The Hostelz.com Review
The location of Backpackers by the Bay may seem like a downside at first, but it's just the opposite. Backpackers by the Bay is not located on the main street of Airly Beach, but just up the road, 4-5 minutes walking distance. Its location grants you with some quiet, since you're not right at the hub of all activities, but keep you on just a short walking distance from there. To reach there, just continue walking on the main street (east direction) and you will find the entry very soon. There is a big sign saying "Backpackers by the Bay" that you can't miss. There is also a pick-up bus; just call and ask for it.
The hostel has a pleasent atmosphere, and ample sitting areas, especially at the front yard just next to the pool, where you can enjoy the view of the harbour. There is plenty of parking in the back, and also a telephone for incoming calls for guests' use. The building itself is clean, and the walls are decorated by all kinds of sea-related shapes.
The rooms have six beds each. The mattresses are quite uncomfortable though, but in some rooms they are better than in others, so if the bed in the room given to you isn't comfortable to you, ask the reception to change your room. The kitchen is big and well equipped. The showers are clean, but suffer too often from a lack of hot water. There is also a breakfast available for $4.
The hostel has a pleasent atmosphere, and ample sitting areas, especially at the front yard just next to the pool, where you can enjoy the view of the harbour. There is plenty of parking in the back, and also a telephone for incoming calls for guests' use. The building itself is clean, and the walls are decorated by all kinds of sea-related shapes.
The rooms have six beds each. The mattresses are quite uncomfortable though, but in some rooms they are better than in others, so if the bed in the room given to you isn't comfortable to you, ask the reception to change your room. The kitchen is big and well equipped. The showers are clean, but suffer too often from a lack of hot water. There is also a breakfast available for $4.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
November 2005
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Backpackers by the Bay Reviews on Other WebsitesHostelz.com Guest Reviews
Rooms smell like piss + Expensive + Far from everything The note on the bunk bed I slept on said it all "I would rather get AIDS than smell this place ever again". I can't say I disagree. Also, their internet is an outrageous $5/hr and you have to use their 1 sh*tty computer (even though the staff has wireless internet of course). Can't un-recommend this place enough. — L , USA (2010-11-13) Fun and friendly I stayed at this hostel in October 2009 for a few weeks. I found the staff great and the general atmosphere was relaxed, fun, sociable and friendly. A great place to meet other travelers! Recommend it! — Guy (2010-03-21) Worst hostel in Airlie Beach Stayed here for two nights in july 2009. Planned on staying longer but could not put up with the poor conditions. First of all, the hostel is a twelve-minute walk uphill from the town itself so be prepared. The hostel is dirty, not well kept, and smells at night. The air conditioning shuts off automatically at 8 p.m., so the heat combined with everyone sweating, the heat from the kitchen, and all the open windows makes every smell mix together and it really is unbearable. The manager was very unprofessional and the staff seemed annoyed whenever anybody asked them for anything. There's only one computer with internet access and the staff locks it away when reception closes at 7 p.m. The other hostel we switched to was friendly, helpful, and located directly in town. Avoid this hostel and avoid the drama. — Michael , USA (2009-09-04) Overall, pretty good We just stayed one night here as we made our way up the coast. Reception was helpful, and let us leave our car in their lot while we went on an ocean rafting tour the next day. Our four-share room had a patio door to the outside and luggage racks, which I think are essential in hostels to allow airflow and to keep the floors clear (sadly most hostels don't have these simple little things!). Our room was quite musty smelling, but I suppose that's common in the high humidity. The air conditioning in the room is automatic and only on from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., so we all sat around sweating and watching the clock count down after a long hot day. It was especially hot in the kitchen when everyone was cooking, but I guess that can't be helped. The kitchen was well-equipped, and there were lots of tables and chairs to sit at, as well as additional common areas outside. The bathrooms were roomy enough and had counter space, another thing I've taken for granted in the past. I liked that the location was away from the main street, as it was schoolies week and very noisy! Unfortunately the "great view of the bay" that my guidebook promised was deleted by the construction going on in front, but we can always hope they are making another lagoon instead of condos! — Sarah , Canada (2008-12-07) Nice and clean, could be a bit better maintained though! We stayed here for six nights in August 2008. It is quite a quiet hostel, kept very clean. We stayed in a double room, with French windows (nice touch) which are rated as some of the best around in a guidebook. I have to disagree, as the room was very basic. Other than the bed, there was nothing in it! Kitchen was small but sufficient. Staff were ok, but as they worked twelve-hour shifts they were often grumpy. The reception shut at 7 which was not ideal, as we arrived at 8 on the first night, so had to find everything ourselves. Nice area out the front, with hammocks, loungers, and a pool. However this was spoilt by some construction happening right out the front, which made it very noisy here. (A member of staff later told us they are obliged to tell guests about the construction at the time of booking, but they failed to mention it. This makes me think this hostel is more about the money than anything else.) The showers in the ladies were consistently cold, and despite telling the reception, it took them five days to work out that the hot water tank had gone. We also had some food stolen from the fridge (perhaps it was misplaced on the communal shelf, but still, clearly labeled) and the staff took no interest. Decor a bit shabby (picture superglued shells on the bathroom walls!) but overall it was very clean and that's all that matters I suppose. — Jon & Amy , England (2008-08-23) Stayed here for two nights, wanted to stay a third however the Manager of the hostel was so rude and unprofessional in his manner that we decided to move onto another hostel. This was a shame as we had met some lovely people there, however as experienced European travelers we do not expect to be treated this way. I cannot recommend this hostel. — Noelia , Spanish (2007-03-29) I stayed here for longer than originally planned -- and really liked it. Ok, the decor may be a bit tired but the place was clean (I saw the cleaner every day). Locationwise it's a short walk into Airlie and out of the main street with all the bars -- so at least you can get some sleep. There is a cheaper supermarket than the one in the centre of town about ten minutes walk from the hostel away from town (so you're much closer to it than other hostels). It's a really friendly place and easy to meet people in the seating area and little bar outside. There is also a pool and the use of a bbq if you want it. Staff were great and really helpful. — Lyse (2006-12-06) The best part about this hostel is that it was better than all the other crappy hostels in Airlie Beach. Really, Airlie is a bit of a dump, and the only reason to stay there is if you're going to the Whitsundays. Backpackers by the Bay is a bit of a walk from the "city centre" (i.e. main street) but it's no big deal unless you have very heavy bags. Unfortunately, I did, so that sucked. This hostel isn't the cleanest -- the bathrooms especially feel like they're only cleaned about once a year. And security is a bit questionable thanks to the sliding patio doors in the back of all the dorms that are usually left wide open. Bugs can be something of a problem (mozzies and bedbugs). And it wasn't exactly the friendliest of places. But it was a helluvalot nicer than most of the other hostels I saw in Airlie, so I guess I'd give it a "best of the worst" rating. And the pool area and lounge chairs do have a nice view. — Sarah (2006-05-25) Nice hostel, a bit out of town, great view over the bay and just ten minutes to walk to the city. A bit bad smelling in some rooms, girls toilets and showers were always clean, but men...
Well equipped kitchen, good place to start trips to Whitsunday Islands and if you don't want to party all night! — Anke (2005-12-27) Great staff and a great view. Rooms were tiny though, and our air con didn't work. — K (2005-12-19) Great views. There is a pool and small bar out the front that overlooks the bay. It's only a five-minute to walk to town from here and this place is a bit quieter than some of the bigger, rowdier hostels in town. The staff were friendly and organized quizzes at night to get everyone together. I thought the owners made a great effort to keep the place clean. As for the bugs, don't forget you're in the tropics. All the hostels up that far experience problems with this. — Andrew (2005-09-17) Our room was infested by bugs and bad, bad smells. The hostel was filthy, disorganized and falling apart. Don't stay here, it's just not worth it. — Anonymous (2005-05-16) The double rooms were clean, the showers were good, but the staff are a bit dopey! — Anonymous (2005-04-16) Best place we found in Australia. It had friendly staff, a great view, terrific quizzes each night, and we won a bottle of champagne. Really, really clean. If I didn't have to leave for home at the end of the month, we would have stayed even longer. — Julia Porter (2004-07-19) This was without question the worst hostel we stayed in on the East Coast--it was filthy, smelly, and infested with bugs. The only reason to stay here is for the entertainment value of reading the visitor's book, which is full of comments like this and yet they keep it out for all to see! Overall, you'd be better off on the beach! — Anonymous (2004-07-11)