Observatory Backpackers

The place itself is okay, but it needs a lot of work. I was bitten by bugs all night, and the bed kept squeaking. Wi-Fi in the room was very slow too. Unless they improve things, I can't see this place getting very far.

Had a super fun stay here. It's well organized, and the receptionist was easygoing. We got to hang out with some international women from Sweden, and the Observatory area is lively, with people happy to welcome strangers. I even had breakfast at a diner with a guy called Nasser. Definitely coming back soon.

The bedbugs were the last straw, but the problems started before I even got into the room. I'd booked three nights in an eight-bed mixed dorm and arrived after a long drive at the advertised 13:30 check-in time. There was nobody at reception. I called the number on the yellow front of the building and spoke with the manager, who said they'd contact the receptionist. After waiting around half an hour with no word, I called again, got no answer, waited another half hour, and tried once more. Still nothing. Sitting by the roadside was getting pretty unpleasant, and guests told me the receptionist wouldn't be back until 16:00, which clashed with an event I had later that day. Someone who said they were filling in eventually let me in and told me to chill. My room hadn't been cleaned and I had nowhere to leave my luggage. Around 16:30 the receptionist arrived and briskly told me to wait in the lobby. Guests had been cleaning rooms for new arrivals, which struck me as odd. The upstairs bathrooms were disgusting, the kitchens were a mess, and the cleaning staff seemed unhappy about having to clean them. Nobody was wearing masks or keeping a safe distance. My bed was infested with bedbugs, too. I've stayed in worse backpackers, believe it or not, but calling this one among the best would be a huge exaggeration. Very poor service. I don't recommend it.

The four-bed dorms looked clean and nice, but the parking situation was a letdown. I called three times to check whether there was safe parking, and each time they said there was. When I arrived, the only option was a space on the dodgy street in front of the hostel. I wasted my time, and they lost a customer.