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.
Taupō Museum and Art Gallery - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
Taupō i-SITE Visitor Information Centre - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
Taupō Marina and Boat Ramp - 6 min walk - 0.6 km
A.C. Baths - 4 min drive - 2.9 km
Taupō Hot Springs - 4 min drive - 3.2 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 a short 10-minute walk of Lake Taupō. Guests looking for a bite to eat can visit the restaurant, and the bar/lounge is the perfect spot to grab a drink at the end of the day. Fellow travellers 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 and check-out are available
Minimum check-in age – 18
Check-out time is 10:00 AM
Contactless check-out
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)
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
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 cots (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 on-site parking
DONE
Other information
Designated smoking areas
Property amenities
Food and drink
Restaurant
Bar/lounge
Shared microwave
Shared fridge
What to do
Hiking/biking trails
Skydiving
Pool table
Ecotours nearby
Hiking/biking trails nearby
Horse riding nearby
Skiing nearby
Scooter/moped hire nearby
Hot springs nearby
Services
Laundry facilities
Free newspapers in reception
Luggage storage
Facilities
ATM/banking
Safe-deposit box at front desk
Accessibility
Lift
Wheelchair-accessible path of travel
Wheelchair-accessible public bathroom
Wheelchair-accessible path to lift
Wheelchair-accessible registration desk
Wheelchair-accessible restaurant
Visual alarms in hallways
Handrails in stairwells
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
Fridge
Shared kitchen access
Stovetop
Toaster
Cookware, dishes and utensils
More
Daily housekeeping
Cleaning supplies
Fees & policies
Policies
Guests can rest easy knowing that 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 that you 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 on-site 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 social distancing and check-out are available.
What is there to do at Based by the Lake - Hostel and nearby?
Have fun with on-site activities such as 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 on-site 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 Taupō and 6 minutes' walk from Taupō Marina and Boat Ramp.
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Based by the Lake - Hostel Reviews
Reviews
7.4
Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers 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
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
Shower
Parking
Bar
Reviews
10/10 Exceptional
17 Aug, 2023
Excellent facilities and staff. Looking forward to staying there next time in Taupo.
Brian
Brian, 1-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
10 Apr, 2024
Easy access to the township. An affordable stay, great value for money.
Jackie
Jackie, 2-night trip
8/10 Very good
11 Sept, 2022
Staff are super friendly and helpful and the shower in my room was amazing
Juliette
Juliette, 1-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
23 Dec, 2022
Nice friendly staff, cozy private room
Callan
10/10 Exceptional
29 Oct, 2024
Good service
Nicholas
Nicholas, 3-night trip
6/10 Good
26 Oct, 2024
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
Raman, 1-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
9 Apr, 2023
Very tidy, friendly staff very helpful.
Shane
Shane, 1-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
17 Oct, 2022
Great digs for a short stop over, was a bit noisey at times due to thin walls but would stay here again and the staff were ever so helpful and informative thanks.
Siu
Siu, 1-night trip
8/10 Very good
2 Feb, 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
8/10 Very good
16 Jul, 2022
Great affordable option in the heart of Taupo’s action. Highly recommend
Craig
Craig, 1-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
29 Jan, 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
6/10 Good
12 Sept, 2022
Location good …budget accommodation
It was budget and won’t stay again.
Verified traveller
1-night trip
8/10 Very good
5 Mar, 2023
Central location with easy safe parking, room was w at Ely what was required. Very clean, fresh and tidy. Staff were amazing.
Christine
Christine, 1-night trip
6/10 Good
3 Aug, 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
8/10 Very good
22 Oct, 2023
Central to town and smart
Simba Kevin
Simba Kevin, 1-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
26 Feb, 2024
all good , but loud til 2 am on friday saturday
patrick
patrick, 5-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
3 Sept, 2023
This place was perfect for a couples get away plus a baby , we had a very simple room for the night. Double bed with own bathroom and a beautiful view of the lake and the mountains 😍 that’s all we needed. Only thing was the noise from the pubs across the road but we weren’t fussed on that either. Ild defs stay again
Uneak
Uneak, 1-night trip
6/10 Good
18 Apr, 2023
Busy area
Promesh
Promesh, 1-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
12 Jan, 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
8/10 Very good
21 Oct, 2023
Nice.
Dragana
Dragana, 1-night trip
6/10 Good
15 Apr, 2023
It was ok
Craig
Craig, 1-night trip
4/10 Fair
26 Dec, 2022
What you would expect for the price. Except the noise from the nightclub across the road is unbearable.
Brad
8/10 Very good
16 Feb, 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 trip
8/10 Very good
12 Feb, 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
8/10 Very good
14 Jan, 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.