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Please see Melbourne for other available Melbourne hostels and accommodations.
Please see Melbourne for other available Melbourne hostels and accommodations.
The Hostelz.com Review
Greenhouse Backpacker is part of the Friendly group, which also owns Friendly Backpackers on King Street and a travel agent at the ground floor reception of the Greenhouse. Hostels in Melbourne are generally more expensive than in most places elsewhere in Australia and the Greenhouse is certainly not the cheapest hostel. However, locationwise the hostel is on Flinders Lane, only a two-minute walk from Flinders Street Train Station and Federation Square. There are a number of small convenience stores right next to the hostel on Swanston Street, as well as lots of coffee shops (Degraves Street) and fast food outlets. There is a large supermarket on Swanston Street next to the Bourke Street mall.
The hostel is large, which can seem a bit impersonal, but does have good facilities. The main reception and common areas are on the sixth floor. There is a large TV lounge, pool tables, vending machines, laundrette, dining area, and reasonably well equipped kitchen. There is also a roof terrace on the next floor up with sun loungers and BBQ. The reception desk is open twenty-four hours and the staff are able to provide information on tours and local events. The hostel also organises a pub crawl every week and this can be a good way to meet other people in the hostel. They also organise walking tours, provide free breakfast every day (pancakes on a Sunday), and have a free BBQ once a week.
The hostel is relatively clean and the rooms have air-conditioning. However the pillows are pretty thin and some rooms are in the middle of the building and have no natural light. All rooms have large lockers for storing your stuff (you need your own padlock). Generally the hostel is pretty social but can seem a bit like a hotel with a high turnover of guests. It is a good idea to book ahead as the hostel can be very busy in summer, and unlike other hostels if you don't pay ahead for your bed, then they may book it out to someone else. Overall the hostel has a great location and good facilities, however the size can make it slightly impersonal and there are cheaper and smaller hostels in the area if you are on a budget or looking for somewhere a bit quieter.
The hostel is large, which can seem a bit impersonal, but does have good facilities. The main reception and common areas are on the sixth floor. There is a large TV lounge, pool tables, vending machines, laundrette, dining area, and reasonably well equipped kitchen. There is also a roof terrace on the next floor up with sun loungers and BBQ. The reception desk is open twenty-four hours and the staff are able to provide information on tours and local events. The hostel also organises a pub crawl every week and this can be a good way to meet other people in the hostel. They also organise walking tours, provide free breakfast every day (pancakes on a Sunday), and have a free BBQ once a week.
The hostel is relatively clean and the rooms have air-conditioning. However the pillows are pretty thin and some rooms are in the middle of the building and have no natural light. All rooms have large lockers for storing your stuff (you need your own padlock). Generally the hostel is pretty social but can seem a bit like a hotel with a high turnover of guests. It is a good idea to book ahead as the hostel can be very busy in summer, and unlike other hostels if you don't pay ahead for your bed, then they may book it out to someone else. Overall the hostel has a great location and good facilities, however the size can make it slightly impersonal and there are cheaper and smaller hostels in the area if you are on a budget or looking for somewhere a bit quieter.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
January 2007
Their Description
Greenhouse Backpacker Details
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Map
Location/Contact| Address | Level 6, 228 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Website | www.friendlygroup.com.au |
| Telephone | +61 (3) 9639-6400, 1-800-249-207 |
| Fax | +61 (3) 9639-6900 |
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Greenhouse Backpacker Reviews on Other WebsitesHostelz.com Guest Reviews
Rooms were broken in! And racist staffs The room we stayed was broken in on September 2011, and we lost our passport, laptop, camera, cash, almost every valuables! We used padlocks on every bags and the locker but they were all broken by the burglary when we came back. We went to reception to report and get an idea of how this happened. This guy on the night shift, told us its not his responsibility and told us to go away. The manager next morning, other than consolidating us, told us: "WE DONT CARE" "Look, you shouldnt have left laptop in your room" "There is theft everywhere mate" The management just completely ignored us. We complained for their irresponsible remarks and despicable behaviour and attitudes towards guests. And the manager decided to EVICT us and put us on "bad list." Without passport and other valuables, we had nowhere to stay any where and after all one of us had to go back to home country with the embassy's help, which completely ruined our stays in Melbourne. We just find this so repulsive. Not just because the theft took place (with very vulnerable security of the backpacker), but mostly because of the management's reaction to what happened. The manager really does not have any quality whatsoever to manage the place with this twisting and "disgusting" attitude toward guests to handle the situation that way. Very disappointed of Greenhouse backpackers, and disappointed of Melbourne experience. — helllo22 , Korea (2011-09-15) The worst hostel I have stayed at I was utterly horrified by my experience at this place. I have traveled extensively around the world and have seen some pretty awful hostels, but I didn't expect to see the worst one of them all in my own country. The place is run like a prison, with no windows, lights that switch themselves off automatically, and a PA system waking you up at all hours of the day with irrelevant announcements and music. They advertise "free wireless internet" on their website but neglect to mention that this is available only on one floor, where there is no chance of privacy or quiet in which to concentrate. The staff seem to have forgotten that they are providing a service to paying customers, and treat you like you should feel lucky to be able to stay there, and not complain. One girl working at reception actually said this to me. It's a shame that this place is so bad, because the location is amazing. But if you'd actually like the opportunity to sleep at some point on your trip, and not on filthy, blood-stained bedlinen, you should probably go somewhere else. — Anonymous , Australia (2011-04-09) Dirty and dingy Was hoping this might be in the same league as the Cairns one but not a chance. No windows in dorms, dirty rooms, broken lockers, springs poking out of mattresses, out of order toilets/showers for 3 whole days meaning you had to trek to another floor every time which was then totally overcrowded. Would definitely not be staying here again! — Anonymous , UK (2011-01-05) Unfriendly, unclean, disappointing I was so disappointed with this hostel! Having heard such good things about Cairns greenhouse I thought it was going to be amazing. The hostel is very large, therefore impersonal. The staff were rude and unhelpful. Despite having booked in a for a month they told me I would have to move rooms after a week as I hadn't paid for longer upfront. I pointed out I had an email confirming I would stay a month but they said I still had to move rooms. So i just went elsewhere -- and it was no big loss! It has a good location and free internet. but that's where the good stuff ends. The fleece bed covers you are given to keep warm (all rooms are freezing as there is no natural light) were filthy! covered in hairs and a weird white stain! I went to ask for new ones, only to realise a couple of days later why they were so horrible -- the cleaners only change the sheets and the throws on the bed are never washed! they're just refolded between guests! disgusting! They also closed the kitchen at ridiculous hours so you can't enter between 9:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. and the bathroom was closed for cleaning after 10:30 a.m.! (although cleaning is dubious as they also seemed to have a hair problem in there!) Overall, I would not recommend. — Anon , England (2009-09-14) Best hostel I've ever stayed at during my eleven months of traveling Very clean, friendly staff, and most important -- awesome atmosphere. I've met so many great people here and the location is absolutely perfect. Don't stick around for too long though, cause you may not want to leave anymore. — Rutger , The Netherlands (2009-08-11) Well worth it would recommend this to anyone on a budget. it's clean, big, and the staff are friendly and helpful. didn't know what to expect at first but it was a pleasant surprise. the kitchen could be cleaner but that wasn't the staff's fault. the free bbq on a tuesday night was brilliant and the breakfast is good value. stayed here two weeks and would stay again! — Jenny , Ireland (2009-03-12) Non-friendly A friend suggested that I stay in a hostel while traveling around Australia. In Melbourne, I stayed at the Greenhouse Backpacker and my enthusiam was quickly withdrawn. I stayed here for a week and was disappointed with the non-friendly guests that were there. Most just kept to themselves and had no interest in meeting others. Employees were the only people that were somewhat friendly. Room was not clean and very cold from the air conditioning, TV room was filthy with stains all over the furniture, DVD player was non-functional, and the map given to guests was useless. The tours available on the first floor is the only thing worthwhile in this hostel. After a week stay, I was happy to leave. After leaving Melbourne, I went to Airlie Beach on a three-day sailing cruise around Whitsundays, I meet people who stayed in this same hostel and had similar disappointments such as being too noisy and dirty. I would not want to return for a stay while in Melbourne. — April 2008 , USA (2008-08-27) nice place -- huge communal kitchen with enough storage and fridge space, huge common room / dining area, free food, tv room, you name it. we stayed in a 8-bed dorm which was huge -- every bed had its own reading light, small dividing walls between bunks for privacy, so even if you're staying with 6 other people you dont see them. only negative was that theres only 2 computers for internet (you get 30mins free every day -- cant use more than 30mins even if you pay) but you can easily walk to a internet cafe somewhere nearby. — seppo x (2006-11-04) I was disappointed by this hostel. The location is good but the building has no character, the rooms are small, and the bedsheets are stained and worn. — Sept 2006 (2006-09-03) Wow! What can i say? absoloutely amazing, friendliest staff, nicest rooms and bathrooms. Great big TV and communal areas. Perfect location. The best hostel I stayed in during three months of travelling. — Gidon (2006-08-21) The area is great and close to everything. It was my first time in a hostel and by far one of the greatest I stayed in throughout my trip. The rooms are very secure (they have card keys) the people are very friendly. Whether you want to be by yourself or meet people it can all be done. I would recommend this place to anyone. They have a bar downstairs -- not too popular (yet) but it's a start for the evening. Really enjoyed my stay here -- and they have an elevator! (So glad I didn't have to carry my stuff up and down the stairs!) I stayed at the Greenhouse in July 2006. — Melissa (2006-08-16) Stayed here for a month in 2005. Was very clean & obvioulsy well maintained. Has some good events every night too.
Make sure you ask for a room with a window because some rooms have no natural light which makes it impossible to get up in the morning! Your body just does not know what time it is! — Geordie (2006-08-13) We enjoyed spending five nights at Greenhouse recently. It has an excellent location near to Flinders Station, Southbank, National Gallery.
Staff were friendly and efficient and very helpful making transport bookings and restaurant recommendations. — Simon (2006-07-16) I stayed at this hostel back in 2004 and it was amazing, clean -- and hey who can say no to the free pancakes? Great people in and around the hostel. I felt very safe because they do have good security. Location is key which was great, you're just few minutes away from the casino and also the train station. Even though I stayed there couple of years ago I recommend it to friends that were gonna go to Oz. If you're looking for a tour to go on I recommend the Penguin Parade. — Marcela Flores (2006-05-19) An absolute great place to stay! Friendly personnel, clean, a little big and sometimes feels like a hospital, but great rooftop and stunning parties on the top as well. Buy cheap wine and go there to play the drinking games. — Anthon (2006-03-21)