Adelaide Travellers Inn - Hostel

I ended up leaving Adelaide Travellers Inn without staying a night, after a very frustrating check-in and room situation. I’d driven 12 hours from lakes entrance to celebrate my birthday in Adelaide, but there was no one available to check us in at first. Signs said the manager was away from 2:00-5:00pm every day. Scott came in around 4:00pm, seemed confused that I was waiting, and took a long time to work out which bed I was assigned. He appeared unsure how to use the computer system and told me, “Well I don't know where your room or where your bed is, but we party hard here.” I’d already paid for my full 3 week stay before realizing what I was dealing with. Scott said the place had a “completely open door policy,” which made me worry there was nowhere safe for my passport and other belongings. He didn’t help with my bags, and instead commented from the top of the steps, “wow you sure brought a lot of stuff”. He first took me to a room where every bed was occupied, so I went back down to ask for one with a bed free. He looked at me as if I had 3 heads, then showed me another room. Both rooms were messy, with nowhere for luggage, no air conditioning or fan, and no proper light. The only light looked like a small one taped to the wall, as if it had come from Bunnings. The bathrooms were also a mess, with many broken toilets, showers, and doors. I saw the same problems in both rooms. I asked Scott whether I could get a refund and leave. He said it was up to HostelWorld, but I pointed out the website said the hostel handled refunds, apart from the booking fee. He then agreed to a full refund since I hadn’t stayed overnight. At his desk, though, he did nothing, so I asked how it would work. He said it would arrive in 5-7 business days, but I couldn’t see him processing anything. He had promised me a full $712 AUD refund, yet seemed surprised when I asked for a receipt or email, saying, “oh yeah, right. We can do that”. I left for another hostel and waited 8 days, but the money didn’t come. After several calls and speaking with other staff who also seemed unsure, I finally reached Scott. He didn’t know why the refund hadn’t arrived. Another week of back and forth later, he admitted he had never been trained to process refunds and needed to speak with the owner. He said it would take another 3-5 business days. I explained that it was time-sensitive because I had limited travel money for food and getting around. That time passed with no refund, and the back and forth continued for another 2 weeks. I was furious and asked to speak with the owner, who handled the expenses. Three weeks after I’d been promised a refund, I finally got his number and was able to talk to him on the phone. (Continue in Noteworthy details)