Bowen Terrace International Accommodation

Home sweet home!
my girlfriend and I we stayed at the Bowen Terrace for a couple of weeks and we have to say that it is just beautiful. we stayed there for quiet a long time and haven't had such problems at all (and we also stayed in the beautiful room Nr. 15). Even if there is someone noisy on the deck you can ask him friendly to make the call from the area downstairs. I could tell a lot more nice and beautiful things about the Bowen Terrace -- it is just awesome! Only because of the beautiful hosts it is worth to go there.

Beautiful
We only stayed one night but Laura was so welcoming and friendly. We would recommend it to friends and stay again. It had a warm, homey feeling from the moment we walked in. If you want one night or one week this is the place to stay.

Homey
We found this hostel to be a great place to stay. John and Laura made our stay most enjoyable -- it was like home away from home. If you like walking it is the place to stay, in walking distance to all conveniences.

Too noisy!
We stayed here last week for one night and couldn't wait to leave. We booked the "best" room in the house which had French windows leading out to a deck. Unfortunately, it wasn't a private deck so anyone could stand right outside the window at any time. And this is what happened to us! A fellow guest decided to conduct a phone conversation with someone in Italian at the top of his voice right outside our window at 1 in the morning, not only did he shout but he put his phone on speakerphone. My husband objected and nearly ended up in a fight. Later on in the night, other people were just as loud and kept us awake for most of the night. There were also strange banging sounds from the pipes all night, so we left feeling incredibly tired which isn't what you need when you're about to get on a flight back to London. Maybe the other rooms are quieter but don't stay in room 15, you won't get any sleep!

Good value for money
Great friendly hostel. Fantastic staff. Fantastic room and facilities. A bit out of the way from the very centre of town because of this it is a lot cheaper than other hostels.

This is the best hostel i have ever stayed in. It really feels like home. The owners, John and Laura, are brilliant and really help out with anything and will make it feel like home. Guests really get to know each other and it's a great place to stay if you're there for a few weeks. The bus stop is right outside the door and the city is only twenty minutes' walk away. It's situated in a great place. It's in a nice, quiet street but only a stones throw from shops, restaurants, cafes, pubs. Rooms are lovely and toilets are very clean. They have a great swimming pool out back and a bbq. Kitchen is lovely and clean. I haven't found a hostel that can match this one. It simply is the best you will find. I would recommend this hostel to anyone staying in Brisbane.

What can we say? Having travelled for two and a half years, we can honestly say this was the one place we stayed where we really felt at home. Peaceful, friendly, open to all ages and walks of life, this hostel is a gem. It's not like your typical noisy backpackers, filled with over-excited young travellers out to get drunk and flirt with everything going. This is a more classy and laid-back place. There are rooms to suit every budget and taste, from basic singles to luxurious en-suite doubles and a lovely family room. Nothing is too much trouble for John and Laura, who make you feel like part of the family in no time at all. They even lay on barbeques for the guests when they have a full house! We stayed there for two weeks before we started our Australian odyssey and then returned for three weeks at the end of our trip. We looked forward to returning, and since we were there last year they have installed a brand new high tech kitchen, and a pool. The decking out the back is lovely and John had plans to open up a small bar. Whether or not that is in place yet we don't know. As soon as we hear of anyone mentioning Brisbane we recommend this place. If you are a mature traveller, don't be put off staying here just because it's a hostel. We encountered lone travellers and families of all ages, and everyone loved it. The rooms are a bargain. Hostel prices for hotel / home from home rooms. Everyone we encountered agreed with us that it was the best hostel in Australia they had stayed in. Some people gave up travel plans and ended up there longer than they intended as they didn't want to leave -- us included! It's also situated in a great place, a stone throw away from lovely bars, bistros, restaurants, a theatre, and cinema. A park is a five-minute walk away, as is a large Coles supermarket. The bus stop is two hundred yards down the road, for accessing the city centre, or you can walk into town along the picturesque floating bridge along the quayside. It really is well-sitauted for just about anything you want -- including the delicious low-fat ice-cream parlour! We will definitely return some day and repay them a visit. Two thumbs up. You won't find better!

The owners Laura and John make this place. They are friendly, helpful and they will happily talk your ears off for an hour. Nothing is too much trouble and they really care what people think of the place. The double en-suite we had was spacious, beautifully kept and very comfy. (Hotel standards at hostel rates). The place is clean, well appointed and has a relaxed homey feel. The only fault would be a slightly tatty kitchen, but they are most of the way through renovating the place and John had the cabinets outside ready to transform them. So soon there will be no faults at all. We really didn't want to leave this hostel, it is a gem.