The Hostelz.com Review
Back of Chapel Backpackers has a great location just off Chapel Street, which is the great funky shopping and eating district of Melbourne. It's about three or four blocks from the train station, and you can also take a tram down Chapel. It's easy walking distance to the Prahan market -- something that should be on your to-do or to-see list while in Melbourne. From the Southern Cross train station downtown take the Sandringham line to Windsor Station. Get off and you are at Chapel Street. Walk left about three hundred or four hundred meters and take a left on Green Street. Or, from the Flinders Street station, catch the Sandrigham line to Prahan station (just three stops). Walk up Greville Street, turn right at Chapel Street, then second on your right (Green Street).
It's an old house, with narrow staircases. There are two bathrooms upstairs, and the toilet and shower are in one room. Downstairs is a large common room with a huge TV, as well as another common room with couches and tourist info. The reception is between these two rooms. There's a very large kitchen in the back, and a nice outdoor sitting area as well. There are four private rooms, four six-bed, and two four-bed rooms. People seem comfortable just hanging out, watching TV, and chatting. There's free breakfast, but it's no huge shakes -- cereal and milk mostly.
Overall it is comfortable, clean, and safe. The best thing is the great location, less than ten minutes from town on the train or about fifteen minutes on the tram, but in a great part of the city.
It's an old house, with narrow staircases. There are two bathrooms upstairs, and the toilet and shower are in one room. Downstairs is a large common room with a huge TV, as well as another common room with couches and tourist info. The reception is between these two rooms. There's a very large kitchen in the back, and a nice outdoor sitting area as well. There are four private rooms, four six-bed, and two four-bed rooms. People seem comfortable just hanging out, watching TV, and chatting. There's free breakfast, but it's no huge shakes -- cereal and milk mostly.
Overall it is comfortable, clean, and safe. The best thing is the great location, less than ten minutes from town on the train or about fifteen minutes on the tram, but in a great part of the city.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
October 2006
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Back of Chapel Backpackers Reviews on Other WebsitesHostelz.com Guest Reviews
Bedbugs, unclean, poor management Description and photos on the website are not representative of the current state of Back of Chapel whatsoever. The kitchen and bathrooms are not recently renovated or modern.There is also a lack of cups, plates, bowls, and other kitchen utensils. The bathrooms are especially grimy and mostly in need of repair. When I stayed Jan/Feb 2011 there were loose tiles and uncovered spikes where the carpet ends which I cut my foot on on the first day, I wore my shoes at all times after this. You are not allowed to drink any of your own alcohol on the site (you risk being evicted), you must buy it from the bar which has an extremely limited range of alcohol. It is also $1 per 10 minutes to use the internet which is very steep considering most of the other hostels nearby offer free wi-fi. The TV room has a large TV however not enough seating and smells. The air conditioning barely functions, despite the websites claims. I stayed in a private room which had a broken fan, curtains falling off and a TV that didn't work. The bed was certainly not new, could feel every spring and it had bedbugs. When we reported the bites to reception the first time we woke up with them we were told to check for bedbugs and let them know if it happened again, despite being absolutely covered with huge, red itchy welts. The next time we complained to reception (as we were waking up with new bites every morning) they gave us some cream to help with the itching but told we couldn't move rooms and that they "couldn't really do anything about it". We weren't offered compensation or told that anything would be done. The lady at reception said her records showed the "cleaner had been in to sort it out" when they clearly hadn't and we weren't even offered any fresh linen. Regardless, when there is a bedbug issue the room needs to be treated professionally, not by the backpackers cleaner. The owner is clearly only concerned about turning a profit, putting money into the bar renovations to attract more sales when she should be sorting out the repairs and maintenance that are really needed in the rest of the hostel. It is such a shame as it is in a great location and the guests there are so friendly and a pleasure to be around. The owner also seems to be in a constant battle with all the residents, an owner of a backpackers should be a people-person who enjoys interacting with the guests, not someone who seems to despise them. With a lot of TLC and an attitude adjustment of the owner, this place could be great. — Anonymous (2011-02-16) Cool I had a great time there in 2006. — Schue , German (2008-07-30) Dirty and loud The facilities in this were not up to scratch. The bathrooms are dirty. The walls/windowsills are grimy, the showers themselves are very dirty, and the toilet seat is broken. It looks like it hasnt had a proper cleaning for a long time. Daily cleaning involves mopping the floor but not much else. The kitchen is well equipped but small, steer clear at peak times, and it is a bit dirty in places too.
We stayed over a weekend and it was very loud, despite us being in an upstairs room where they claim is quiet. The residents didnt stop shouting and playing music until past 6 in the morning -- impossible to sleep. That being said, they do have a huge TV, so if that is what you want in a hostel this is the place for you. Otherwise there are better places nearby for similar rates. — Sinead , Ireland (2008-06-15) I would stay at this hostel again without hesitation. My only problem was lack of reception staff (this place has a high staff turnover rate by the sounds and looks of it). We stayed at the hostel for about four days and during that time over probably a 24 hour period there was no one on reception (the new girl was in hospital). However the manager did kindly give my friend who arrived during that time a free night for the trouble. This place has character( an older style building), a huge tv, and just great areas to chill out and meet the other backpackers. All the bathrooms were nice and the outdoor area was good. Kitchen is also pretty decent and perfect size for the place. I didn't make much use of it but free breakfast til 11 and a bbq on Sunday which is all free and great. Just of Chapel St so lots of good shopping there. The beds were good, pillows were pretty crappy and storage lockers provided, the locks were a bit hard to open on some though. I think it's the people who were staying at the hostel when our group was there that really made it. — AussieGirl (2007-01-11)