Billabong Gardens

Billabong Gardens is a pretty standard Aussie hostel set in a good location in Newtown, Sydney. It's set just back from King Street so street noise is not bothersome, but it is still close to the action. The Newtown train station is a five- to ten-minute walk away, which is really convenient for getting around town. Other than its location, Billabong Gardens' main highlight is its common room, which includes a number of comfy couches, a huge big screen TV (with N64!), and three computers with free internet access for guests. It should be mentioned, however, that those three computers are almost always in use and often one of three is down. Still, for free access the speed is fast and the computers are good.

Many past guests have complained about the noise level at Billabong, and it is true that the walls between the rooms and the courtyard/pool area are paper thin, but as long as your fellow guests are considerate it shouldn't be an issue. The pool is not big enough for lap swimming, but it is a nice touch if you want to have a dip to cool off from the hot Sydney sun. The atmosphere here is relaxed and friendly, though without much of a party vibe (which is a good thing with the thin walls). The pool and palm trees provide a bit of a tropical feel, which is fun to indulge in if you've just arrived in Australia.

The biggest downside to Billabong Gardens is the lack of cleaning of the dorm rooms. Although cleaning staff are seen every morning, presumably cleaning the private double rooms, the dorm rooms do not receive much attention. The en-suite bathroom is especially rough for Australian hostel standards, although the communal bathrooms are in pretty decent shape. Paying extra money for the en-suite bathroom dorms is not recommended. Every other aspect of the hostel is clean, including the kitchen and the common room.

A warning to future guests -- the front desk does not open very early, so if you have to check out to catch an early flight or train, be sure to arrange everything the night before or you might be forced to leave without your key deposit. If your train/plane is scheduled for later in the day, however, Billabong Gardens offers a reasonably secure, though unsupervised, luggage storage area. When getting to Billabong Gardens, be aware that the hostel is set in a one-way alley, which you can't directly turn down from King Street. If you're driving, you might want to park your car and walk to the hostel, then drive to the door once you've figured out where you're going.

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