The Hostelz.com Review - Genuine, independent review you can trust.
The Spot Backpackers is one of a number of small, cozy backpacker hostels on South Africa's South Coast, the stretch of coastline between Durban and Port Shepstone. The Spot is nearest to Port Shepstone.
The Location
Around one hundred twenty kilometers southeast of Durban and eight kilometers northeast of Port Shepstone, on a long, crescent beach of some seven kilometers, The Spot Backpackers is located in the Shepstone suburb of Umtentweni and is a favorite among the surfing fraternity. It sits just off the R102 coastal road that runs parallel, and very close to the N2 highway. The railway, which passes through Umtentweni, is no longer in use for passenger traffic, unfortunately. The Spot Backpackers sits right on the beach -- close enough to hear the crashing waves as you drift off at night.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The Spot has two dorms, two double rooms, and an en suite double cabin. The blue and red dorms each have six beds and are spacious. Choose your bed carefully, as the mattresses are of varying quality, from thin, saggy foam ones to thick, new, firm ones. The bunk themselves are sturdy wooden constructions, but have no ladder to the top bunk. The top bunks are therefore quite low and leave very little headroom for the lower bunks. There is plenty of floor space but no lockers or storage space for luggage. The doubles in the main house are clean and comfortable, sharing ablutions; there is one wooden chalet in the large garden, which is en suite. The bathrooms are clean, but there are no hooks for your clothes while showering.
Common Spaces
Accessed via the back garden, you enter the property through the bar, which is also the reception. This snug room also has a pool table and also converts to table tennis, and the little TV and sitting room is next door with two comfy couches and all the satellite channels available. The free Wi-Fi is accessible only around the reception and bar area, but the signal is pretty strong. The large garden has a big firepit for the really cold winter nights and there is a gate that leads directly down to the beach just a few meters away. Outside the dorm building, there is also a sitting area on the landing with a couple of rather old, tatty cushioned chairs. The guests' kitchen has a kettle, toaster, microwave, four-hob electric cooker, and two fridges for self-caterers, and there is free tea and coffee all day, but no free breakfast here. No food is served here, but there are a couple of restaurants close by.
Summary
The Spot Backpackers is a cozy little place that gives easy access both for those with wheels and for those using public transport, to both Durban and Port Shepstone. There's quite a lot of info on things to do around the South Coast here, and The Spot gives access to places like the Oribi Gorge, Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve, Aliwal Shoals, and Mbumbazi Nature Reserve, if you have your own transport. The crashing waves of Umtentweni beach will entice the surfers and Aliwal Shoals is just a short drive away for divers, so this is a handy base.
Photos taken by the Hostelz.com reviewer — Genuine photos you can trust.