Spa Lodge - Hostel

Clean place, awesome staff, and a great hot pool. I paid $39 a night for a single room with a BBH card. You can buy the card at reception for $45, and it gives you $15 credit towards your next online booking. It’s easy to get here from the bus stop, and it’s the best hostel I’ve stayed in so far because the staff and other guests are so friendly. The only downside is that people can get pretty noisy, which could be a problem if you’re a light sleeper. Thanks, everyone 💓

My friend and I booked a dorm for two nights, but we felt so unsafe that we left before the first bus. The first night, people yelled, shouted, and fought all night. On the second, a resident woman slept in our dorm, then had loud, aggressive sex with a man she’d brought in. It went on for over an hour, and they seemed to be using drugs too. Neither seemed to care that we were there, and the situation felt unpredictable. I was scared of being attacked or robbed. We grabbed our things and found other residents’ clothes spread everywhere, including over my belongings. Later, while waiting in the cold kitchen, we could see more people fighting and yelling in the backyard. I was even afraid to go to the toilet at night because it’s out back. This place isn’t safe, especially for solo female travelers. The residents’ behavior was unpredictable, and staff never replied to my email. I later read that other backpackers had similar experiences. The hostel was filthy and badly maintained as well, though that wasn’t even the main problem. Some residents are homeless and have social and mental health problems, and guests share all the facilities with them. Please spend a few more dollars and stay somewhere safe. Don’t stay here. I would have been even more scared if I’d been on my own.

I’ve never stayed anywhere so terrible. See my TripAdvisor review and the owner’s response. I was a submariner for 10 years, but I don’t rent towels, especially from a place with such questionable cleanliness. I bring my own clean towel in case I end up somewhere like this. The windows and bed really did shake more than when I lived next to a railway line. I get paid well, but chose budget accommodation so I could use the rest of my allowance to treat the guests to dinner and a birthday cake. I absolutely love my job. I didn’t pee on the floor, you moron. I was sitting down. See the photo for the actual sign on the toilet wall.

The staff were friendly, and the owner gave us 2GB of Wi-Fi per person per day, which was great. This was a welcoming, pleasant backpacker place, especially considering how many people were there. There are two kitchens, enough showers, and several outdoor tables. We got 10% off two local attractions, and the double bed was perfect and firm. It was neither very clean nor very dirty. The only downside was that it felt a little old-fashioned and could be great with some renovations.