The Old Swan Barracks

Perth (Northbridge)

19 of 38

Address	6 Francis Street, Perth (Northbridge), Western Australia, Australia Map
Price	A$18/- Check Current Prices by Date Here

Location/Contact

Details

Description

Features

Free Breakfast
Kitchen
Lockers
24 Hour Free Hot Showers
Pool Table
Washing Machine (laundry)
Lounge / Common space
Travel information provided
Food/Restaurant
Gameroom
TV
Phones (public or in room)
BBQ
Gym/Fitness Room
Bar

Ratings & Comments

2.3 Average from 11 Ratings

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Comment by PaulK, United States

May 2009

The management is clueless
I just came back from a week (05 May to 14 May 2009) at the Old Swan Barracks hotel in Perth. I'm still scratching my head, trying to figure out where the management is coming from. The free breakfast of cereal, toast, and coffee does not come with milk. We had to go buy that. We were told people were stealing the milk when it was free. You also have to leave a ten-dollar deposit to use the eating utensils, and you have to take them back to your room everyday after breakfast. Of course, they don't tell you any of this prior to check-in. The place has threatening signs on the walls within public view, predicting eviction and loss of deposits to people who take bread from the kitchen for purposes of making a sandwich later in the day or for various other petty offenses. One morning there was a sign on our door telling us to vacate the room between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. because they were going to spray with insect killer. The sign said we were not allowed to use the room for any purpose during this time. The sign also gave us explicit instructions on how we were to store our belongings so as not to impede their insect killing operation. After I angrily informed them that we had paid to use the room, they took the sign down and instructed their people to leave us alone. They did not spray. The room across the hall from us had a sign on the door, telling the occupant they were going to clean the room that day. The sign stated that anything left sitting on the floor, at the time of cleaning, would be thrown out. It goes on and on. I made the mistake of paying for a week in advance. If not, we would have moved out. I've stayed in many budget hotels in many parts of the world, over many years. Even with my airline and travel agency background, The Old Swan Barracks attitude was a new experience for me. I was told by a staff member that the reason they displayed such a negative attitude towards their guests was because most of the guests were young, and were known to cause trouble. However, they willingly accepted the young people's money. The young people my wife and I encountered in the hotel were very nice and considerate. When it become time to depart, I was told there was no telephone for me to use to call a taxi to the airport. I had to use a public telephone located up the street, about twenty meters. Keep in mind, this is a hotel with a computerized booking/front desk system, internet access, plus the latest video viewing toys, but no telephone for guests to call a taxi. This could go on and on. What an experience. I don't know the manager's business background, if any. He really belongs in some other industry. Other than the above, the hotel is clean, beautiful, and located perfectly. The negative management attitude destroyed what could have been a beautiful experience for us. The place needs a huge injection of hospitality.

Comment by hayley and danny, england

April 2008

Hard to say
we were both really looking forward to staying at this hostel and booked via phone two months prior to date of arrival and they took our credit card details. however, upon arrival we were told that they had no booking for us. after a long trip and arriving at 8:30 p.m. we were mega pissed off. the only thing we will say is that after phoning around and finding us alternate accommodation, and paying us the difference in price, that helped a lot. i'm sure this hostel is as brilliant as everyone says it is but we were unlucky to have this happen.

Comment by mark, new zealand

November 2007

Not impressed
well I have booked in for one night and am ready to leave after ten minutes! there is no atmosphere here and the place is so rundown and s**t!

Comment by Kitty, Australian

November 2007

Unhygienic
Never, ever stay there. It is absolutely disgusting and rundown. On arrival the receptionist didn't know what she was doing and actually charged me twice for the room. On site parking during the day is not free as advertised -- it is actually $5 per day. I was lucky to have this fee waived as I insisted to the manager this is what I saw on their website. The room was dirty and had no phone as advertised and luckily we brought our own bed linen as I found a tick on my pillow and the place is infested with bedbugs. I found one on my bed the morning we left and there was a girl staying there who laid in her bed for only twenty minutes and she was attacked by them from head to toe. Apparently more people staying there were also bitten by bed bugs. The toilets and showers were filthy -- there is no way they were cleaned by anyone. There was no soap in any of the toilet soap dispensers. We did not bother eating the free breakfast in the morning with fear that their kitchen would not be clean and full of creepy crawlies like the rest of the place. For $68.80 a night (or double that in my case) I did not expect luxury but I did expect this place to be clean and hygienic, which it clearly was not. This place needs to be shut down and fumigated. I am going to report them to the Health Authority.

Comment by Marie, Ireland

April 2007

I stayed here for just a night but that was enough. While the recreation area and kitchen are very spacious, the overall hostel is rundown. The room we booked into had two broken beds and the linen was absolutely filthy. Would not recommend this place.

Comment by Mark

December 2006

This hostel was basic. The sheets were clean but that was about it. Carpets were dirty and worn in the room, with bits of paper litter scattered about. The furniture was fit for the skip (that's probably where it came from). I was there in the winter and it was cold with the room having a broken window, and this was in one of the more expensive single rooms. The guy who seemed to be in charge and worked at the front desk had a real attitude problem, and was completely unapproachable and wasn't worth talking to. What's more he seemed to bully the other staff. The atmosphere was ok with a few friendly travelers about in the big recreational room. This was more or less a big hall with table tennis, pool tables, internet, some old gym equipment, eating in it -- it was just too cluttered -- you wouldn't want to use the gym stuff with other folk eating for example. Wouldn't stay here again.

Comment by LK

August 2005

This is a really spacious hostel, with pool tables, table tennis, and a TV/lounge area downstairs. The kitchen is a good size, unless there are lots of people cooking at the same time. There are lots of crockery, but only a few pots/pans, so you have to be quick. The microwave doesn't seem to have been cleaned for a while, but at least it works. The breakfast that's included is bread, which you can toast, with butter and spreads. For a little extra, you can have a TV and fridge in your room, but our TV reception was really bad, and we could only watch one channel, even when we got a different aerial. There are a lot of students there, as there is a college next door, so there's always people to talk to. The toilets/showers were only cleaned a couple of times during the week we were there, but they were never particularly dirty.

Comment by Ant n Sar

April 2005

This place was lacking a few things, as it is only just being converted into a hostel. The gym, although advertised, isn't available, and the walls between the rooms are as paper-thin as the ancient, single-pane glass that lets in all the traffic noise. The rooms are clean and secure enough. It's ok for a cheap night or two but at least it's well located.

Comment by Amelia

March 2005

This is an excellent budget accommodation in Perth. I have not come across one with such spacious common areas for lodgers. There are pool tables, a gym, big sitting area, and TV lounge. Great value for money. Very clean and excellent location, within walking distance to a lot of amenities.

Comment by Anonymous

March 2005

Great place to stay. It's very clean and fresh, the best place in town.

Comment by Tony Pilkers

July 2004

Its OK here, but lacks a lot of atmosphere, and there were a lot of locals staying here. I'd stay here again if I was working in the area, but there are better places in Aberdeen St. if you're on a holiday.

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