This hostel does it all really good: great and friendly staff, very nice communal areas, large and clean kitchen, comfy beds, several bathrooms, excellent central location, and all this for a great price! In addition, there are very good house rules which include no alcohol on the premises after 22h00 (or maybe 22h30 I cannot remember the exact time) and no noise after this time either. This is amazing since it guarantees a great night of sleep! I had a bed in a 4-bed female dorm and was lucky enough to have 3 great roomies (all lovely). Craig, the manager I believe, does a great job in managing this place and gives tons of help on what to do in Kaikoura and how to get to certain places. The communal living room is spacious and a great spot for meeting new people. There is a tv with dvd player as well. The kitchen is big with several large fridges and has everything you need. All in all, this was a great place to stay and the fish tank lodge has everything right. Great hostel to stay, and right across the street from the bus stops (where inter city buses stop), and 5 mins walk from train station and whale watching booking centre. A winner! read more