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Bondi Backpackers

Sydney (Bondi Beach), New South Wales, Australia

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Address
110 Campbell Parade, Sydney (Bondi Beach)   Map
Price
Location/Contact
Details
Their Description

Features

  • Free Breakfast
  • Kitchen
  • Lockers
  • Lounge / Common space
  • TV
  • Book Collection/Exchange
  • Washing Machine (laundry)
  • Clothes Dryer
  • Travel information provided
  • 24 Hour Free Hot Showers
  • Phones (public or in room)
 
The Hostelz.com Review
Bondi Backpackers Hostel is located on Campbell Parade in the suburb of Bondi and is in spitting distance of Bondi beach literally across the street. Traveling from the city or airport takes thirty minutes to one hour. From Circular Quay or the city centre, you can catch the 333 bus (prepaid ticket required) or the 380. Traveling from the airport, you can catch the train to central, a connection to Bondi Junction Station and then the buses mentioned above from there. The buses stop close to the hostel so just ask the driver. Look out for Peter Pan's Travel agency, the hostel reception is on the first floor above here.

The hostel is close to all sorts of amenities -- restaurants, bars, cafes, internet, shops, and bus stops to the city and you couldn't really live any closer to the beach! The rates at this hostel are pretty average for Bondi, especially considering the close proximity to the beach.

The atmosphere in the hostel is not what you would expect. It's a large hostel but the common room (shared with the reception area) is tiny! Usually, a large scattering of hostelers can be found here squashed around the TV. This hinders the social side a lot and it's not one of the friendliest hostels for meeting and socialising with guests. It's quite a noisy and lively place, especially when people return after a night on the tiles. So if it's sleep and tranquility you're after, steer clear of the place! But then again, Bondi's all about the action!

The accommodation consists of dorms, twins, and doubles. The rooms are average bunk-style. The carpets are very dirty and stained but the linen is clean and fresh. Lockers are provided in the dorms (bring your own padlock) to lock away your valuables. Oh and don't expect too many plug sockets. One in a four-bed dorm seems to be acceptable here.

The facilities are better than expected at Bondi Backpackers. The kitchen is big, modern, and spotlessly clean! Each room has its own little press assigned for dry goods in the kitchen. There is a good selection of washing machines and dryers in the laundry. Coin-pay lockers are provided to store backpacks in the laundry. Each floor in the hostel has its own showers and bathrooms. The cubicles are clean and spacious. Oddly, some of the toilet cubicles have no sinks!

Overall, Bondi Backpackers is a good place to experience the Bondi beach culture, but it's not somewhere you would really spend too long. If you're looking for long-term accommodation, look elsewhere on Bondi (two weeks is the max here anyway). It's a large establishment where you're just another goldfish in the bowl, but fine for a few days partying and lazing at the beach.

-- Exclusive Hostelz.com Review


Your Comments
This is an open forum, and unlike other hostel guide websites, we don't censor out the negative comments.
We do not validate the legitimacy of comments posted on this site—so take what you read here with a grain of salt.
Comment by welsh lad
March 2007
cracking location -- thats probably the one star, cant really get much closer to the beach. staff, well if you can get a smile out of them that be a start, very grumpy and unwelcoming and try to do everything to rip you off. make sure you check how many nights you paid for as they'll try and charge you extra. one sink on the top floor to about twenty rooms and just three showers. rooms are basically falling apart.
Comment by Peeved Student Traveler
September 2005
DON'T STAY HERE! This place was great for location and horrible for everything else. The staff are creepy and the rooms are disgusting. The kitchen and the free breakfast that they speak of are some nasty hole in the wall with two large Tupperware containers of mystery cereal. I stayed there for six days several weeks ago. My friend and I were sharing a private room. We both got our laptops stolen with no forced entry to the room. Yeah, hint hint... someone had a key to our room... hint hint... the staff. So yeah, don't bring anything that you value because it will get stolen. They take it upon themselves to enter your room whenever they feel like, and will even admit to it but the police at Bondi do nothing. They don't tell you that they have pin access lockers on the 1st floor that you can lock your valuables in. So if you do risk everything you have and actually stay here pay the extra money to use these lockers at least. It will be less than having to replace your laptop or your digital camera because they will steal from you, mark my words.
Comment by Bonnie
August 2005
I stayed at the Biltmore back in 2001. I remember reading an ad about it that said "the best time you will ever have." Well... I had to lock everything away. Not only was it infested with bugs of all sorts but also thieves, drugs, and there were, I think, three rooms in which people had lived for more than five years apiece. How they managed I have no idea, as the kitchen was non-existent, the showers scummy and there was never any peace. As for friendly staff, I remember an Irish lady on reception who was like a Rottweiler and would throw people out if she decided she didn't like them. Would I recommend it? NO. Would I ever stay again? NO.
Comment by Noemie
April 2005
I stayed seven nights in the Biltmore (room 318), and I caught some bedbugs. I had bites everywhere; the room was infested. And of course the bedbugs have been part of my travel for weeks as it's very hard to get rid of them. I simply do not recommend this hostel where, besides the bedbugs, the staff are not friendly.
Comment by Anonymous
May 2004
I stayed there in 2001 and loved the place. I returned this year, and while there have been some changes, the great and friendly atmosphere among both the guests and the staff has remained. There may have been a few cockroaches, but you get that everywhere in Australia. This was without a doubt the best hostel I stayed at in australia!
Comment by Victim
April 2004
To be fair, there are some nice people who stay here. :) There are also the scum of the earth who decide to steal from fellow travellers. They are the guys who do nothing but watch TV and wait for you to leave, and then sell your stuff to a pawn shop to pay their bills. I met some nice people here, but there are some scum bags, so watch your money and passport. You have been warned.
Comment by Joram
March 2004
I stayed with them in 2000. I liked the idea of having a good beach around and liked the summer in Sydney.
Comment by Crystal
November 2003
I just stayed at Biltmore, and I found it to be the best place to meet fun and interesting people. I made some of the best friends in my life there. The staff were fun and friendly. If there were a downside to Biltmore for me it would be having to climb 3 flights of stairs to get to my room, but you expect this when staying backpackers. For the record ,I didn't see one single cockroach in my stay there!!!
Comment by Anonymous
October 2003
I have just stayed at the Biltmore and there seems to be a lot of changes. They seem to be doing a lot of upgrading. There was new carpet in my room!!! Didn't see many cockroaches - but it is the beach and this is Australia - cockroaches are a part of life!!!
Comment by Clare
October 2003
It was the worst hostel (I got electrocuted by the fridge!) but the best people and some amusing memories. For the gutsy traveller though I hope they haven't bilt more (sorry bad joke).
Comment by Amelie
June 2003
Yes cockroaches are a part of the Biltomre but beyobnd that, the Biltmore has a real spirit and it's where I got my best memories from Australia. It's rock n roll for sure...
Comment by Anonymous
June 2003
When I was there in 2001 it was truly the worst place ever. I wouldn't even bother staying in Bondi as they all are INFESTED with cockroaches.
Comment by Martin
February 2003
This is the most disgusting hostel I have ever been so unfortunate to stay in. When I read the brief above my attention was brought to the word 'crawls', I was disappointed to see that it referred to 'pub crawls', because you didn't need to leave the Biltmore to see a lot of 'crawling' going on. In fact the cockroaches in the Biltmore were among the unhappiest bunch I had ever seen, poor buggers.
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