Reef Lodge Backpackers

I stayed there for five months because it was the cheapest option, but it was a bad experience. The owners didn’t manage the place properly. I’d sometimes wait hours at reception because the owner was out doing who knows what, and the kitchen was always dirty, with piles of dishes nobody cleaned. Be careful about the $50 key bond, too. The owner, Simon, kept mine. I’d been there for months, he knew me, and I’d always cleaned up after myself, sometimes even after other people. After checking out, I went back once just to collect my luggage, and she kept the bond over that. Worst hostel I’ve ever stayed in.

My booking was with the old hostel, but it had been sold to Zen Hostel and nobody told me the business no longer existed. The old Google hostel listing is still on Google Maps with an old number that didn’t work when I called before arriving. The former owner should be fined and penalised.

We rang the reception bell during opening hours, got no answer, then tried again to check that someone was there. The owner greeted us with a lecture about how “patience is a virtue not everyone possesses.” We were politely asking about a room and using the bell provided for that purpose, so I didn’t feel we needed to hear remarks like that. The rest of the interaction was just as other reviews described. We felt like a nuisance, and both owners were extremely unfriendly. They couldn’t agree on whether any beds were available, and we only stayed to listen out of politeness. We never stayed there and never will. In ten years of travelling, I’ve never had a reception like that.

The location worked really well for us, just around the corner from Flinders Street, with a Cole’s or Woolies about 10 minutes away in either direction. My boyfriend and I stayed in a private double room for four months while doing regional work. I’m not usually a hostel person, but the Reef Lodge was an exception. Most nights it was quiet after 10pm, the bathrooms and kitchen were cleaned each morning, and the aircon cooled our room quickly. There’s also a common area to relax and meet other guests. People say the owners are rude and strict, but we found that if you respect them, they respect you. They want the hostel and long-term guests to do well. When they complain about dirty dishes piling up, I think that’s fair: there are genuinely lovely people staying there who shouldn’t have to deal with someone else’s mess. We never had any problems with the owners and enjoyed chatting with them around the hostel and in the office. Thanks, Dean and Simone!