Ducks and Drakes

9.0Superb(457)

HostelNew Plymouth, New ZealandView map0.38km from city centre

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About

A warm welcome awaits you at Ducks & Drakes. We love it when our guests tell us it is more like staying in a large house than staying in a hostel. Ducks & Drakes started its life as a private hotel in the 1920s. Today it is a colourful, vibrant, fun place to stay. We are minutes away from the city centre; coastal walkway; Pukekura Park; museums; galleries and a great base to explore further afield.

All our doubles, twins, singles and dorms have fully made beds with sheets, duvets and pillows supplied. The private rooms also have towels. We have a tent site in our sunny garden as well as laundry facilities, free and fast wifi, bike storage; and a choice of three supermarkets close by.

Our fully equipped kitchen is a great place to make new friends; eat at our fabulous, and very long, dining room table; curl up with a good book in our sunroom; watch a DVD or one of the 50+ Sky channels in the guest lounge. You can also surf or conquer Mt Taranaki. When your travels bring you to New Plymouth Ducks & Drakes is a great place to stay

Our Office hours are:
Sunday to Wednesday 8am - 8pm
Thursday to Saturday 8am - 9pm
If you think you will be arriving outside of these hours please let us know so we can arrange a late check in.

House Rules

Check In

14:00 - 20:00

Check Out

until 10:00

Taxes Included

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Facilities

Free Parking
Free City Maps
Bicycle Parking
Jobs Board
Luggage Storage
Fax Service
Shuttle Bus
Parking

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Reviews

9.0Superb(457)

Value for Money
10.0
Security
8.0
Atmosphere
9.0
Cleanliness
10.0
Staff
9.0
Location
9.0
Facilities
8.0

Stayed in Apr 2025

9.7

Ellie

Female, 31-40, England

I loved this hostel, it was one of the best I have stayed in. Really good atmosphere, the staff are really friendly and it is easy to make friends in the common area. The kitchen is clean and wasn’t too busy so I always had space to cook.

Stayed in Apr 2025

7.7

Oliver

Male, 18-24, England

The hostel was very homely and charming. I was waiting for quite a while for check in to open, an hour after it said it would be open.

Stayed in Apr 2025

6.0

Natasha

Female, 41+, New Zealand

A cute common area doesn't equal a great hostel. If the bunks are so loose they wobble when you get in them, it's basically lazy owners who can't put the effort in to make them safe. Or fix the toilet roll holder or put a shelf in the shower. This hostel is ok but every photo in their advertising lies, towels are not provided unless you pay extra for them. It's noisy and in need of repairs throughout. It's ok but it's definitely not great.

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Location

48 Lemon Street, New Plymouth, New Zealand

0.4km from city centre

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About New Plymouth

8.0Fabulous(28 Reviews)

Activities

8.6

Eating out

7.9

Shopping

7.7

Chilling out

8.9

Transport

6.9

Sightseeing

8.6

Culture

8.1

Nightlife

6.9

Value for Money

8.4

About New Plymouth

Gleaming modern buildings against the towering peak of a snow-capped volcano: that's what you'll get in New Plymouth. On the western shore of New Zealand's North Island, this major city combines urban fun with a windswept coastal backdrop. Stroll around botanical gardens and cool art galleries in town or head straight to the beach to surf and look for penguins. Further afield, you can delve into New Zealand's famously jaw-dropping natural sights with trips to forests, waterfalls and national parks.

Stay in a New Plymouth hostel that first opened as a hotel in the 1920s or pick an ultra-modern place with communal spaces for meeting other travellers. To be close to nature, choose a hostel in seven acres of lush valley. Lots of New Plymouth backpackers hostels offer free Wi-Fi, so it's easy to keep in touch with home. You can grill yourself some burgers at a hostel with a barbecue or grab a cold beer at a spot with its own on-site bar.

The centre of New Plymouth has everything you need to get to know the town. Come here for surf shops, cool bars and new art galleries. Okato is a small village not far away if you'd prefer a rural spot with access to swimming holes along the Hangatahua River. For something a bit different, the Sugar Loaf Islands were once a volcano but today play host to canyons, reefs and sandy beaches just waiting for visits from explorers.

Get a view of the town from above at Paritutu Rock, a popular place with climbers. You can also tackle 12.7km of Taranaki coast by foot or bike on New Plymouth's famous Coastal Walkway. Learn about Maori history at the Puke Ariki Museum, where free entry makes it an ideal option for budget backpackers. The mirrored facade of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery alone is worth a photo, not to mention the work by local artists inside. Grab a surfboard and head to either Fitzroy Beach or Back Beach for the best of the waves.

From New Plymouth Airport, it'll take you around 12 minutes to get to the city via taxi or hired car. If you're coming from Auckland or beyond, intercity buses will drop you at the main New Plymouth bus station in the centre of town. To get around, you can go green and hire a bicycle, hail a local bus or rent a car.