Banghoek Place Hostel is one of the newest hostels in town, opened in November 2006. It looks modern and is a more upmarket hostel with more private room options than dorms.
This hostel is on the outskirts of town in a quiet residential neighbourhood overlooking fields. There is a supermarket less than ten minutes' walk which is easy to get to, and there are other shops and ATMs around this supermarket. On arrival the guest can take a map of the area which is required to walk into town, but it is approximately fifteen minutes' walk to town past the university, and is on the flat so easily walked. Although this is a safe town, there are locked pedestrian and vehicle gates, with off road parking. Main bus lines go to Stellenbosch, and the Baz Bus do a stop in a nearby town, requiring a transfer - however, this hostel has a deal with the shuttle company making the transfer free for guests staying here.
The dorm has a bunk and two singles. The floor is bare except for a rug, as are the walls, but this seems to be the modern look that was aimed for. However, it is quite homely with a bedside table and lamp. The door locks with a key given to each guest staying in the room, and there is the added feature of a balcony overlooking the front. The shower rooms have a similar bare unfinished look, but it has modern appliances and complimentary liquid soap. There are two compact but efficiently layed out shower rooms, each with a WC, sink and shower.
At the front of the building is the garden with a clean swimming pool. The main entrance is a folding back doorway into an open plan living area. There is a reception here where the internet access is, and which requires room and excursion payment upfront, a pool table and seating area around an open fire. Towards the back is a TV with sofas, although this is not a particularly cosy place. There is a large kitchen which runs from the front to the back of the building, with modern fittings, a larder, and a dining table. At the back is the entrance to a grassy courtyard area with tables and chairs as the building is U shaped. There is an open fronted seating area for the rooms on the downstairs across this green, and an outside staircase which links to an open corridor on the first floor which has an open fronted but ceilinged seating area again.
The fittings and cleanliness make this a very nice place to stay, but it is not particularly sociable and does not feel too much like a hostel - more like a hotel. The rooms can be cold in winter and are also noisy from people walking down the corridors and talking outside. Overland truck tours sometimes stay here and this is great for groups travelling together, and definitely one of the cleanest and most modern places to stay in Stellenbosch
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
September 2007
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