Darwin YHA

Distinctly average, central location.
We stayed here for 3 nights in July 2008. The hostel itself was quite busy, and the small kitchen couldn't quite cope, so we resorted to eating out. The central location of this hostel meant that lots of bars and restaurants were on the same street. The rooms were quite big for four-bed dorms, although they got very hot and stuffy during the day, and the air-conditioning was very loud and noisy, so if you had it on it was often difficult to hear anyone talking to you! On the last night we had a bit of a bad experience (drunk room-mates) but the staff were very helpful. They responded to the problem immediately (at 7 a.m.!) and although they couldn't do much about it, they gave us one hour's free internet to apologise. It was clean, if a little warm at night (but that's Darwin!).

A Letdown. Below usual YHA city standards.
They have moved to a converted motel. Shabby, Needs a good refurb. En-suite in each share room means if one person is in bathroom (say showering) no one else gets in. But you can't access any alternate facilities as all behind locked doors of other rooms! Kitchen too small for number of guests. Power kept popping off. One microwave not working. Small stove very slow (if you can get to it) and the outside bbq was out of gas. But light globe over the bbq was blown anyway so you couldn't see what you were cooking. Reception area far too small -- simply couldn't cope in peak periods. Cleaners used fire hose to hose eating area (it's outside) just on breakfast time leaving wet tables and chairs. (Unbelievable!) Staff try hard in difficult conditions.

Not recommended
I was in a four-bed en-suite. the only positive thing I have to say is that the room was spacious and had air-con (that you could only use at night). Nothing was clean -- the bed, the bathroom, the fridge, the pool. It's also a bit of a maze. Stay somewhere else, you have plenty of choices in Darwin.