Brown Kiwi

25/06/2024

Ex-Brown Kiwi July 2024 and 2014

23/10/2023

Very spontaneous catch up with Peter, Lisa, Alison, Kristel and Severine

01/08/2023

More pictures:

01/08/2023

Hello everyone, after a few years living without meeting and greeting so many travellers from around the world I thought I will post some pictures I have taken over many years going back from 2004 to 2020. I thought it would be fun as it will bring back memories from good old times spent at the Brown Kiwi Backpackers. I am sure it will put back a smile on your face.
Comment if you like maybe with the year you have stayed.
Sending love from Waiheke Island

17/11/2022

“Good bye Stefanie”
After a long long life at the Brown Kiwi Backpackers and for the last two years retired on Waiheke Island the day has come that our dear cat Stefanie has peacefully passed away at the age of 24.
Many people who have met Steffi over the years when they entered the Brown Kiwi Backpackers know how this little black cat often did put a smile on your face and brought comfort to many who left home to travel the world.
What a lucky black cat you were to have had such a good life.
We will miss you.

07/08/2022

Missing the Good old times,
Hello from the Ex crew members to everyone around the world.

16/10/2021

Greetings out of retirement to all my Brown Kiwi fans.
Happy Birthday to me 23 today.

BROWN KIWI IS NOW PERMANENTLY CLOSED. THANK YOU TO OUR WONDERFUL PAST GUESTS - PLEASE MAKE CONTACT THROUGH THE FACEBOOK PAGE.

03/11/2020

Hi to all our Brown kiwi guests who became friends over the years. We have shut our doors, Hannes and Steffi have gone to live on Waiheke. Roberta and Damaris are leading quieter lives but we hope all of you are making the most of your journeys in life. Wishing you every happiness from Auckland New Zealand and thank you for being part of the Brown Kiwi legend.xx

03/11/2020

26/10/2020

Time to say Good bye Brown Kiwi

After 16 years and 8 month I will say a final good bye to the Brown Kiwi Backpackers Hostel.
Brown Kiwi is closing its doors for good and the new owner won’t be operating it as a Hostel anymore.

When I arrived in March 2004 I felt right at home here on Nr.7 Prosford Street and who would have thought I would stay for such a long time.
I have met so many people over the years who just stayed for a night or a few month, some of them became friends for life.
My biggest pleasure was that I was able to work here and provide a safe place for guests to stay and see them happy and right at home.
People were making friends while sitting around the kitchen table or in our popular outside area, some flirted, some started relationships and even got engaged here and some got married later on and have now their own family, .....all because they met here at Brown Kiwi.

Thank you to all the owners of Brown Kiwi ( 1997-2005: Peter Motion, Kevin Bishop, Ian Lawyer, 2005-2012: Nils Foged and Hilary, 2012-2020: Damaris Swinburn and Roberta Tills).

Each of them has been a good boss to me and without them I wouldn’t have stayed here for so long.

A big thank to my partner Rafael who has been amazing and supportive in the last 10 years. Rafael and I are moving to Waiheke and will run our garden maintenance business and of course we take our hostel cat Stefanie for a well deserved retirement on the island.

My dear Brown Kiwi Guests no matter if you have stayed one night, one week, one month, one year or more: THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.

I surely will miss the Brown Kiwi and memories made here.

Xoxo Hannes