Coogee Beachside - Hostel

The staff were lovely and helped arrange a refund despite the no-refund policy, which is why I’m giving two stars. Management refunded the remaining 14 nights, and the staff member was very apologetic. She offered to move us upstairs, but we’d already found somewhere else to stay. My partner and I had booked a private double room for 16 nights because the price and location suited us. I’m not really a hostel person, and I expected something more like the budget hotels we’d used before. This was my first hostel stay, and probably my last. Our flight was rebooked overnight, so although the booking records showed a second night, we were only there for one. The room was crawling with cockroaches, far more than I could count on my fingers and toes, and that’s only the ones we saw or killed. They were on the walls and all over the floor. We barely slept, and on so little sleep already, we were really upset. There are signs around asking people not to eat in their rooms. We didn’t. I suspect staff thought we had because we left an empty grocery bag behind, but it had held toiletries, not food. If you’re travelling solo on a tight budget, the pods might be an okay option if you need somewhere to stay. Otherwise, I’d avoid this place for a while. It has plenty of potential, especially with a location that’s almost perfect. I’m writing this to help keep other travellers safe. Cheers.

I couldn’t sleep at all, with people screaming through the night and guests repeatedly pressing the wrong buttons on a very noisy door lock. The first room smelled strongly of mold, had no opening windows, and its mattress had so little support I could feel the frame. I asked to move, and the next room was better, but still awful. Everything in the room was rusty and coated in layers of dust. A staff member changed the sheets and pillowcases, but the inside of the bed and pillow still wasn’t clean. I had to keep the light on to ward off cockroaches. The kitchen dish rack was badly rusted and none of the dishes were clean, so I felt too uncomfortable to cook there. The hostel needs rebuilding and proper systems for cleaning and keeping things quiet. The photos I took don’t seem to show the problems, so I haven’t included them.

We spent such a happy time here, and I’m already looking forward to coming back. It’s just steps from the sea in a lively, well-organized area. The rooms and bathrooms were always tidy, and the kitchen had lots of utensils and plenty of fridge space. The living room was lovely, with a big sofa where everyone could sit together, laugh and joke. The place had a calm, cheerful feel, and the staff were genuinely kind and helpful.

We love how much has changed here. The kitchen has nice views, and the TV rooms are cleaner and feel more spacious. The staff are friendlier and more attentive now, too. Laundry is on site, so my friends and I didn’t have to worry about getting it done.