Jucy Snooze

The staff were nice, and the location is about as good as it gets. It’s one of the cheapest places around, though I still felt the price was a little high for the standard. The kitchen was very well equipped, but it closed at 10 p.m., which caught us by surprise. We came back late and hungry to get some of our food, only to find the door locked. The rooms and bathrooms really need renovating.

The handy location made it easy to get around, but after a long trip this wasn’t the place for a good night’s rest or easing jet lag. We stayed three nights, and if it had only been one night, not after a long journey, it might have been okay. For long-distance travellers, I wouldn’t recommend it. The room had no air conditioning and was very uncomfortable. The bathroom and toilet seemed questionable, and didn’t feel clean or hygienic. Several things were loose, visibly broken, or damaged. We found ants crawling in the bed and over our belongings, so keep suitcases closed if you can. The bed was uncomfortable too, a definite no-go if you have back problems. Staff were okay and did the job, but there wasn’t anything extra in the service. Don’t expect a friendly chat or smiles; apparently that isn’t included.

A decent location, and clean and tidy for a backpackers. It was reasonably quiet too. The room smelled quite musty, though, and the only way to ventilate it was to leave the ground-floor windows open. The bathrooms were clean and tidy but dated and a bit small. The kitchen and common room are small as well.

For a couple watching their budget and mainly needing somewhere to sleep and shower, this hostel worked very well. It’s a short walk to the CBD, with lots of restaurants and dining options nearby, and I’d recommend it to budget travellers. I also like that it’s a green hostel, which will appeal to people who care about the environment. We stayed six nights in a double ensuite, got a 30% discount, and paid $369. Look for online deals and promos. The room was clean, tidy, spacious, and had everything we needed. Coffee and milk were decent for a hostel, the shower was clean, the bed was nicely made, and we had no disturbances. Wi-Fi worked without any trouble. The receptionist who checked us in was gracious and welcoming, chatted with us, and suggested local sights and activities. Since the building has no lift and we had lots of luggage, he asked whether we’d prefer the ground or first floor. Reception staff were very accommodating when we needed fresh towels and more refreshments. Laundry was the one disappointing service. We had little choice but to use it, and the receptionist kindly gave us a discount we hadn’t asked for. We’d been told the clothes would be washed, dried, and returned folded, but they came back scrunched up in a bag, creased and messy. If they can’t meet the expectation they set, they should rethink offering the service. It was a bit disappointing. Had we paid full price, we’d have complained in person. You get what you pay for with a two-star hotel or hostel, so expect things to be average. Even so, we were very content and impressed overall.