Cable Beach Backpackers

Decent
Good location within walking distance of Cable Beach. Big kitchen. Helpful staff. Dorm rooms have poor ventilation and no air-conditioning, only fans. Beware of rooms 1, 2, 6, 7 -- they face onto the central courtyard with the dining and bar area. Since you have to keep the window open to alleviate some of the stuffiness, these rooms are noisy!

Substandard
I stayed here with a group of people after we finished our west coast tour in May 2007. Luckily, I only stayed one night as I was traveling on. The room we were given (note I was not given a choice) was not air-conditioned, only a fan was available which did nothing but circulate warm air. It was warmer in the room than outside! I find it astonishing that at $24 per night, air conditioning is not standard in all rooms, especially because of the tropical climate. I have stayed in many hostels in Cairns and Darwin, both tropical climates, and both had air conditioning. The place overall was very average. Plus, I lost my debit card on the premises (my fault, I realise that), but the staff were less than enthused about helping me locate it. I asked three times but no sign. My final point in this rant is regarding a sign that is posted in the kitchen. The sign was posted as a result of some people in the hostel overloading a bin when there was another empty bin available. The sign, written and posted by staff, refers to the person(s) as "stupid" and "lazy." I was absolutely amazed that hostel staff could be so foolish to erect that sign, making derogatory remarks about its guests. That, to me, summed up this hostel, and the attitudes of its staff. I am sure that there are better hostels in Broome than this establishment. I would recommend that anyone reading this comment seek a different hostel, even if it means a bus ride to the beach (which is more like a ten-minute walk away from the hostel, which is not good when it's really hot). Trust me, I know you'll be glad you did.

It was ok!
The Hostel itself is great to look at and amazing, but there are hidden charges, like $10 for sheets and $10 for plates! The rooms themselves are clean and do have a fan in but they are not air conned like the leaflet said! At night the hostel is ok but the staff close everything up by 10 p.m. and by then you have to be very quiet for you will get evicted like we were. we stayed here for over six weeks and we're shucked out on our first warning. The staff are ok but the place is poorly managed and you can get away with a lot of stuff there if you just say sorry to the staff! What kind of a place is that?

I thought it was fantastic value for money! I wanted to stay at a motel but they didn't have availability and I ended up staying here by default. Anything else at the beach is over $200 a night and they don't offer free pick up, free buses to town, free food -- that's all extra. It's well located, extremely clean, has a great atmosphere, the staff were helpful but busy. Anyone who complains about this place wouldn't be happy anywhere, most likely they have champagne tastes with a beer budget.

What a dump! I paid $65 for a "private double room," which had bamboo blinds on the windows. It was anything but private, and the security lights came on at all times of the night, shining right through. They gave me beach towels to put up over the blinds, but when you pay extra for a double room, you expect better to start with. The bed was so squeaky I woke up every time I -- or the person in the room beside me -- rolled over. The bathrooms were dirty and full of hair. The tin dishes I had to rent were rusty. The AC unit was too noisy to use, and the fan nearly blew me out of the room (it only worked on high speed). The metal roof meant that fighting possums woke me up throughout the night. The staff were overly confident and not generally helpful. I would have moved, but there was no place to go -- even for way more money. I seriously considered renting a car to sleep in, just to escape! For $70 on the Gold Coast, I had a fully equipped one bedroom apartment right across the street from the beach -- what a difference!

Nice place, pretty to look at, but poorly staffed and managed. Don't even think about staying here a long time.

This was a really really nice place to stay. It's one of the best places to relax and enjoy the time. It's a very good atmosphere, good facilities, and really nice staff. I can fully recommend that hostel!

Great hostel! Helpful staff, good atmosphere, top beach. Word of warning though — get a room with air conditioning!

I had an awesome time here. I ended up staying longer than planned and ended up falling in love with the place. One word of warning for the girls though, some of the guys who work there consider themselves a ladies man and good luck to you if you actually turn down their advances, because they won't forget it!

What can I say, this hostel is amazing! I had the best time of my year's trip to Australia here, met some totally good value people and did some things that I would not normally have done. It's run by some mint people, thanks Rhino and Tony, you guys rock!

This place is as Aussie as you get: hot, crazy, laid-back and fun, right on the beach, just out of town, and smack bang in the middle of nowhere. Don't go for a long walk, you'll end up in the desert, and don't drink too much beer, or you'll end up in the water. And once again, from experience: WARNING POMS [English people] — lather yourself in sunscreen! This is the best bloody hostel in Australia!

You will stay here longer than you planned. This place is great! It has a lovely, friendly staff, a great location, and it's relaxed and clean. I planned to stay three nights and ended up staying six weeks. I got to know the staff quickly. They recommended places to go, things to do and they really cared. One of the highlights during my year in Australia was Broome and staying at CBB. I will always miss the place but don't know if I dare to go back — I might not ever leave again. The beach is best! Yes, the kitchen is HOT but you are in the tropics!

This place was one of the highlights of my Australian adventure. You will stay for much longer than you planned! It's the friendliest hostel I stayed at on my trip. I have nothing but fond memories and crazy stories.

I stayed here a long time ago. It was in October, it was hot, and I picked wild mangoes as I walked around the town. Cable Beach is wide and white and I got sunburned. I've only ever been sunburned twice in my life; my butt is lily white and I have a permanent tan. Use sunscreen, vegemites. I remember Tony the owner always doing something around the place. I admire guys like him who really take pride in their casa.

This is the best place ever. I had the greatest time. Thanks.