we booked 2 nights stay at the hostel in Sydney, Australia and are wondering if it is a clean place and a safe location. If anyone has been there, please give us some ideas as to what to expect. Thanks
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32325 posts
kasey,
As this Forum is primarily concerned with European travel, you may get more responses by posting your question on the Thorn Tree Message Boards at Lonely Planet (in the Australia section).
You could also check the Hostelworld website, which shows 20 reviews of the Sydney Central Backpackers Hostel, or the HIHostels website for listings of their properties. HI Hostels tend to have fairly consistent facilities from one location to the other, as they're a "chain".
Good luck and happy travels!
Posted by
Nanaimo
7 posts
We have stayed at the Central Sydney hostel in a private double room and it was excellent although a little more expensive than others. Its in an excellent location to walk downtown and the bus is across the street for the airport. Have a great trip....
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15771 posts
Also check out TripAdvisor forums. I found the info much better overall than Thorn Tree.
Posted by
Tulsa, Oklahoma, US
290 posts
G'day, Kasey. You will love Sydney, truly one of the world's great cities; be sure to ride the Manly ferry for a great view of the Harbour and a good, although crowded beach.
Posted by
Boston, MA, United States
1806 posts
It's in Kings Cross which is an area some people feel is slightly seedy especially when the sun goes down. I walked in Kings Cross at night and during the day and never felt it was unsafe or seedy, but I live in a big city in the U.S., so maybe my tolerance for seedy neighborhoods is higher than others!
You're paying about $30 AUD per person for a shared dorm room or $70 AUD for a private room (none with air conditioning - and you don't know miserable until you've stayed in an Australian hostel when it is 95 degrees at night with 6-8 bunks, 1 fan blowing hot air and windows that never open fully!). You'll get nicer digs if you look for a room in a budget hotel. I got a great rate online for the Travelodge Sydney Hotel on Wentworth. The rate was similar to a private room in a hostel. The location was excellent - I could walk to the Harbour and many other sights. All rooms had air conditioning and a kitchenette, and I got to use the free internet access in the lobby. In this lousy world economy, the hotel industry is hurting for business and is regularly slashing room rates to attract customers.