Neighbours claim photos of Nomads backpackers on Thursday raise concerns about whether social distancing guidelines are being followed.

Some neighbours of a downtown Auckland hostel say they're alarmed at rooftop antics on the first day of lockdown.

"They've been in a gathering all day literally, no social distancing at all or face masks, or any kind of healthy measurement," one resident overlooking Nomads backpackers in Fort St claimed on Thursday.

As the coronavirus pandemic ran rampant, the logistics of trying to enforce self-isolation in backpacker hostels has raised concerns this month.

"I understand people can get some fresh air, but this is a crowd and constantly people [are] coming up and down," another neighbour of Nomads said after the Level 4 Covid-19 alert kicked in.

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That neighbour wondered if the Government was sharing enough information on safe social distancing and other Covid-19 practices with hostels.

SUPPLIED Neighbours say they were alarmed at activities on the hostel rooftop.

With many hostels and campgrounds closing, some tourists faced a race against time earlier this week to find suitable accommodation before Wednesday's 11.59pm lockdown began.

The Government said under Level 4 alerts, people in backpacker hostels must maintain contact only with people staying in the same room.

The Unite against Covid-19 site said common social and recreation areas must be closed or access to common areas be split into different shifts.

"This is very worrying as travellers are [at] high risk given the current situation," the neighbour of Nomads added.

"No-one is practicing the social distancing advice of two metres," she claimed.

She was not persuaded people from different rooms could be kept separate in the situation.

"They are high-risk and we just live across the street."

One neighbour said she called the hostel on Thursday night and was told staff were aware of the rooftop situation.

She said a staffer told her guests needed kitchen access.

The neighbour said: "Everybody cooks their food and they go to the outside together."

Stuff contacted Nomads hostel in Auckland but was told only the "head office" could comment.

According to its website, Australian company Tourism Adventure Group owned and operated Nomads backpackers.

Stuff requested an on-the-record comment from Tourism Adventure Group but was yet to hear back.

SUPPLIED MBIE says backpackers can be regarded as essential services but must do everything possible to ensure hygiene and physical distancing measures are followed.

A staffer at a Nomads office in Australia, when asked about a different topic last week, said Auckland guests were being asked to self-isolate and if they refused, would not be allowed to stay.

Physical distancing must be maintained even for essential services, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) said.

Entities providing accommodation for essential workers, isolation or quarantine, and emergency housing were considered essential.

CHRIS MCKEEN/STUFF Nomads backpackers has a multi-story operation (File photo).

Providers could limit how many people entered lifts, and advise guests not to congregate in groups, MBIE said.

The World Health Organisation urged people to practice physical distancing by avoiding unnecessary travel and staying away from large groups of people.

A Ministry of Health spokeswoman on Friday said she understood police attended the backpackers and spoke to the manager.

A police spokesman said everyone should follow self-isolation guidelines, and always keep at least two metres away from people in public.

"Police have further enforcement powers that come with Alert level 4 restrictions [but] our preference is to not get to a place where we have to use them."

A neighbouring hostel said it imposed safety measures including allowing a maximum of two people per room and advising people to go outside only for essential trips.

And YHA chief executive Mark Wells told Stuff his organisation's hostels would only have guests in single rooms, and guests would be allocated specific times to use kitchen facilities with their own utensils.

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