Why choose Hostel Accommodation in Australia
Hostel Accommodation in Australia is good value and an affordable way to stay in places where you would otherwise spend hundreds of dollars for staying overnight.
For solo travellers hostels are not only an option of good budget accommodation but also a great way of aggregation. Travellers who use hostels want to make connections, meet fellow travellers and make friends, join groups and become more integrated into the local community during their stay in Australia.
There are different types of Hostel Accommodation in Australia and you shall be prepared to know a few things before booking yourself into a hostel.
Types of hostel accommodation
There are a few features that draw the in-visible line between classic hostels from backpacker hostels in Australia. The most known and established hostel chain in Australia is YHA. There are more hostel chains like Nomads and Base, these are popular in the backpacker hostels scene though.
Backpacker Hostels
Backpacker hostels, known among the youngsters, are the home-away-from-home of many working holidays makers and students coming from all over the world and settling into the new Aussie Life.
The typical feature of backpacker hostels is a relaxed atmosphere and of course a vibrant party atmosphere that distinguishes them from classic hostels. Within the backpacker hostels category there are also different kind of services. Some offer a basic service while others have excellent facilities and great locations and some offer even a higher service than classic hostels do, like free airport pick-up, free breakfast and more free stuff. Some other backpacker hostels are rundown places not even meeting the basic requirements of cleanliness and security.
Classic Hostels
Australian Hostels are famous for their general high standard but they are not all the same. Among classic hostels there are excellent ones, good ones, average ones and bad ones too. Classic hostels are frequented by people of all ages. From professionals, pensioners, international travellers, women travelling alone, to school groups, tours, etc. The most known hostel chain in Australia is YHA hostels which are, in my opinion, the best hostels to stay in australian cities and in many places throughout Australia.
On my solo trips I stayed in over 40 australian hostels, on this post you can read about the Hostel Life in Australia
Tips for booking your hostels in Australia
When booking hostels in Australia there are a few things you shall know. If you book through a search engine like Hostelworld or Hostelbookers you will be charged for a small deposit fee. If you book from the YHA hostels website you need to pay upfront the entire amount but you can cancel your booking up to 48 hours prior to arrival for a full refund of the amount. If you book directly with a privately owned hostel you may be asked to give details of your credit card but you will not be charged until you show up. Cancellation policy may vary, so always check the booking conditions of each single hostel.
How to book a good hostel in Australia
Here a list of tips for hostel booking when travelling around Australia. Good hostels always put photos of their entire facilities so that people can see what the places looks like and what it offers.
Testimonials are the real value of the place. Good hostels list them on their website. You can find them on hostel booking sites too. Find out what the hostel looks like and offers and how people rate their stay there.
Location is gold, especially in cities. Choose your hostel as centrally located as possible with good public transport connections.
Hostel facilities make the true difference. Good furnished and functional kitchen is a precondition. Laundry, wi-fi are also a must. Aks if free wi-fi is offered this is a plus in Australia! Free airport or bus-station pick-up is good especially in outback areas.
Hostel Cleanliness is the most critical thing in hostels. You will not see that from photos, but from testimonials you will be able to get a picture of the hostel cleanliness.
Security in Hostels. Some hostels offer 24hours check-in reception and have excellent video-cameras installed in communal areas, that adds extra value to your stay.
Free Stuff and Events are like candies. Check the list of more services offered for free and what kind of evening events, tours organized by the hostels. Some may be offered for free too, like city walks, visit to museums, exhibitions etc.
Hostels Shared Dorms. Prefer unisex dorm with the lowest number of beds possible. Usually there are 4 bunk-beds, but some hostels offer dorms with 3 beds. Grab one bed in there and ask if there are private rooms to be rent on a shared option too. Avoid 6 and higher shared dorms and mixed dorms too!
Hostels Private Rooms are 2 and 4 beds. Single rooms are available in some hostels, at reasonabe prices too. Double and single private rooms rates are in average the same as in guest houses or B&B.
Final words on hostels accommodation in Australia
Hostels are definitely a good way to save money on accommodation, especially for solo travellers, nonetheless you need to be prepared to adjust to situations. Don’t rely 100% on search engine results for quality hostels. All what shines is not always gold, unfortunately, so there is no 100% guarantee that the place matches their photos in internet. If you are not sure about your choice, the best thing to do is to book for the first night and see what the experience is like. You can always extend your stay, if you like the hostel.
On my last trip in Western Australia I had booked a single private room into a backpacker hostel in Perth that google delivered out of my search for boutique hostels…. This hostel had been rewarded as the best backpackers hostel in W.A. but my private room turned out to be far from this promise, in fact it was a real scam. You will read more about my negative hostel experience on a separate post.
However accurate your research may be, you must be prepared for the unexpected as this belongs to any travel adventure.
While I have been travelling around Australia for 10 years and used to be a huge fan of hostels in the past years I nowadays tend to book only trusted hostels that I know well. I am definitely open to more ways of budget accommodation like private accomodation or housesitting as valuable alternative of staying in Australia.
Have you stayed in Australian Hostels ? How was your experience ?
Michela
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