The Hostelz.com Review
The Base building is a brand new, plastic-red edifice in St. Kilda, just outside of Melbourne proper. It's purpose built as a hostel, so the facilities are pretty good: their own bar, a good kitchen, a travel-plans desk, Internet access, and good reception staff. Security is a high priority and you'll need your key card to get anywhere in the building--sometimes needing to use it three or four times just to get to your room from the front door.
It's just down the road from the tram stops and supermarkets of St. Kilda's main strip, so location is a definite plus.
Downsides include a lack of toilets--dorm rooms have ensuites, which is good, but when that one's busy, there seems to be only the choice of a couple stall toilets in the bar area and nothing else. Noise is a problem too, as the building's bar is underneath the dorm rooms and is open every night of the week until late. The sound reverberates up into the rooms, so don't stay here if you're looking for a peaceful night--or a late sleep-in during the morning, as staff uses the intercom system to announce that the 10:00 checkout time is approaching.
The place is clean and has a cool "modern" style, but for being so new it seems to be falling apart quickly including constantly dripping showers and broken faucets in the bathrooms. The social atmosphere is fairly good; the tv area shares with the dining and kitchen area and seems fairly low-key but the bar gets hopping and there's a free sausage sizzle every night at six.
It's just down the road from the tram stops and supermarkets of St. Kilda's main strip, so location is a definite plus.
Downsides include a lack of toilets--dorm rooms have ensuites, which is good, but when that one's busy, there seems to be only the choice of a couple stall toilets in the bar area and nothing else. Noise is a problem too, as the building's bar is underneath the dorm rooms and is open every night of the week until late. The sound reverberates up into the rooms, so don't stay here if you're looking for a peaceful night--or a late sleep-in during the morning, as staff uses the intercom system to announce that the 10:00 checkout time is approaching.
The place is clean and has a cool "modern" style, but for being so new it seems to be falling apart quickly including constantly dripping showers and broken faucets in the bathrooms. The social atmosphere is fairly good; the tv area shares with the dining and kitchen area and seems fairly low-key but the bar gets hopping and there's a free sausage sizzle every night at six.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
November 2005
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Base St Kilda Reviews from the WebHostelz.com Guest Reviews
Bad management I was excited about staying here in February 2011 because I had heard about all the great amenities they had to offer. Unfortunately, I didn't get to enjoy any of them. Within hours of arriving, a flood swept through St. Kilda, which covered the basement car park (where people had payed $10 per day to "keep their car safe"), common room and kitchen. The generator was also in the basement, so they turned off the power. The staff acted dumbfounded, but I know for a fact this has happened before. Handicapped guests had to be carried by strangers up the stairs to third floor rooms since management was of no help. When asked about rooms at other hostels, they said most were already booked. We stayed for two nights in that hell of no hot water, power, internet or warm breakfast. The bar was kept open, so drunk people ran up and down the hall. Not handled well at all, got a refund for the nights we left early. — Caroline , USA (2011-08-02) Great location, will definitely be back! Stayed here February '09, great location in St Kilda just around the corner from the main hub of Acland St and very close to tram stops into the City. Rooms were comfortable enough and the ensuite bathroom had a great shower. Red Eye Bar was a bit rammed, but good atmosphere and you'll find a lot more young Aussies there for a drink compared to most hostel bars. Good facilities and friendly staff. Made heaps of friends just from the other folk in my room. I'll definitely use this hostel again. — Rachel , UK (2009-02-22) It sold me on the benefits of backpacking! I'd never been to Australia before or been backpacking, so I was a bit apprehensive when showing up to this hostel. My fears were immediately calmed because this turned out to be the best traveling experience I've ever had. I stayed in The Sanctuary (the girls' only floor) and it was clean, hospitable, and felt like a home away from home. The sheets were clean, the shower had good pressure, and the rooms were cleaned regularly. St. Kilda is definitely the cultural heart of Melbourne and the hostel is right next to Acland Street, which has tons of cute shops and cafes. Fitzroy is also very close, which is full of all types of good eats. There's a tram right outside that takes you into the heart of Melbourne. Stay at this place and you'll not only experience this beautiful city, but make wonderful friends. — Bu , Canada (2007-10-28) One of the best St Kilda is good craic but we spent more nights in base than in the town or the city. we got to know so many people and just sat drinking every night! some craic, ended up having our own bbq every friday in a nearby park -- about thirty of us every week, all of whom stayed in Base! — Nixon (Balymena) , Northern Ireland (2007-10-19) Melbourne Base is a great introduction to city backpacking. The team are super friendly and helpful, the location is awesome with loads of amazing live music just on your doorstep whether in the bar downstairs or just round the corner on acland or esplenade and a tram stop right outside the door. Respect the Base and it will respect you =) — Andy , English (2007-04-08) Base Backpackers was not really a business when i stayed there -- it was simply a middle-aged man living in melbourne, renting out a massive hostel-complex in the heart of St. Kilda, with a large collection of reception, bar, and maintenance staff. I lived in the hostel on and off for three months and got to know everyone pretty well. There is a good nightlife at the bar, with offers like cheap drinks on thursdays and free booze for girls once a week. The atmosphere throughout the hostel however is cold, and i'd recommend it as a reasonably comfortable sleep in an expensive hostel with too much space on its hands -- basically, don't stay for over a week. The residential building opposite Base is also a transvestite whorehouse -- i know because we rented a flat there without knowing. (we were unlucky with the places we stayed). overall, i enjoyed my stay, although there were some lads who were extremely racist to my friend, and the staff did nothing about it. — Will Nolan (2007-03-07) Base is a great hostel. Being female and travelling alone I found the security in the Sanctary to be great (no boys allowed!), you also get FREE champagne on a Thursday night, yeah it tastes like vinegar unless you mix it with raspberry but its free!
The staff are nice and even let me hand out flyers on Acland Street in exchange for a jug of bourbon, great!
Love the lounge feel to the place and the live fish in the floor that you walk over, very cool.
Although Base is a bit more expensive I think its worth it.
Stay here in you enjoy living in a filth-free hostel that is central to everything, even a theme park!! — Chippie (2006-08-26) This Backpackers was average at best. It was empty when we were there and the bar was quiet everynight (including Friday!). Not the best if you're looking for somewhere with a good party atmosphere. The thing that really annoyed me is that on the website it states that you get free airport "transfers" (which should mean to and from). We got there ok but when we went to book the return we were advised that their website was wrong and that it only included the transfer to the Hostel. Very annoying when travelling on a budget. I think that is pretty poor especially when it is in black and white on the website. So beware. — Nick (2006-08-24) Stayed here for 3 weeks in march . It was great , really funky and modern. the ensuite bathrooms are great and very clean too. all slate big power showers. the Red Eye bar does lots of different nites like quizzes and free drinks for girls. The kitchen is very modern and has big comfy sofas to watch the tv and its open all nite which is good if ya get the munchies late at nite . — Kirsty (2006-07-24) Pros are the en-suite bathrooms in dorms, good security, nice location in St. Kilda, and the crazy British guys in my dorm that went lane-bar-hopping with me until five a.m. on a Tuesday (not included in the price, haha). Cons are the kitchen and TV room are in the basement and very dirty, bar is noisy at night, in general this isn't the best place to meet people because it's so big and anonymous, and there's definitely nothing remotely "cozy" or "homey" here. Also a bit pricey. — Sarah (2006-07-09) Good location, easy tram access to the city centre but tiny, inadequate kitchen and irritating security systems. The kitchen is behind locked doors so if you have to hang around waiting for your pick up after the ten a.m., check out you can't get yourself any food. Noisy, as the bar is open and right in the middle of the hostel, and no free luggage storage available after check out -- you have to pay for lockers. Really anonymous, I wouldn't recommend it. — Pompeyduchess (2006-06-24) Great place! It was really busy when I went because of the Melbourne Cup but the staff were great and the bar was cheap! I stayed in the Sanctuary and it was en suite with lovely slate tiles! There is free bubbly every night for Sanctuary guests. They don't do any food anymore and the kitchen isn't great but there are some great cafes, etc., nearby that offer good cheap food — Great Flavours on Acland Street gets my vote! The theme nights in the bar are great fun and St. Kilda is a brilliant location! Stay here, you won't regret it! — Little Miss Travel (2005-11-05) Awesome hostel. Great food and fabulous atmosphere. I wish I were staying longer. — Emma (2005-07-13) LOVE IT! One of the best hostels I've ever stayed in. The staff were some of the friendliest I've ever come across and went out of their way to help you. Great decor, lovely rooms with good bathrooms. The goldfish under the glass floor... fantastic! Great bar for a hostel and the food isn't bad either. St Kilda is a great area to be staying in as well. Thumbs up all around! — Sam (2005-05-05) This is the second best hostel I've stayed in so far in Australia, and if my best Aussie mate didn't own the other I'd say Base was the best! Then again, Melbourne, and especially St. Kilda, rocks no matter where you stay. But I'll definitely be staying at Base again when I return! — Idaho (2005-02-16)