The Hostelz.com Review
Glastonbury Backpackers is part of the Crown Hotel, a public house (pub/bar) in the market square. The hotel seems to target the younger crowd and provides DJs and bands at weekends. The hostel's website warns that the noise carries into the rooms.
The Location
Glastonbury is not on an intercity main road and is really quite rural. For those using public transport there buses from nearby towns such as Yeovil, Bridgewater, Wells, and Bristol and a daily National Express to London, and they all stop within a hundred metres of the hostel. The hostel couldn't be better positioned in the town -- it is truly in the centre in the market square immediately behind the market cross. It is not obviously marked as the hostel but just look for the Crown Hotel. There is no curfew and no twenty-four-hour check in (reception normally closes at 11 p.m.). Security is via a digital code, which is changed weekly, and each guest is given a key to their room.
Glastonbury is in many ways unique. Its greatest claim to fame is the annual music festival but it is also renowned as a spiritual centre, and most of the shops and restaurants are aimed at this market. The local monthly guide, The Oracle, provides a mass of information about what's going on in and around Glastonbury and with words like gothic, healing, mystical, crystal, awareness, solstice popping up all over the place, it's clear there is plenty for the visitor with these interests.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The rooms -- hotel rooms converted for backpacker use -- are light, clean, and tidy. Private rooms and the dormitories, which are both separate and mixed gender, have en-suite facilities. The number of bunks per dormitory is reasonable, though when all residents have their packs around on the floor, it does get a bit tight. It would help if a few simple hooks and shelves were provided. The beds are quite reasonable, and the bedding is beautifully fresh and clean. There are no security lockers or individual lights for each bunk.
In the bathrooms, the water pressure is a bit low but the temperature is fine -- the shower has settings to optimise water pressure as well as safety buttons on the hot taps to move from warm into hot.
Common Spaces
Guests might get a poor initial impression from the rather basic bar, reception area, and the stairs into the hostel proper, but you leave these least attractive parts behind you as you move to the dormitory story. The dorms, the kitchen, and the lounge room are all fine -- both of the large common areas overlook the market square and you get a great view of what's going on. The kitchen/diner is spacious, with loads of cupboard and fridge space. The cooking facilities are adequate for preparing a typical hostel meal but you might have to wait your turn.
The lounge is also spacious and has some great sofas and the normal TV and DVD player with quite a selection of DVDs and a reasonable number of books, maps, and brochures. The hostel provides breakfasts and snacks from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. -- we did not sample them ourselves but fellow guests who did were satisfied. The bar downstairs is open from 11 a.m. to late at night. There is also no prohibition against taking your own alcohol into the hostel.
Summary
We have no hesitation in recommending this hostel except for visitors who cannot tolerate boom boom vibrations from the downstairs entertainment into the early hours at weekends. The atmosphere is that of a typical responsibly run backpacker hostel -- notices implore guests to clean up and consider others, but otherwise guests face few rules. A virgin hosteler of mature age was totally impressed with the facilities, especially the unobtrusive way the staff ran the place and the camaraderie amongst the hostelers.
Although this hostel is set in an interesting rural area with plentiful walking and cycling opportunities, most guests probably come for the spiritual and mystical aspects of the town. This is reflected in the style of the hostel -- breakfast is available from 10 a.m., far too late for hardy outdoor types! We stayed in the hostel at the busy Halloween and Fairy Party weekend and the facilities were not overstretched. Outside in the main square, many other Fairy Ball participants and Halloween revelers gathered, so there was plenty to see. Sure, there won't be these special events every weekend, but it seems this is a busy and lively place for its size.
The Location
Glastonbury is not on an intercity main road and is really quite rural. For those using public transport there buses from nearby towns such as Yeovil, Bridgewater, Wells, and Bristol and a daily National Express to London, and they all stop within a hundred metres of the hostel. The hostel couldn't be better positioned in the town -- it is truly in the centre in the market square immediately behind the market cross. It is not obviously marked as the hostel but just look for the Crown Hotel. There is no curfew and no twenty-four-hour check in (reception normally closes at 11 p.m.). Security is via a digital code, which is changed weekly, and each guest is given a key to their room.
Glastonbury is in many ways unique. Its greatest claim to fame is the annual music festival but it is also renowned as a spiritual centre, and most of the shops and restaurants are aimed at this market. The local monthly guide, The Oracle, provides a mass of information about what's going on in and around Glastonbury and with words like gothic, healing, mystical, crystal, awareness, solstice popping up all over the place, it's clear there is plenty for the visitor with these interests.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The rooms -- hotel rooms converted for backpacker use -- are light, clean, and tidy. Private rooms and the dormitories, which are both separate and mixed gender, have en-suite facilities. The number of bunks per dormitory is reasonable, though when all residents have their packs around on the floor, it does get a bit tight. It would help if a few simple hooks and shelves were provided. The beds are quite reasonable, and the bedding is beautifully fresh and clean. There are no security lockers or individual lights for each bunk.
In the bathrooms, the water pressure is a bit low but the temperature is fine -- the shower has settings to optimise water pressure as well as safety buttons on the hot taps to move from warm into hot.
Common Spaces
Guests might get a poor initial impression from the rather basic bar, reception area, and the stairs into the hostel proper, but you leave these least attractive parts behind you as you move to the dormitory story. The dorms, the kitchen, and the lounge room are all fine -- both of the large common areas overlook the market square and you get a great view of what's going on. The kitchen/diner is spacious, with loads of cupboard and fridge space. The cooking facilities are adequate for preparing a typical hostel meal but you might have to wait your turn.
The lounge is also spacious and has some great sofas and the normal TV and DVD player with quite a selection of DVDs and a reasonable number of books, maps, and brochures. The hostel provides breakfasts and snacks from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. -- we did not sample them ourselves but fellow guests who did were satisfied. The bar downstairs is open from 11 a.m. to late at night. There is also no prohibition against taking your own alcohol into the hostel.
Summary
We have no hesitation in recommending this hostel except for visitors who cannot tolerate boom boom vibrations from the downstairs entertainment into the early hours at weekends. The atmosphere is that of a typical responsibly run backpacker hostel -- notices implore guests to clean up and consider others, but otherwise guests face few rules. A virgin hosteler of mature age was totally impressed with the facilities, especially the unobtrusive way the staff ran the place and the camaraderie amongst the hostelers.
Although this hostel is set in an interesting rural area with plentiful walking and cycling opportunities, most guests probably come for the spiritual and mystical aspects of the town. This is reflected in the style of the hostel -- breakfast is available from 10 a.m., far too late for hardy outdoor types! We stayed in the hostel at the busy Halloween and Fairy Party weekend and the facilities were not overstretched. Outside in the main square, many other Fairy Ball participants and Halloween revelers gathered, so there was plenty to see. Sure, there won't be these special events every weekend, but it seems this is a busy and lively place for its size.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
November 2010
Their Description
The Crown Hotel & Bar Details
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Hostelz.com Guest Reviews
Diabolical Unfortunately i stayed at this place for three nights and it was awful, wanted to leave the moment i got there but every where else was fully booked as it was the carnival. The place is covered in filth and falling a part, including the rooms! I have never slept on such a dirty mattress or had a shower in such grime! How this place still manages to keep running has totally baffled me. Most the staff treat the place as a doss house, help themselves to the backpackers' food and invite friends to sleep on the sofa after smoking away in the common room. The rooms look nothing like the photos that are up on many of these websites. The manager has private lock-ins downstairs in the pub where he kept us up till 4 a.m. playing booming loud music. He was extremely rude and would not recommend this place to anyone to stay in. Glastonbury its self is a beautiful place to visit though so i'm sure you'll find a decent place to stay in. Anywhere would be better than here. — shelly , England (2008-11-20) Quirky but good. Rooms are painted vivid colors (yellow, purple, blue) and called, reasonably enough, "Yellow Room" or "Purple Room," and there's a pub downstairs that serves food as well as drink. Kitchen facilities are excellent and the couch in front of the TV is comfortable so you can relax while you eat your dinner. If someone's shouting into the pay phone nearby, be patient. they'll go away eventually. The hostel is located right in the center of Glastonbury, so you're within easy walking distance of shops and the Glastonbury Abbey. — Leigh Williams (2007-01-03) very well hostel. friendly staff. it's a clean and tidy accommodation. — André, Germany (2006-12-11)