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Criterion Art Deco Backpackers

2.0 star property
Travelers blend quiet moments with social connections at this welcoming spot, where a good book or some screen time offers perfect downtime balance.

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Criterion Art Deco Backpackers provides a peaceful retreat in Napier South. Guests connect to WiFi throughout public areas while enjoying the cozy library collection or watching TV in the communal lobby.

Reviews

6.8 out of 10

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen

Room options

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Showing 11 of 11 rooms

View all photos for Double Room, Shared Bathroom

Double Room, Shared Bathroom | In-room safe

Double Room, Shared Bathroom

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

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In-room safe

Twin Room, Shared Bathroom

  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Twin Room, Private Bathroom

In-room safe

Twin Room, Private Bathroom

  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Single Room, Shared Bathroom

Single Room, Shared Bathroom | In-room safe

Single Room, Shared Bathroom

  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bed

View all photos for Triple Room, Shared Bathroom

Triple Room, Shared Bathroom | In-room safe

Triple Room, Shared Bathroom

  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Twin Bed and 1 Twin Bunk Bed

View all photos for Shared Dormitory, Women only, Shared Bathroom

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Shared Dormitory, Women only, Shared Bathroom

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed and 1 Twin Bed

View all photos for Shared Dormitory, Shared Bathroom (8 beds)

In-room safe

Shared Dormitory, Shared Bathroom (8 beds)

  • Sleeps 1
  • 4 Twin Bunk Beds

View all photos for Shared Dormitory, Multiple Beds, Shared Bathroom (10 beds)

In-room safe

Shared Dormitory, Multiple Beds, Shared Bathroom (10 beds)

  • Sleeps 1
  • 5 Twin Bunk Beds

View all photos for Quadruple Room, Mixed Dorm, Shared Bathroom

In-room safe

Quadruple Room, Mixed Dorm, Shared Bathroom

  • Sleeps 1
  • 2 Twin Bunk Beds

Shared Dormitory

  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed and 1 Twin Bed

Standard Double Room

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
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About the neighborhood

Map
48 Emerson St, Napier, 4110

Getting around

  • Napier (NPE-Hawke's Bay)
    11 min drive

About this property

Criterion Art Deco Backpackers

Hostel located in Napier South
Criterion Art Deco Backpackers provides a library and more. Guests can connect to free WiFi in public areas.
You'll also enjoy perks such as:
  • A front-desk safe, smoke-free premises, and a TV in the lobby
Room features
All guestrooms at Criterion Art Deco Backpackers include amenities such as safes.
More amenities include:
  • Communal kitchens, heating, and limited housekeeping

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Classic Studio | Garden view
Expressotel
Napier South
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
  • Air conditioning
  • Room service
9.0 out of 10, Wonderful, 802 reviews
The price is ₩79,255
₩91,143 total
includes taxes & fees
Jun 13 - Jun 14
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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Onsite parking available only on request

Things to do

  • Library
  • TV in common areas

Conveniences

  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Safe at front desk
  • Shared microwave
  • Shared refrigerator

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (limited availability)

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • No elevator
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)

More

  • Smoking not allowed

Room amenities

Bathroom

  • Private or shared bathroom
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Shared kitchen access

More

  • Heating
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9:00 PM
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 15

Check-out

Check-out before 10 AM

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 9 AM - 9:00 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

Pets not allowed (service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees)

Children and extra beds

Children younger than 16 are not allowed at this adults-only property; all guests 16 and older are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Guests must contact this property in advance to reserve onsite parking
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
Guests under 16 years old are not permitted at this adults-only property

National rating

For the benefit of our customers, we have provided a rating based on our rating system.

Frequently asked questions

Is Criterion Art Deco Backpackers pet-friendly?

No, only service animals are welcome at the property.

What time is check-in at Criterion Art Deco Backpackers?

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9:00 PM. Late check-in is available during limited hours.

What time is check-out at Criterion Art Deco Backpackers?

Check-out is at 10 AM.

Where is Criterion Art Deco Backpackers located?

Located in Napier South, this hostel is steps from Daily Telegraph Building, Art Deco Trust, and MTG Hawke's Bay Museum. Napier Soundshell and Napier Visitor Information Centre are just steps away.

Can I cancel my reservation for free at Criterion Art Deco Backpackers and receive a full refund?

Yes, Criterion Art Deco Backpackers offers free cancellation on select room rates, because flexibility matters! Please refer to Criterion Art Deco Backpackers cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.

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Reviews

Criterion Art Deco Backpackers Reviews

6.8

7.0

Cleanliness

9.4

Location

7.8

Staff & service

6.2

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 10 out of 61 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 17 out of 61 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 23 out of 61 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 6 out of 61 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 5 out of 61 reviews

Reviews

Verified

8/10 Good

Darren&Maree

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities

Homely Feeling

Fantastic old building with a warm homely feel to it. Middle of town yet quiet with a neat street view from which to people watch. A shame that the bathrooms were so audible to the bedrooms nearby however. Lovely to have breakfast available the next morning and no pressure to exit room.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2018
Verified

6/10 Okay

Jamie

Liked: Staff & service
Decor quite tired but room was fine, sheets and bedding nice and clean. No power points at the bed. Bathrooms close and clean enough. Nice lounge area with one small Tv and a ping pong table. One broken pool table. Nice big kitchen. Hard to find if using google maps but well sign posted once you find it.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2020
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
I was pleasantly surprised by my stay here. There were a few issues (like how most of the outlets I tried in the lounge area didn't work), but the staff were very friendly and accommodating.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2020
Verified

6/10 Okay

SuefromUK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Bedding only suitable for duster ! Wobbly taps, water not running away properly in shower and the smallest sink imaginable in the room with private facilities. However, the location of this property is great and we enjoyed our stay. On a budget? You couldn’t fault it.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2020
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Alan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Nice stay in an interesting town....

I had a nice stay and liked the simple accom central in Napier.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2020
Verified

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Very nice for the price. The bunk bed was extremely wobbly and moved quite a bit when either some one in the top or bottom moved.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020
Verified

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Photos on the internet were misleading and gave the impression that the single rooms were more modern and hotel like.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020
Verified

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
This property is in an awesome location and would be amazing if it was upgraded. Our room was adequate, but there were so many things 'not working' that it became a bit of a joke. Electrical outlets and light switches that didn't work, and a double kitchen sink in our room that had had the taps removed....??!! The whole property had a stale odour about it too. Having said that, we were perfectly comfortable for our one-night stay and you can't beat the location.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020
Verified

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The building has all the character and charm of the period and is kept clean however repairs are needed to some facilities
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2020
Verified

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Location great. Lovely old deco exterior. My room was next to the shared bathroom (mens). Not soundproof. Receptionist patronising and rude. Towels and sheets had seen better days.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019
Verified

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Gute Lage in der Stadt, ansonsten sehr in die Jahre gekommen
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019
Verified

8/10 Good

Yoshinori

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

市内中心部にあって便利。わりと清潔で、受付の対応は悪くない。

場所は市内中心で便利｡チェックイン前に荷物を無料で預かってくれ、受付の対応は悪くない。部屋、トイレや共用台所も清潔。ただ、シャワー室内の足拭きタオルは使うにつれてベタつくので単に格子マットの方が良いかもしれない!?　年末のためか?近くのバアーが夜遅くまでうるさかった。朝食付きだが早朝退出したので食べなかった。
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019
Verified

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Location, staff, clean. Comfortable. The best was the location
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The hostel was dirty and smelly. It was also very run down.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019
Verified

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Good value for money but kinda dinghy. Facility is old and rundown. Not the best backpacker facility on the island but neither the worst.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019
Verified

4/10 Poor

Bryan

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities

Noisy, unhygienic and unacceptable

Pleasant morning staff (as opposed to the gruff afternoon one) will smile, check you out, hold your bags and then try to clean the public areas, but really this property is well past it and should be completely removed from this booking site. It is a rundown hostel that is simply not worthy of a listing here and does not give foreign tourists a very positive view of NZ accommodation standards. Visible areas of my room appeared ok at a cursory glance but, after examining the walls and carpet and moving the bed, I immediately regretted staying here - there is filth everywhere. Old facilities are perfectly acceptable, but poor maintenance and unhygienic floors, dirty fittings & fixtures are not. Bathrooms are functional but the owners are clearly not even interested in spending a few dollars to fix basic things like door locks, preferring instead to stick handwritten signs up telling you how to engineer your own way out of a cubicle. Lino floors were sticky, guest lounges looked unkempt, bedroom curtains hung adrift from their rails. To top it off, the noise until 2am (on a Tuesday night even) from the partying staff at the Market St Bar downstairs is totally unacceptable. It means an entire wing of the hotel is sleepless, banging around in rooms and hallways, and wasting many hours lying in wait in their beds contemplating what horrible germs and bugs might at that moment be descending upon them. Thoroughly unpleasant and a somewhat sour experience to have booked this sort
Bathroom cubicle locks cost $20 to fix
The “complimentary breakfast” consists of this
Year-old absolute filth on the floors at the head of the bed
Scunge and muck in every corner, nook and cranny
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019
Verified

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The location was great. Facility is run down and tired.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2019
Verified

6/10 Okay

C D

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

Very Basic Backpackers

Basic backpackers in centre of town. It's cheap and you get what you pay for. We had a room with shower and w.c. It was just about ok for the money. Best thing about it is that it's bang in the centre of town. Biggest criticism - duvet covers appear not to get washed after each customer - a sheet is provided instead.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019
Verified

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Location was very good, but property needs a renovation
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019
Verified

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Only downside was the noise from the families staying in the room next door. Not that you can help that. But the staff service was fantastic!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2019
Verified

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Wouldn't bother

We knew in advance this was a hostel, so weren’t expecting luxury, but I have stayed in much nicer and cheaper hostels. The bed was a mattress on the floor, the room wasn’t clean, the decor was extremely dated and the place didn’t feel particularly safe or friendly. Wouldn’t recommend
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019
Verified

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness
Location is great It needs to be upgraded up to today’s standards
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019
Verified

8/10 Good

Marja Kaarina

Liked: Cleanliness

Nice, cheap stay in Napier

Very nice (cheap) stay at the center of Napier, such a lovely town.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Celia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great Hostel!

I stayed in an individual room. It was clean, I had clean sheets and towels. The service was great. I got all the right informations. It is very well located being close to the beach, shops, restaurants...
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019
Verified

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Le réseau wifi ne se rend pas dans les chambres, mais il est bon quand on est dans les pièces communes. Auberge bien localisée, en plein cœur du centre ville Art Deco
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019