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
Hotel size
34 rooms
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
Restrictions related to your trip
Check COVID-19 restrictions.
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
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
Children
No cribs (infant beds)
Pets
Pets not allowed
Service animals welcome
Internet
Free WiFi in public areas
Free WiFi in rooms
Parking
No onsite parking
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 and a first aid kit on site.
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards and cash.
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 the heart of Taupo, a short 8-minute walk from Lake Taupo and 5 minutes' walk from Taupo Museum and Art Gallery.
Reviews
7.6
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.More informationOpens in a new window
8.0/10
Cleanliness
8.2/10
Staff & service
7.4/10
Amenities
7.4/10
Property conditions & facilities
7.6/10
Eco-friendliness
Reviews
6/10 Good
Aug 3, 2024
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
Liliana, 1-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Jul 1, 2024
Verified traveler
2-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
May 14, 2024
Emma
Emma, 1-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review
6/10 Good
Apr 24, 2024
Melanie
Melanie, 4-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
4/10 Fair
Apr 22, 2024
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
Jenna, 1-night romance trip
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Apr 14, 2024
Everything was perfect
Satbir
Satbir, 1-night trip with friends
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Apr 10, 2024
Easy access to the township. An affordable stay, great value for money.
Jackie
Jackie, 2-night family trip
Verified Wotif guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Mar 17, 2024
Very central, easy parking and good service
Rose
Rose, 1-night romance trip
Verified Expedia guest review
2/10 Poor
Mar 17, 2024
Erick
Erick, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
8/10 Very Good
Mar 8, 2024
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
Donna, 1-night romance trip
Verified Lastminute guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Feb 26, 2024
all good , but loud til 2 am on friday saturday
patrick
patrick, 5-night trip
Verified Orbitz guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Feb 25, 2024
priscilla
priscilla, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
8/10 Very Good
Feb 16, 2024
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
Wendy, 2-night romance trip
Verified Expedia guest review
8/10 Very Good
Feb 12, 2024
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
Sabine, 1-night trip
Verified Wotif guest review
6/10 Good
Feb 8, 2024
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
Chesson, 1-night romance trip
Verified Lastminute guest review
2/10 Poor
Feb 3, 2024
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
Karl, 1-night trip
Verified Wotif guest review
8/10 Very Good
Feb 2, 2024
Good place to stay in an excellent location. Ear plugs are included in room and were needed due to street party noise
Tony
Tony, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Jan 31, 2024
Awesome location
Awesome location with everything you need
Helen
Helen, 2-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Jan 29, 2024
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.
Helen
Helen, 2-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
8/10 Very Good
Jan 25, 2024
Samara
Samara, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
8/10 Very Good
Jan 18, 2024
The Lake view from the third floor accommodation was excellant.
But the lift which only went up one floor was in very poor shape, soon after elevating the lift, the system jerked quite violently, giving my partner and I quite a fright.
Craig
Craig, 1-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review
8/10 Very Good
Jan 14, 2024
Taupo Central
We booked 2 ensuite rooms for 2 couples. The location was excellent. Checkin was great and the staff were pleasant. The rooms were tired but clean. My only negative is that it was very hot in the rooms especially at night and there was only a fan in one of the rooms that we booked. The staff told us that there were not enough fans for everyone.
David
David, 2-night family trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Jan 12, 2024
Great spot! Nice vibe. Huge kitchen with stuffed fridge worried me a bit on arrival (that it would be loud/party) but everyone was just friendly and chill. Very clean and nice environment, great location in town. Laundry facilities were always busy but I guess that can't always be helped on some dayes
Cecilia
Cecilia, 2-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
2/10 Poor
Jan 7, 2024
Awful night at BATL .. situated next to a noisy late live music bar which was open until 3AM... no sleep until and other guests were complaining also. I was wearing ear plugs also. Terrible night and ruined my next day as had full itinerary planned but had to change plans. Very let down, will never stay again and would state to anyone who wants some normal sleep NOT to stay here at all.. oh yes and kettle didnt work so that was just the last straw this morning when i left very early.
Anne
Anne, 1-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review
8/10 Very Good
Dec 26, 2023
Convenient, close to lake with views. Clean, friendly, would stay again.