A bed in a dorm room at the Adventure Queenstown Hostel is available for $23. Photo / Supplied
The idea of Queenstown being an expensive destination may be out the window with hostel accommodation costs down 50 per cent for this time of year.
Chairman of the NZ Hostel Association Brent Duncan told Chris Lynch on Newstalk ZB although the city has been expensive in the past, prices are quite affordable at the moment.
Rooms are available for as low as $17 at the Nomads Queenstown and $23 at the Adventure Queenstown Hostel, Duncan said they usually sit at $36 for this time of year.
Similar rates are being boasted by other hostels in the city.
"The occupancy that we've been struggling with down here is really causing a lot of competition and low rates."
Duncan said they have been working hard to change the perception of hostels.
"We are so removed from that stereotype and that's what we are trying to change. Traditionally people think of hostels as something they would use while traveling for a long time and trying to save money but there are a lot of benefits to using the hostel system while traveling even for a short time."
He said in the last 20 years they have seen incredible advances in the quality hostels have to offer.
"We've got about 300 small independently owned hostels, the vast majority of which have under 70 beds. The quality is really right up there."
He said since the ban of overseas travel due to Covid-19, they have been getting a lot of middle-aged couples coming and staying in private rooms.
"It's been opening their eyes I think."
Duncan said the standard of hostels in New Zealand is so high, over the last 14 years, we have won Oceania's best hostel 12 times.
Princess Diana stayed there, and now so have I.