The Prince Albert is a historic Nile Street property in Nelson combining backpacker accommodation, a bar and restaurant, a cafe and function venue, and a mountain bike hub. It's owned and run by Mike, Nani and Georgina, who moved to Nelson in 2012 and started with The Prince Albert Backpackers and Bar before opening a sister property, Bridge Backpackers, in 2017, and completing the set with The Function Room Cafe and Venue in 2022.
Accommodation ranges from 6-bed dorms and 4-bed share rooms to twins, doubles, kings that can convert into two singles, and a single room, with every room featuring en-suite facilities and laundered, pressed linens and duvets. Reception is open from 9am to 8pm daily, with check-in guaranteed from 3pm, and guests arriving later than 8pm are asked to make contact by email.
On the ground floor of the main historic building, the bar and restaurant runs from midday till late, with restaurant service specifically from 12pm to 8pm every day. Separately, the Function Room Cafe and Venue operates as a cafe from 7am to 2pm Monday to Friday, and is available to hire as a function venue in the evenings and on weekends. For visitors exploring Nelson's mountain bike trails, a converted 20ft shipping container serves as a secure bike storage hub, complete with a repair stand, tools, a wash station and e-bike charging.
On Nile Street in Nelson, The Prince Albert brings together accommodation, a restaurant and bar, a cafe and function venue, and a mountain bike hub under one historic roof. It's a family-run operation, started by Mike, Nani and Georgina after they moved to Nelson in 2012, drawn by a town they describe as offering a huge variety of things to see and do while still keeping a small-town closeness.
The Prince Albert began as a backpackers and bar, and the owners have steadily built out the property since. In 2017 they opened a sister property, Bridge Backpackers, and in 2022 they completed the set by opening The Function Room Cafe and Venue. Along the way, the family grew too — their daughter Gigi arrived in 2018 — and the owners are candid that they aren't going anywhere.
Accommodation at The Prince Albert covers a wide range of budgets and group sizes, from 6-bed dorms and 4-bed share rooms through to twins, doubles, and king rooms that can be split into two singles, plus a single room for solo travellers. Every room comes with en-suite facilities and laundered, pressed linens and duvets. Reception is staffed from 9am until 8pm every day, with check-in guaranteed from 3pm; anyone arriving later than 8pm is asked to get in touch by email to arrange access.
On the ground floor of the main historic building sits the bar and restaurant, open from midday until late, with dedicated restaurant service running from 12pm to 8pm every day. It's a central part of the property's identity, serving both guests staying upstairs and locals dropping in.
Separate to the bar, The Function Room Cafe and Venue operates as a cafe from 7am to 2pm, Monday to Friday — a beautifully designed space that switches roles outside those hours. In the evenings and on weekends, it becomes available to hire as a function venue, giving the property a second life for private events and gatherings.
Nelson's mountain biking scene gets its own dedicated space at The Prince Albert too. A 20ft shipping container has been converted into a secure bike storage hub, complete with a repair stand and tools, a wash station for cleaning up after a muddy ride, and charging for e-bikes — a practical touch for visitors spending their days out on the trails.
The Prince Albert's personality extends to its four-legged residents as well. Caipirinha (Caipi) and Churrasco (Churras), the owners' dogs, are introduced on the site as "the other owners," known for greeting guests around the property and even featuring in a painting in the bar.
The Prince Albert is located at 113 Nile Street, Nelson, and can be reached by phone or email. General opening hours run 7am to 9pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 9pm on weekends, with restaurant, cafe and reception hours varying by service as outlined above.