The Hostelz.com Review
On first impression of the common areas, Pickled Frog Backpackers appears shabby but the rooms and bathrooms are kept very clean.
The Location
The Pickled Frog is located near a number of other hostels near the shopping areas if Hobart's city centre. It is also within walking distance of the bars and restaurants of the Salamanca area and the harbour. Many of Hobart's other attractions are within walking distance of this compact city. A shuttle bus takes about forty minutes from the nearby transit centre although this trip time can be reduced if you catch it at one of the later pick-up points. Buses from other major towns stop within five minutes' walk of the hostel. There are many other hostels located nearby, which guarantees an active backpacker scene.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The rooms are spacious and the hostel provides clean bed linen (guests must make their own beds and return sheets to the reception on departure). Sleeping bags are not permitted. The mattresses are comfortable, although the odd bed squeaked. There are no lockers in the rooms. A refundable key deposit must be left until check-out. There are separate bathrooms for men and women, which are clean. Hot water is available.
Common Spaces
The hostel appears to be a renovated hotel and there are many common areas with lots of tourist information available. Inside the main door is the reception area with couches. Another area has a pool table and another area has a foosball table. There is a large screen TV for watching movies or satellite TV. There are three PCs for internet use at a reasonable cost. Wi-Fi is available at an extra cost. There is a well-stocked kitchen available for guest use and there are supermarkets nearby. Beers can be purchased in the hostel.
Summary
This is a good hostel, with lots of amenities and attractions nearby.
The Location
The Pickled Frog is located near a number of other hostels near the shopping areas if Hobart's city centre. It is also within walking distance of the bars and restaurants of the Salamanca area and the harbour. Many of Hobart's other attractions are within walking distance of this compact city. A shuttle bus takes about forty minutes from the nearby transit centre although this trip time can be reduced if you catch it at one of the later pick-up points. Buses from other major towns stop within five minutes' walk of the hostel. There are many other hostels located nearby, which guarantees an active backpacker scene.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The rooms are spacious and the hostel provides clean bed linen (guests must make their own beds and return sheets to the reception on departure). Sleeping bags are not permitted. The mattresses are comfortable, although the odd bed squeaked. There are no lockers in the rooms. A refundable key deposit must be left until check-out. There are separate bathrooms for men and women, which are clean. Hot water is available.
Common Spaces
The hostel appears to be a renovated hotel and there are many common areas with lots of tourist information available. Inside the main door is the reception area with couches. Another area has a pool table and another area has a foosball table. There is a large screen TV for watching movies or satellite TV. There are three PCs for internet use at a reasonable cost. Wi-Fi is available at an extra cost. There is a well-stocked kitchen available for guest use and there are supermarkets nearby. Beers can be purchased in the hostel.
Summary
This is a good hostel, with lots of amenities and attractions nearby.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
April 2011
Their Description
Pickled Frog Backpackers Details
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Map Location/ContactHow is Pickled Frog Backpackers rated on other websites?
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Pickled Frog Backpackers Reviews on Other WebsitesHostelz.com Guest Reviews
A real treat in the winter! I arrived to friendly staff and two warm fireplaces. Reception open until 10pm. They serve hot drinks which can be enjoyed in the foyer by the fireplace. The lounge is huge with a big TV and lots of dvds to be borrowed for free. There's a separate eating area by a cozy fireplace. Free wifi! Fully functioning laundry facilities. The kitchen is big with two island electric stoves for easy cooking and plenty pans, plates, cutlery. The room is so cozy with a home-like feel. There are lockers available. Everything clean. Attentive staff helped me mark some fun destinations on a map. Excellent location! Close to town. Two minutes from a bus line which goes through Tasmania. I felt so comfortable I did not want to leave! — Anonymous , USA (2010-11-12) Really good fun hostel, not new but great character! Stayed in this hostel for nearly a week. Whilst the kitchen and bathrooms could use a renovate, they were both clean and functional. The hostel has a really good, friendly atmosphere and it really felt like a home away from home. Cosy open fire, cheap bar, and comfy beds. They even have mulled wine on monday!
will recommend. — Justin , New Zealand (2009-04-21) Not a good place to stay This hostel has a nice large lounge/dining area and a great selection of dvds. Unfortunately that is about all I can say positively about it. The staff aren't the friendliest and there is almost always a queue of people waiting to deal with them at reception. The bathrooms aren't clean, the linen isn't changed after people check out in the rooms, and the kitchen facilities are poor. Also the free Wi-Fi advertised is a lie, the computers there that you are supposed to pay for weren't even working when I was there. — Adam , England (2009-03-24) Appearances can be deceiving! I've stayed at quite a few great backpackers in Australia, but this one was the worst. Nice looking bar and internet area, but extremely dirty. Bathrooms poor and rooms with squeaky uncomfortable beds and running tap. — Elzbet , SA (2009-03-16) Horrible place, snobby staff This hostel was a dump -- filthy, rats, girl vomiting in the men's bathroom at 5 a.m. -- you name it. One staff person was ok, the other was just plain rude and egotistic, not at all helpful. If you love to party and play slip and slide on other people's puke this is the place for you! Otherwise pay a little more and go anywhere else. — Roamers , USA (2008-05-20) Great Social areas, roomy, poor staff We stayed at the Pickled frog for a few nights and found it to give rather mixed feelings. The social area is huge and very comfortable, giving great opportunities to meet new people. The rooms are slightly cramped and in some dorms the bunks squeak. The kitchen is large although some appliances dont work. The advertised free Wi-Fi is a lie and I was given a real made up excuse. There is internet which you're supposed to pay for but it's quite easy just to hop on. A general feeling amongst most people was that there staff where unhelpful. Often Ignorant and very untalkative unless taking your money. And were often just downright rude to patrons. — Jim , UK (2008-04-22) Clean! Charming and helpful. Safe. Old world charm with mod cons. Building one hundred years and in fabulous condition -- all original charm intact.
In my four-bed dorm the crisp white sheets were a dream on the comfy mattress. Bathroom freshly tiled with fresh soap each morning. Staff were friendly, capable, knowledgeable, and helpful. Lounge is the best i've experienced -- expansive room, free videos, huge modern couches. Kitchen is also spacious, clean, and organised. — Miriam , Australian (2007-12-13) Mixed bag Communal areas very nice. Great fireplace, sofas. Staff were all very friendly, too. Room quite dingy -- filthy sink and a huge hole in the wall, cobwebs everywhere. Surprisingly comfortable mattress and pillows though. Showers equally filthy. Most of the door locks on the shower and toilet cubicles were broken and it was absolutely freezing (window was missing panes and it was in the middle of winter) -- thankfully, water pressure and temperature were ok. If they only managed to clean the showers more often and maybe give a few of the rooms a new lick of paint, this would make a much nicer hostel. — Tom , UK (2007-07-11) Very good place to go! Rooms clean and not too tiny, hostel very well located and nice, staff very helpful and available. The best hostel i've been in in Australia. — Julien , France (2007-05-15) We have stayed in a fair few backpackers around Australia and this one is one of the worst. It seems to be run very haphazardly and there are piles of dirty dishes in the semi-working, dirty kitchen. The rooms are shabby and cheap and we couldnt sleep very well due to the TV downstairs being on loud till well after midnight. We didnt expect the ritz but we also expected that the owners/managers would have done something to the place to justify its "recently refurbished" tag! A big TV and a DVD player do not make an hostel, guys -- clean it up, give it a lick of paint, get some sort of order around the place, and you will have somewhere worth staying! — Steve and Fran (2007-03-19) Admittedly the downstairs/common areas are pretty superb compared to most hostels and the staff are A quality but the bedrooms are certainly lacking. The bedrooms remind me more of London hostels than Australian hostels -- tiny, cramped, no air circulation, and the creakiest beds i've ever heard. The bathrooms are similarly lacking -- only two working showers and only three toilets for every man staying -- though there was hot water every time I used it. The location is ok, about a five-minute walk to the CBD, and there is a pizza by the slice place just down the way. the only decent supermarket is a bit off though. — Mike (2007-01-28) I had two stays here in October 04. I had a great time here. The common area and bar were very pleasant (nice log fire) and the staff are very friendly and helpful, providing typical Tasmanian good hospitality. I found it homey coming back from exploring the south of the island. You can park your car around the back which was very handy and it's only a very short walk to the centre of Hobart and the harbour. The only drawback is that it's a bit far from the supermarket but I think that's the common problem for most of the other hostels so close to the centre.
Thumbs up guys! — Dan (2006-05-03)