The Hostelz.com Review
Palace Backpackers - Hervey Bay is average. It serves backpackers going to or coming from Fraser Island, many of which stay here for a night or two. The atmosphere is quiet during daytime because most of the people are on Fraser Island but the hostel comes to life every night at 6 p.m. when a new batch of travelers arrive. Palace Backpackers is a part of Palace Adventures which organises tours to Fraser Island and the Whitsundays.
The Location
Palace PB is located near Scarness Beach. Location is pretty remote from shops, cafes, and restaurants. It's easy to reach only by car (off-street parking at the back) but the hostel runs a courtesy bus to pick up and drop off travelers to the transit centre.
Hervey Bay in itself is pretty quiet and boring -- people come and go in this hostel all the time. While the beach is only a five-minute walk away, it takes almost twenty minutes to walk to the nearest supermarket. There are some bars and restaurants on the Esplanade by the beach but no proper backpacker scene.
Rooms and Bathrooms
Palace offers doubles and four- to eight-bed dorms. The hostel is divided into units with separate entrances. Each unit has a number of dorms, a seating area, kitchen, two showers, and two toilets. Dorms have bunk beds but no lockers, fans but no air cons. Beds are nice and firm and rooms spacious.
Toilets and showers are separate, which is good and shortens the waiting time. As in so many other hostels also here some of the taps are leaking. Shower rooms are never dry and the water builds up in the structures. This causes visible moulding.
Common Spaces
Common areas in the units consist of an open kitchen plus a seating area: table and chairs and two sofas. Each kitchen has a fridge, oven/stove, microwave, water boiler, and a toaster. The biggest problem is the amount of cutlery -- there's hardly enough forks/knives/cups for even a party of six eating together -- and each unit houses at least twenty people. Other common spaces outside the units include a TV lounge, a pool, internet next to reception, laundry, and four hammocks in the outside courtyard.
Summary
Hervey isn't that exciting and not worth staying for more than two nights. This hostel reminds us more of a housing complex with all the small units than a hostel. Palace is notorious for bedbugs and the smell of fumigation lingers on in all the rooms. Nobody we knew got them during our stay but many were alarmed and said they would not stay here again.
The Location
Palace PB is located near Scarness Beach. Location is pretty remote from shops, cafes, and restaurants. It's easy to reach only by car (off-street parking at the back) but the hostel runs a courtesy bus to pick up and drop off travelers to the transit centre.
Hervey Bay in itself is pretty quiet and boring -- people come and go in this hostel all the time. While the beach is only a five-minute walk away, it takes almost twenty minutes to walk to the nearest supermarket. There are some bars and restaurants on the Esplanade by the beach but no proper backpacker scene.
Rooms and Bathrooms
Palace offers doubles and four- to eight-bed dorms. The hostel is divided into units with separate entrances. Each unit has a number of dorms, a seating area, kitchen, two showers, and two toilets. Dorms have bunk beds but no lockers, fans but no air cons. Beds are nice and firm and rooms spacious.
Toilets and showers are separate, which is good and shortens the waiting time. As in so many other hostels also here some of the taps are leaking. Shower rooms are never dry and the water builds up in the structures. This causes visible moulding.
Common Spaces
Common areas in the units consist of an open kitchen plus a seating area: table and chairs and two sofas. Each kitchen has a fridge, oven/stove, microwave, water boiler, and a toaster. The biggest problem is the amount of cutlery -- there's hardly enough forks/knives/cups for even a party of six eating together -- and each unit houses at least twenty people. Other common spaces outside the units include a TV lounge, a pool, internet next to reception, laundry, and four hammocks in the outside courtyard.
Summary
Hervey isn't that exciting and not worth staying for more than two nights. This hostel reminds us more of a housing complex with all the small units than a hostel. Palace is notorious for bedbugs and the smell of fumigation lingers on in all the rooms. Nobody we knew got them during our stay but many were alarmed and said they would not stay here again.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
May 2009
Their Description
Palace Backpackers - Hervey Bay Details
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Palace Backpackers - Hervey Bay Reviews on Other WebsitesHostelz.com Guest Reviews
The place to go for Fraser Island trips! Stayed here in February '09 just either side of a three-day trip to Fraser Island (which was booked through the Hostel). Rooms were clean and comfortable, depending on which room in a particular unit you're in you might have your own balcony which is nice. There are six rooms per unit and each unit has its own kitchenette and living space, which is pretty good. Only two bathrooms in each though, which is a pain if you're all up at the crack of dawn and want your last shower before you leave for Fraser! Their Fraser trip is excellent, would highly recommend it, had the best time of my life, and the pizza night when you get back is good value too. Would definitely stay here again, and not just to go to Fraser (although there's not much else to do in Hervey Bay!) — Rachel , UK (2009-02-22) First impressions great, friendly staff, good atmosphere, large apartment style rooms but don't be misled by what looks like luxury mattresses. I checked out five different apartment blocks before checking out. they were all riddled with bedbugs! — Mida (2007-03-02) arrived at 1 a.m. at the bus stop, somehow found the hostel, meeting some monstrous bats and an insane dog on the way, and slept on the bench till opening. The whole set up was great, really social, it would be very difficult to not have a wicked time here! — fingers (2007-01-10) Not good security at this place. Had stuff stolen out of my room while sleeping, lockers were also broken into. Have heard from numerous others of break-ins and items being stolen. If you don't have to stay in Hervey Bay, don't -- go on to Rainbow Beach or Noosa. — Elissa (2006-12-08) I stayed here Feb - Oct 2005 and it was a blast. I miss all the staff that were great. If you go here don't miss out on the pizza night. — beyonce (2006-04-17) Great hostel, the design of the place is awesome-- little apartments with comfy eating and sitting areas. Staff were helpful, facilities were ok-- although there was no bar. We did the Fraser Island self- drive tour through the hostel, which was excellent. — Holly (2006-02-25) Loved the layout of the hostel... apartment style with your own kitchen area. The staff were really helpul with organising trips to Fraser Island although a bit rude when it came to anything else. The common areas were a little grotty and intimidating. — Sam (2005-05-05) The hostel has a great potential. The rooms are nice and all in small apartment-like units with kitchens. I did not appreciate the staff though. Often they did not seem to care about the people staying there. They made us wait, and didn't always give us the info we need. I also took the Fraser Island tour with these guys and did not appreciate it. The vans were fine but the tents were crap. (They were big non-waterproof army tents with center posts, not very useful when it's raining and windy, and the tarp doesn't fit over the tent!). The info meeting was held at 6:45 a.m. (Other companies do it the day before and you have time to meet the members of your team then.) And they wanted to charge us $50 each ($500) for salt damage when we came back, when we all knew we did not drive in salt water! I do not recommend doing the Fraser Island tour with this hostel!!! — Anonymous (2005-05-05) I had a ball!! The staff were the best so far — nothing was too big of a problem for them. They helped me out with the rest of my travels around the country. Pizza Night was a blast and it's good to see the staff getting pissed with you and giving you a good laugh and making you go out!! Overall this is a great place. I would recommend it to anyone travelling to the area and even to anyone who's not!! It deserves a few days visit!! One night on either side of Fraser is just not enough!! — Sharon (2005-02-15) I thought this hostel is awesome. The staff are great, and the rooms are excellent. I worked here for three months as the courtesy bus driver. I had an amazing time here. Thanks all. Batsey — Aaron Pattyn (2005-02-13) We stayed in the annex. The kitchen area in the annex needed revamping, as all the other kitchen areas looked much better than ours. Our room was basic with a capital "B". However, the staff were very friendly and they have an all you can eat pizza night regularly, which is a good way to meet people. — Tony and Tracey (2005-01-30) The rooms are lovely and set out like apartments with your own kitchenette. — Vicky J (2003-12-15)