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Please see Innisfail for other available Innisfail hostels and accommodations.
Please see Innisfail for other available Innisfail hostels and accommodations.
Description
Backpackers Retreat Details
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Map
Location/Contact| Address | 73 Rankin Street, Innisfail, Queensland, Australia |
| Location | In the middle of town short walk to all banks, supermarkets, pubs etc |
| Website | None (if you know the URL of their website, tell us and we'll add it) |
| Telephone | +61 (7) 4061-2284 |
| Fax | +61 (7) 4061-4919 |
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Hostelz.com Guest Reviews
Gets you work, but it's disgusting and expensive. InnisFAIL My partner and I stayed there in the middle of September to October. We wanted to get enough work for me to stay a second year, but we only lasted a month in this hellhole. 1 star is actually just for the area between Cairns and Innisfail, it's absolutely stunning and we explored it extensively on our own day trips. The owner did get us work, so I gave it 1 star for that, because I can say at least that Rick (the owner) does get work for you. However, he also charges $175 per person, per week. We paid more for this crappy place than in central Melbourne!!! And when you're only getting 2 days work, or when a full week only comes to $400, it's almost half your pay! Granted, we are a couple years older than many of the other tenants who seemed as though they were out of their parents' house for the first time and didn't know how to be normal people, but here are some of the things that we had to deal with and the management did basically nothing about it. CONSTANT smoking in EVERY room. cigs and weed. The place stank. Mold on the mattress that was paper thin to begin with. They did replace it for us, but it was still on a broken bed frame. One guy was sleeping in our bed when we came in, it was a private room. Constant puke everywhere. toilets, hallways, right outside our room, everywhere. Was left to rot in the heat overnight. Mold in and around windows and walls. Cockroaches as big as my hand in our room and kitchen. ants in our room. dirty dishes piled in the sink every night. 2 dead fish left in sink overnight to rot in the heat, stunk up the whole place. only 2 showers have doors, one has no lock. All are disgusting. washers are old and only have cold water. dryer takes at least 3 loads to actually dry anything. 3 holes in the walls just of our room. On top of this, I was told not to let the farmers I worked for know that I was in a relationship. I was told it would be best if they thought I was available. Luckily, I was placed with 2 fairly family run farms, but I also heard horror stories of girls being propositioned inappropriately. I will say this is hearsay, I did not witness it firsthand, but it is something to be aware of. Basically, it should be shut down. — Tom and Cate , Aussie and Canadian (2011-03-22) We loved it Met best people, had a great time, and owners made us so welcome. — Theresa , Irish (2009-03-22) Hey I was a backpacker -- never expected the ritz. had the best time of my travels here in 1997. never a dull moment. oh for endless nights drinking by the pool, dancing for hours at rumers! — T.K , England (2007-05-13) Stayed there in '91 for six months. Excellent people both staying there and running the place. They got me work at several different banana plantations, brutal hard work and I loved every minute of it. I remember the guy who was running the place in '93, can't remember his name but he was a good guy though his english was nonexistent. I think the owners turned it over to him so they could travel. — Rick Hostetler (2007-01-28) Even Ziggy the bagman of brisbane has a safer life than living there. I would rather sleep in a combi with no doors that spend another night at Dodge Lodge! Good Luck. — chris x somewhere to stay busdriver (2006-06-21) I stayed there in 1993. It was run by a French bloke with a dubious command of English. It made for some very amusing notices around the place. There was a pool competition in some local pub every Friday which usually won me a slab of beer because the Queenslanders could not play pool. — matt mcloughlin (2006-03-20) Working on a banana farm was one of the worst things I have ever done, but staying at Backpacker's Retreat made it alright. George and Vera are the most caring owners you will ever find. They work hard to make sure that everyone has jobs and work very long hours. They do everything they can to keep everyone happy, comfortable, and the facilities clean. If you want to work, this is the best place to stay. Often workers from the other hostels beg George and Vera to take them in, but they are often booked. — CR (2005-12-31) I believe this place is now called the Innisfail Backpackers Retreat. I rate this place 5 stars. It is under relatively new management and they are really turning this place around. Each room has its own full-sized fridge and air-conditioning. My room even had a TV and DVD player. The kitchen is well equipped and there are two lounge areas with TVs. The owner and his partner were some of the nicest and most accommodating people I have ever met. The place is going through renovations but it is always clean and comfortable. I can't count how many times I was asked if I was comfortable or needed anything. They found me work and were there if I had any concerns. All I can say is from my experience at the Innisfail Backpackers Retreat I would recommend it wholeheartedly to everyone. George and Vera put the "treat" into "retreat." — Neil the Canadian (2005-11-18) I am here now for 3 weeks and I've gotten work nearly every day. One day when I didn't get a job George, the owner of this hostel, brought me to another farm, on the same day. This hostel is one of the best hostels I've seen in Australia!! The owners are so friendly; they bring us to the beach (nearly 30 people!!) for free!!! And much more!! And imagine, every day there are people from the other hostels in Innisfail asking if they can come in here!!! I'm very happy to be here and I would love to come back one day!! — Michael Korger , Germany (2005-09-27) The best hostel that I saw in Australia. Nice, personal, friendly and family-like. If you go to Innisfail stay here. — Christian Behrend (2005-09-17) I stayed there in 1999. It had the foul stench of death about it and was full of dodgy geezers who probably smoked bananas as well as picked them. I'm astounded it is still standing (shonky-looking house). Kitchen was alive, literally, it had ants in the fridge! It pains me to think about it. However, it was an experience everyone should try once and once only. — Adam Collis (2005-09-02) This was the worst hostel I've ever stayed in. The rooms were filthy, the sheets were not changed before we arrived and there were cobwebs between the bed and the wall. We were told we would get work through them but we never got any and the whole hostel smelled of urine... seriously, no joking. Do not, and I repeat NOT, stay in this hostel, the owners were rude and dirty. — Paul Mulraney (2005-08-18) I stayed there for 5 days and it was the worst place I've ever stayed in. It smells of urine and the owner's attitude towards us backpackers was awful. AVOID at all costs. — Jason Kelly (2005-08-18) Absolutely terrible hostel with evil and money grabbing owners. Hopefully it's shut down. — The boys in the Val (2005-06-21) Really poor hostel. I think it might even be closed down. — Anonymous (2004-08-02)