Katoomba Mountain Lodge

I spent about a month here volunteering and slept really well after busy days hiking. It’s quiet and restful, just right if you’re after relaxation instead of a lively, sociable backpacker scene. The vibe is chilled and a bit older, without the party or backpacker activities. The dorms have no lockers. For about half my stay, I was the only person there, so I basically had a private room, which was great value on a tight budget, and I could lock the room. The location is perfect, right in town and a short walk from the three sisters. There’s lots of lounging space, with three living rooms and a dining room, and I enjoyed the books that were free to use. I didn’t have any of the problems with other guests mentioned in other reviews, so perhaps they’ve left.

The location is incredibly convenient, but management should pay closer attention to who’s staying there. Around 12:30am I went to the women’s bathroom and a male guest appeared out of the dark, pressing me about why I was there and telling me to keep the noise down. He seemed to be hanging around the toilets for no clear reason. The lodge is very dark and quiet, and I felt really uncomfortable. The room was okay, I suppose you get what you pay for, but the beds roll around on the floorboards.

The whole place had an unpleasant, unwelcoming feel, and the showers were awful. One had such strong pressure that it flooded the shower room, and while I was in there someone knocked on the door three times. I switched to another, but that one barely worked. Neither had anywhere to put your things. The rooms were a little dirty, too. The only staff member I met was the man who checked us in; after that, we couldn’t find any staff around. Early one morning, another guest was banging on doors, shouting and swearing about someone stomping, and threatening violence. When I opened the door, he pushed me and said someone was stomping. I explained it was just me and my partner in our room and we weren’t moving around. We checked out early right after that. My partner emailed about what happened and got no reply. I know this may not seem like the hostel’s fault, but the lack of staff around made it worse. I’d strongly recommend against staying here.

The manager was nice, and Georgia, a long-term tenant, made us feel welcome. We had no trouble with theft or other tenants, and I believe the tenant who had caused problems before has since been moved on. We stayed at katoomba mountain lodge for the weekend of 21/3/2025, while attending a navigation and survival course at australian mountaineering office, which I highly recommend. I had a dorm bed, and the toilet, bathroom and kitchen were clean, though the dish cloths and tea towels needed replacing. The central location is handy for coles, woolworths, aldi and the train station. There’s good hiking nearby, but watch out for leeches. Katooma rsl is within walking distance, costs 10 dollars to join, and has nice meals.