Bunk Inn Hostel

After a really bad stay at the hostel before this, we found this place and would absolutely recommend it. It’s clean, cosy, friendly and in a great spot. Rebel, one of the staff, is wonderful: cheerful, hardworking, helpful, and always keeping the hostel tidy. It felt like a big family. 10/10.

The cleaner was there when I arrived and was great at explaining things, very helpful. I was lucky to catch her, though, and not every guest will find a staff member around. For a hostel, I think someone should be on site during reception hours. The owners or operators seem, in my opinion, extremely lazy and unwilling to be hands-on. If I return to Bundaberg, I’ll stay elsewhere. The other guests were nice, and they’re what makes the place. It was clean, but the open windows and smokers in the garden meant the inside smelled of cigarettes too. There’s no oven, just a microwave, sandwich toaster and hobs. I’d bought food that needed an oven and hadn’t checked first because I usually expect one in a kitchen. Entry was a hassle. I had to download an app for the door codes, but there was no one there when I arrived and the door was locked. I had to wave to another guest to get let in. I also couldn’t reach the place using any of the phone numbers I found online, some didn’t answer and others were disconnected. They had emailed me about the app, but it went to junk and I only saw it later. I’ve stayed in just five Australian hostels so far, so take this with a pinch of salt. Maybe I expect too much. It wasn’t terrible, but staff being absent and needing an app to access facilities I’d already paid for was very annoying.

The showers were clean, with hot water, or cold if you’re like Kramer from Seinfeld. There’s a fridge, washing machines and even a dryer, and the prices are affordable, which matters to someone like me who’s still struggling to make ends meet. The wooden tables were lovely. The people were very accommodating, and housekeeping even fixed the toilet when it wouldn’t flush. It’s close to the shopping centre and town centre. Thank you.

I liked the fairly new-looking shower room and having the big common area to myself was a nice bonus. The location was handy too, right by a service station and a large shopping centre I could easily walk to. Room setups seemed to vary, though. Mine had no shelf while other rooms did. The website said checkout was at 11 a.m., so I planned around that. Staff began cleaning at 10, and I couldn’t enjoy brunch comfortably because I felt in her way and rushed out. She was kind and tried to accommodate me. It’d help to either update the website with an earlier checkout time or start cleaning after 11.