The Cell Block Backpackers

A brilliant backpackers in the heart of Whangarei, retaining lots of the original prison features. All the doors are an inch and a half thick and covered in the names of past guests/inmates, and you can store your bike behind bars in the holding cells (there's also a private car park, though it shuts around 6pm, but if you get caught out you can park on the road for free until 8am). Loved the decor- lots of pastel painted concrete, quirky nick-nacks, crazy mosaics and happy looking pot plants. There's a common room with a pool table, a lovely roof garden and a guitar in the kitchen/diner in case you fancy a play while your pasta is cooking. We had a twin room with an en suite- quite basic-looking (hardly surprising as it was once a prison cell) but it was clean and comfortable and had everything we needed. Our beds were up on a wide concrete shelf with lots of storage space underneath and the loo was behind a curtain, fine for an emergency night-time wee but for everything else there was a huge private bathroom/shower room just across the hallway. Check-in/out is done remotely but when we did see staff they were really friendly and helpful, and working hard to keep everything spotless. Would highly recommend and look forward to another stretch in the slammer next time we're in NZ.