Brown Sugar Backpackers

I stayed at Brown Sugar for 3 nights and I absolutely looooooved it! I had booked a 16-bed dorm and I expected the worst, what I found was the best dorm ever. There were only 4-5 people sleeping in the dorm at a time, most beds were not even bunk beds, so the room was huge. The bathroom was huge as well and worth a couple of photos. The hostel is big with several areas to relax, including a pool area. A nice dinner is offered every night. There is a free airport pick-up or drop-off, which is worth a lot in Johannesburg. The area is pretty safe for Johannesburg. Very good value for money, thanks for a lovely stay!!!

We were picked up, by their free transportation, from the airport in a beat up car- with one headlight working in the evening. We then checked in with Hans (quite an unusual character) who loves to smoke and were given our room key -- with en-suite bathroom. This is a perfect place to stay if you love dirty floors, broken blinds, pillows that are older than you, lifeless comforters, and moldy bathrooms with toilet paper on the floor since there isn't a holder on the wall. Not up to my standards -- but you do get what you pay for! Also internet was not available at the time we stayed, so we were dropped off at the nearest shopping mall for internet service only to find out it was down everywhere and then had to pay a taxi to return us to the Brown Sugar backpackers hotel.

The staff were really helpful, organising car trips to pick us up and drop us off at random places, and also let us keep some of our (massive) bags in storage while we went to Mozambique for a week. But if they recommend that you don't apply for a Mozambican visa until you're at the border though, don't pay any attention! We got into a fair bit of trouble for trusting that advice. The accommodation is nothing special -- there's so much potential, though. There was a constant aroma of pot, but if that doesn't offend you, then you'll be fine. Don't expect luxury -- you won't get it.

I was there in 1999, a really nice house, nice guys, Ian and Hans were totally friendly. Nice staff. I wish I go back soon.

Having visited the place, I now realize what English George means when he talks about "being pursued by the cleaners" at breakfast time! Why can't they use their mops before or after breakfast, or is their nonsense part of the fun? Yes, and Ian is grumpy, usually because his girlfriend has been in someone else's bed when she has been up in Yeoville!!

It's a nice and social place to stay. Most of the people who choose this place are not the kind who go to bed early. The manager, Heinz, is a pleasant, somewhat shy fellow who's really helpful and cooks up great meals in the evenings. His partner James seems a bit grumpy — the only thing that really got him going was a long hateful monologue about how horrible Cape Town is, especially in the winter.... There's free tea and coffee all day, a bar open whenever you want something, a nice terrace to enjoy the drinks and the view and two lovely dogs. By far the worst thing about the place is that smoking seems to be ok everywhere.

I love this place and stay there even though I can afford hotels. It is a real home away from home and its friendly bar means you meet a lot of interesting people (which you never do in a boring hotel). And you are usually guaranteed a drama or two. The place is almost like a real life soap opera. The only downside is self-service breakfast time with everyone crashing into each other in the kitchen while being pursued by the cleaners just for the sake of a couple of free fried eggs.

Wicked pad — it's great pretending you are a big cocaine lord pimp daddy walking through the house, pretending it's yours. Very good service and well run. Ian can seem a bit grumpy as he doesn't have much patience but he is a good guy and knows how to do what he does well. Keep it up.

Staying in the Brown Sugar feels like being home far from home. Heinz's brownies rule!!