No. 79 Backpacker

This was an extremely frustrating experience, so I'm giving the place one star. I booked on Wednesday afternoon and tried to cancel that same evening after my plans changed. I tried twice, so this wasn't a last-minute cancellation. When I called, I was told, "I don't understand English," and nothing was resolved. It's almost impossible to communicate in English, and no effort was made to help with my problem. The rules are the rules, and if a third party caused a loss, the owner could have explained and returned the remaining amount. Instead, they ignored the situation and offered no solution. I don't expect a refund now, and I'm not deleting this review, even though someone asked me by phone to remove it. I'm only describing my own experience. There's no threat or bad intent in what I'm saying, and I'm not calling for any specific country to be targeted. I just regret booking here and wouldn't recommend it to foreigners. If something goes wrong, in my experience, don't expect help.

No 79 Backpackers Hostel is in a preserved military village, so it's a great spot for anyone interested in history. The social, communal feel is another plus. There's free WiFi, and the main street nearby is packed with restaurants and street food stalls. You could stay for a month and still eat something different every day. The bossman works hard to keep the place up. He even paid for recent improvements himself, including a larger refrigerator for guests. Every weekend he hosts a BBQ movie night and invites everyone to join. Booking through the LINE app is more convenient, and the bossman responds quickly. Search for “No 79 Backpackers Hostel” when adding friends on LINE, and its official business account should come up. LINE is useful to have anyway, since it's the preferred communication app in Taiwan.

The host was so welcoming and sociable, and even made sweet potatoes for everyone. I also loved meeting travelers from all over. During my three months studying in Taiwan, this was my favorite place to stay. I hope to see Kaohsiung again！

The owner puts in a lot of effort, and it makes this a lovely little place to stay. There’s a vegetarian restaurant nearby worth checking out.