Backpackers Newcastle

The big kitchen and the yard pool and pool table were a nice bonus, and the rooms, beds and especially the showers were really clean. It’s handy for the train station, though there isn’t much else nearby. Staff helped when needed, but didn’t feel especially welcoming. The Belgian staff member in particular looked like he wasn’t enjoying his shift. I’d recommend staying here.

The location was a real plus, with good bars, gyms, shops and kebab places close by. We could make it back to bed safely, though one of my mates still got egged. I also liked having three different ways to get back to my room, even though it was only about 8 metres away. Handy for avoiding people who wouldn’t stop talking. The pool looks lovely and inviting. The laundry area, though, looks like a war bunker. Common areas were kept as clean and tidy as possible, but they’re pretty cramped. The toilets were clean too, with mango air fresheners to cover the awful smells left behind by previous users. Some better way of getting people to put things back would help. The cutlery drawer is a chaotic mix of forks, spoons, knives, screwdrivers, chopsticks, sewing needles, Ninja throwing stars and who knows what else. Cameras are there, but maybe a higher shelf at eye level would help people who are cutlery-blind sort it out. Pool cues get treated so badly that you end up playing with a headless stick, or one with the limp head taped back on. Beds were alright, but a curtain by each bed would give more privacy, especially when people use fungus-ridden bath towels to muffle their adult, I mean YouTube, videos. Some beds creak more than others, and it depends whether there’s a common enemy Snorlax convulsing every 20 minutes on the deck above.

Helpful, friendly staff, and the cleanest hostel bathrooms I’ve come across after staying in lots of hostels. I’d happily come back.

People were nice and the place seemed to have a good vibe. It’s also close to the greyhound bus stop. The rooms are plain, but roomy and clean, and you couldn’t hear the noise from the social areas inside. The showers were spacious and pretty nice too. I only stayed briefly. I’d have liked a side rail on the top bunk. Basic, but done well.