New Zealand Youth Hostels to benefit from multi-million dollar makeover

YHA New Zealand, the country's oldest backpacker chain has embarked on a multi-million upgrade of many of its facilities.

Aiming to cater for travellers arriving with wheeled suitcases rather than backpacks, the 84-year-old YHA (Youth Hostel Association) will open a $7 million 100-bed hostel in hostel by the end of next year and is undertaking extensive renovations at the Auckland City hostel just off Queen Street.

In addition, the Queenstown Lakefront hostel has also just had a major facelift

As part of the $12 million program, all hostel rooms will be equipped with secure lockers where guests can safely charge their multiple electronic devices.

The YHA NZ manages 14 of the 42 hostels in its network and Hostel Operations Manager Simon Cartwright said they had to cater for guests' changing needs.

Cartwright explained “there's a real demand for the creature comforts, such as Wi-Fi. It's no longer a 'wow they have Wi-Fi,' it's 'have you got Wi-Fi?' and if not it's 'well, I won't stay here.'”

Cartwright added that guests now “come with suitcases on wheels and sometimes a trunk.

“30 years ago you'd check into a hostel with your backpack and bring your sleeping bag.

“Now all the bedding is provided (and) more and more we have rooms you'd recognise as a hotel room. There's an ensuite bathroom, TV on the wall, a free tea and coffee station, and somewhere to hang your clothes."

YHA NZ Marketing Manager Brian Westwood said many of them were young solo female travellers who liked the safe reputation of the YHA, which was well established in China, and they had already visited at least seven countries on average before coming to New Zealand.

Westwood stated “they're sophisticated, very well travelled and have very high expectations."

YHA NZ is also making a significant investment in renewable energy for the majority of its hostels - developing a $2.7 million solar energy network at 11 of its locations.

Once all systems are up and firing, the roofs will generate 609,000kwh of solar energy a year - enough to power about 100 homes, do 300,000 loads of washing or run a low-energy lightbulb for more than 8000 years.

The three-year project will see more than 880 panels go up across hostels from YHA Franz Josef to Auckland, and more than 3300 solar heating tubes, which will use the sun's energy to warm up the water supply at each site.

YHA Franz Josef was the first site to get the solar treatment, in March, when 108 metre² of solar panels were laid on the hostel roof. 

For more information on YHA NZ go to www.yha.co.nz

Lower image shows installations of solar panels at YHA Franz Josef.

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