said “no there isn’t” when it is very visible in the rooms and she said it while looking at ME in disgust. A girl two floors above me said her ceiling was covered in it. Anyways, the manager here is a frigid and rude woman. She said I couldn’t complain because “I received an upgrade” but i’m not sure what kind of upgrade a room with a massive dirt filled hole is. She said “We put tape on it?” and then said we never put people in this room… again, proving my point it was an unsatisfactory stay. She has 0 customer service skills and I walked away in shock that someone could be so awful, but her employees are sweet as can be. She had lots of nice things on, I have a feeling she scams people with this place to find her lavish lifestyle. Avoid this place at all costs, everything was disgusting about it. From the common area to the rooms to the bathroom. Yikes.

    The place was so gross that it encouraged me to spend as much time out and in the city as possible.

    Stayed in November 2023

  • Reviewed: 20 October 2023

    10
    perfe
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Bed in 12-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    all good

    Stayed in October 2023

  • Reviewed: 17 October 2023

    10
    Exceptional
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Bed in 12-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Great location, most valuable choice.

    Stayed in October 2023

Showing 1 – 25

We Price Match
We Price Match
Low rates • No booking fees • Find cheaper? We'll refund the difference!