Reading a post on OIK Strategy with tips about hostels by @About London Laura reminded me of the way standards in hostels (in Australia at least) can vary.
Until my RTW trip with my husband I hadn’t stayed in a hostel for nearly 40 years. Yet we were going on a RTW backpacking trip and hostels were part of the deal if we were to manage see more of this wonderful country.
The Good
This is possibly the best hostel in the world ever. Sydney Harbour YHA. It nestles in-between five star hotels and this was the view from our bedroom window.
The is our private double room.
The ensuite.
On the terrace.
Just at the front of the hostel and we can see the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Barbeque night at Sydney Harbour YHA
I cannot see why anyone would check into an hotel in Sydney when you could stay here. There were all ages, families, backpackers and flashpackers. It most definitely not a party hostel. Except at New Years Eve of course. Can you imagine the views on NYE?
The kitchens were well equipped, a team of hardworking cleaners ensured that everywhere was spot less.
After previous hostels this was a good one. Previously we had stayed, as part of a tour group, in some absolutely dire ones. And also had to experience the dreaded dorm.
The not so good (yet compared to the next one it was not bad).
After a comfortable house sit in Melbourne we headed off along The Great Ocean Road to Adelaide. We were quite a big group and the guide called Pete admitted at the end that he had concerns about the dynamics. As it was we all really got on. Never a cross moment. Mixed ages, fitness levels and nationalities. 3 days on the road.
Our first hostel was Warrnambool Beach Backpackers. Tour guide Pete had advised us not to head into town where there was a carnival as it would be full of Bogans. Fortunately the town has one redeeming feature. Kermonds. The burgers here are amazing.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Bellies full we checked in to a packed hostel and scrambled to find beds. I tried to get in a small dorm but a group of younger girls nabbed it declaring it to be a female only dorm, (they obviously had more experience in grabbing the best rooms) so we were left with with another couple in a mixed dorm, 8 beds, which at first didn’t seem to be too bad. We had lockers with keys and were only here one night. There was a group of scouts in another dorm. However it seemed we were the entrance room to a much larger dorm of all young men who were going to join the bogans at the carnival. Result, no sleep. At all.
Pete the tour guide put me in charge of breakfast, he recognised my inner Monica of course, so I was up early and got a shower in before the hordes formed a queue in the corridor. It was clean, it was ok for a hostel, but large mixed dorms with smelly farty young men isn’t for me.
The next hostel was Neds Beds at Halls Gap.
Possibly the worst hostel ever.
The owner had an all night orgy in his jacuzzi.
I got bitten by bed bugs.
The only good thing was that I was in an all girls dorm.
The kangeroos were a bonus as was the ice cream parlour.
If a tour company lists this hostel on an itinery, don’t use the tour company. No really, don’t.
What hostels have you stayed in and would you recommend them?
I ate a lot of vegetarian food when I was a volunteer at Lentil as Anything in St Kilda, Melbourne. I really enjoyed my time working there, they are a great team and the philosophy of this social enterprise is amazing. There are no prices on the menu. Instead customers are invited to give what they feel the food is worth and have the opportunity to donate to the philosophy.
travellingcoral 