Seadragon Backpackers

My friends and I are covered in bed bug bites after staying in our room, which is completely unacceptable. I can't be sure whether other rooms had the same problem. It could have been a good stay otherwise.

The location is great, about a 15-minute walk to the city centre, and the kitchen looked perfect, though I didn't use it. The room was very good too. The floor and a hole in the wall weren't ideal, but everything else was fine. John was very helpful by email when I had a problem with my reservation. Thanks, John.

For the price, this is a basic but tolerable hostel. The bedding and facilities seemed clean, which matters, and it's under a 20-minute walk to the main Brighton attractions, though a bit far from them. The beds were comfortable. I wouldn't stay again, but my preferences won't be deal breakers for everyone. There were few bathrooms, though each was private. That meant if three people wanted to shower at once, there was no toilet available. The shower was the worst I've had in a hostel: a high rainfall head with such weak pressure that the water was a drizzle, and it was cold by the time it reached me even on the highest heat setting. A cup of water from the sink might have worked better. The bunks had no curtains or privacy. There was one power strip near the bottom bunk for the whole bed, so someone above needs a long cable that could get in the way. There was no shelf or hanging bag near the top bunk for a phone or book. Each bed had a clip-on reading light, but none of the four in my room worked, leaving only the ceiling light or personal torches. The check-in information was confusing. My confirmation email said reception was open 10am to 5pm and asked guests arriving later to request self-check-in details. On the day I was due to arrive at 3pm, I was told reception had reduced hours and would close at 1pm. That should have been in the original email, or sent as soon as the change was made. They knew my check-in date when they sent the confirmation, so I expected them to know whether normal hours applied. I didn't meet a single staff member during my two-night stay, which felt impersonal and strange.

It's a nice place, close to everything, and things were basically fine. A few things weren't to my taste: I really dislike electric showers, the room was just a little cold, and the lockers are so small that anyone with a decent-sized backpack may struggle to fit it.