Lantana Lodge

The atmosphere was great, and I met lots of nice people, so I'd stay again. I picked this hostel for the free parking. It's in a quiet neighbourhood, though a neighbour complains about every little sound and tries to get the place shut down, which means no sitting outside after 21:30. You have to remove your shoes indoors, which felt unusual but wasn't a big deal. The hostel is very clean, has free Wi-Fi, and the dorms are average-sized with lockers. The property is in good shape except for the worn showers that need maintenance, although the water pressure is excellent and the water is warm. The kitchen is really too small, cooking with more than two people is almost impossible. Downtown is about a 20-minute walk away.

The blanket they gave me was damp, and the staff weren't friendly. At check-in, the person didn't note that they'd taken my ID as collateral for the room key. When I checked out, they insisted they didn't have it. In the downstairs bathroom, the toilet is raised about four inches, so sitting comfortably is difficult. One shower door won't open all the way, and as a large man I had to turn sideways to get through. The rooms are poorly ventilated and get extremely hot during the day. There's nowhere secure to lock up a bike, and reception's ridiculous hours make checking in or out difficult. One of the worst hostels I've stayed in.

We enjoyed exploring Parnell, but the hostel itself was a bit boring. People seemed to just sit around on their smartphones doing nothing. The rooms were okay, and although the showers were outdated, they felt nice after two months in a campervan. From the station, walking here with backpacks was unbearable because the roads are very, very steep. The city centre is actually a reasonable walk, about 30 minutes. There are lots of rules, including no shoes and no noise after 9:30. Reception closes in the afternoon. The receptionist said she'd be back at 4, but she wasn't there when we needed her, which was annoying.

The Wi-Fi and lounge were good, but they didn't make up for the lack of professionalism. We booked for three based on the website, then found there was no parking apart from the street, and no staff from 1 to 4 pm, a closure not mentioned in the booking or lodge website. We called the manager at 12h50; he said he was coming to check us in, but we waited until 4h20 before the receptionist served us. The advertised BBQ had no gas and was locked with a bike locker. There were no lockers or bag storage, despite the website listing them. The airport shuttle was just a taxi they'd book, which we had to pay for. Our room had two beds, but one hadn't been made. Towels weren't included despite the booking site saying they were, and there was no fridge or hair dryer despite both being advertised. The receptionist wasn't helpful and seemed unconcerned when we complained, choosing to say nothing and wait. Our basement room was next to the laundry, with no door and no curfew, so there was noise all night. We spoke to the manager, who didn't care and said it was our fault.