Nomads Melbourne Backpackers

Staff were lovely and the social scene was good. The kitchen is the main problem: it's tiny, and there isn't much fridge space for the number of guests across 5 floors. They also don't change the duvet, which is kind of gross. The bathrooms were a bit dirty, though about what you'd expect in a hostel that size. We were moved because a woman in our dorm was getting bitten by bed bugs. The staff moved us and cleaned our clothes for free, handling it very professionally. I'd stay again for a short visit to Melb.

The bar is good, and they serve nice free pancakes in the morning. Rooms were comfortable and clean. The kitchen, though, is too small for several people to cook at once, was dirty most of the time and could only be used until a certain hour. I also saw some staff being somewhat rude to clients on a few occasions.

The rooftop terrace was nice, the rooms were okay, and the fresh linen and toilets and showers were clean enough. Free breakfast was sweet. Still, there's not much charm to the building, the interior feels generic and pop music plays constantly. It's crowded and feels like a huge student lodge. Wall promotions push drinking, and Dutch girls were grumpily complaining that nobody cleaned the kitchen, though they weren't doing anything to fix it either. If you're single and 18-25, it could be a cool place. At 34, it wasn't for me, though it caters to its crowd.

My expectations were exceeded, despite the bad reviews. The staff were friendly whenever I dealt with them, and the bathrooms seemed to get better each day, so the managers do appear to read reviews and keep on top of things. There's a lively bar downstairs with lots of activities for meeting people, and the outdoor decking is a nice touch. The kitchen is small, but you can get food at the bar, and there are plenty of affordable restaurants nearby, plus Queen Vic Market. Rooms are pretty good, though I reckon that depends on your roommates.