790 on George Backpackers

The room and kitchen felt unclean, and there were unpleasant smells. I also had skin irritation after staying, which concerned me. The facilities were very basic even for a hostel, with little storage, outlets inside the lockers and elevator problems. Service was disappointing too. Yasmin at the front desk seemed unprofessional and selective in how she treated guests. When I asked to change rooms, she answered sarcastically and said there was no availability, though other staff later showed that a change was possible. The routine room checks also felt uncomfortable. Comments about “bad smells” were made in shared rooms in a disrespectful way, while similar situations in mixed rooms didn't seem to get the same response. It came across as inconsistent. For a similar price, YHA is a much better choice. I wouldn't recommend staying here unless there are absolutely no alternatives.

The staff worked hard, the rooms were cleaned daily, and there were some good points: free breakfast, plenty of fridge space and a large kitchen. But several incidents really soured my stay. One night I went to the toilet and came back to find a noodle pot and a full pack of cookies missing from my cupboard. A long-term resident said the man in the bunk above had been in my cupboard. Reception checked the cameras and told me that man had left the room with nothing. I searched again and found the long-term resident putting my cookies in another cupboard. He'd eaten the pack. My phone was later taken and hidden in the bathroom, by someone I suspect was the same food thief. I was stressed when I went to reception, but they didn't seem to care. They refused to let me use a phone or computer to log in and find my iPhone, and suggested I go to the police station to file a report. They made another suggestion I can't remember, but I needed my phone, and it made me even angrier. In the end, a guy in my room I'd got along with woke up and used his phone to help me find it in the toilet. There was also a very strange guy staying during my last week who put the whole room on edge. One night he woke me at 3 am, quietly chanting in the middle of the room with his head up toward the ceiling and his arms stretched out. It was weird and unsettling enough that I filmed it in case he was a psychopath. Everyone in the room was thinking the same thing, if you catch my drift.

The reception crew were a big plus: the young Aussie woman, two guys with cool hairstyles, and another woman with a great playlist and style were friendly, helpful and kept things running smoothly. Housekeeping deserves a shout-out too. It's thankless work, but they seemed to enjoy it, and the cleanliness and team spirit came through. I don't know their names. Magna, the in-house magician with a paintbrush, gets a mention too. It's got character and doesn't feel run by robots or zombies. Unlike Azzuro Darling Harbour, it isn't falling apart or plagued by foul-smelling drains. Breakfast is cheap and cheerful. The bed frames squeak, but the beds are comfortable, there's plenty of locker space, and the showers are designed so the whole floor doesn't flood after a few uses, unlike at many hostels I've stayed in. The room felt fresh and the air con worked fine. It's a solid, practical hostel with a great central location, a minute's walk from Central Station and Chinatown. World Square Coles, Market City shops and eateries are nearby, and the light rail runs parallel to the hostel. I'd recommend it for a short or medium budget stay, and I'd stay again if I come back to Sydney.

The location is good, but as a solo female traveler I'd pay a little extra for the female-only dorm, which feels lower risk. A mixed dorm is a gamble. My roommate snored loudly all night, and I had to put up with the smell of sweat. The air conditioner was set to 20 degrees in autumn, and I think it gave me a cold.