Urbanzulu Backpackers, Johannesburg

6.5
4 Reviews

Sadly, this hostel has closed.

On the bright side, there are more hostels in Johannesburg...

Compare Hostel Prices for Johannesburg

How to book...

your hostels in Johannesburg

Hostelworld

Check directly alternative Hostels with Hostelworld.com.

How is Urbanzulu Backpackers rated?

Urbanzulu Backpackers Reviews

Urban Backpackers is one of the most central hostels in Johannesburg, which has an almost bewildering assortment of backpacker hostels spread all over the city, so you should consider it if you are passing through the city, as it has excellent access to the onward transport hubs.

The Location

Located on a very noisy, busy street, Urban Backpackers is two kilometers from Park Station, from where the long-distance buses leave, and where you can find the Metrorail and the Gautrain.

Rooms and Bathrooms

There is a large number of rooms here, mostly private doubles, twins, and family rooms, but there are also backpacker dorms. The private rooms are plain but comfortable, and most share bathrooms. The dorms are very basic, but spacious. The self-built bunk beds are all welded metal and fairly sturdy, but the mattresses are really thin and saggy. During the winter months, this whole building is freezing and there is no heating available. Extra blankets are provided, but you have to wrap up warm just to walk around the place. The shared bathrooms are clean and roomy, but there aren't many of them.

Common Spaces

There is a roof terrace; if it's not too cold to venture up there, you could get a good view of the surrounding neighborhood and the taller buildings of Johannesburg. It's furnished with bottle crates and wooden stools and there is a pool table. There is a very basic chillout area, which is just a thin mattress thrown on the floor, on one of the stairway landings above the reception desk. This is the best place to get the free Wi-Fi signal (this is via the router of Kafe Noir, the cafe next door that's run by Urban Backpackers). The Urban Backpackers router wasn't working during our stay, so the router was placed at the reception desk, meaning you could not get a signal at all if you were higher than the first floor. A couple of cushioned chairs are placed in the reception area, but it was too cold to sit there when we visited, as the front security gate is open to the elements.

Don't expect much from the guests' kitchen, either! There aren't enough pots, pans, cutlery, and crockery to go around. It does have a kettle, a non-working toaster, microwave, fridge, and four-hob electric cooker. However, the kettle had disappeared soon after we were shown it, so there was no facility for making a hot drink in the morning, when it was really needed after a freezing cold night! Urban Backpackers also own Kafe Noir, which is right around the corner from the hostel. It's a warm, nicely decorated, comfortable place for a meal or drinks. We wonder why the same amount of care and attention couldn't have been applied to the hostel.

Urban Backpackers Facebook page has details of music events they put on every couple of weeks on the roof terrace. These will obviously be loud and busy, so choose your booking time carefully.

Summary

"Urban" in this context, seems to mean very basic but in the city, rather than rustic for the countryside! There are no frills here and the beds are fairly cheap for Johannesburg; it isn't very comfortable, though. There is no atmosphere and the building is sadly neglected. It certainly could do with a lick of paint at the very minimum. It's a rough-and-ready looking building from the outside and the interior is the same. The exterior windows and doors do not close properly, meaning it feels like a wind tunnel at times. There haven't been any attempts to make it cozy; it's functional at best. Urban Backpackers is convenient and centrally located for spending a night while passing through Johannesburg, but there is little else to recommend here.
Photos taken by the Hostelz.com reviewer — Genuine photos you can trust.
Outside of the Building
Reception
Roof Terrace
Roof Terrace
Hallway Chill Area
Kitchen
Kafe Noir Exterior
Kafe Noir Inside
Double Room
+4
#
LondonroadMa
Hostelz.com Staff Reviewer
Published on Jul 18, 2018

Location and Contact

Location

• From the Airport:
• • Take the R24 towards Johannesburg and take the ramp onto N12 / R24
• • Take Exit 113 for N3 towards Pretoria / Germiston / Durban
• • Keep left at the fork to continue to N12 / N3 and merge into N12 / N3
• • Take exit 108 – Geldenhuys toward Germiston
• • Keep right at the fork, follow signs for M2 / Johannesburg and merge onto M2
• • Take exit 11 for Rissik Street toward M9
• • Turn left at Anderson Street / R29

Facilities and Amenities

Party Hostel

Solo Traveller

Bedsheets

Parking

Towels

Wi-Fi in Lobby/Commons

Airport Pickup

City Tours

24 Hour Security

BBQ Grill

Bar

Credit Card Payments

Evening Entertainment

Food/Restaurant

Kitchen

Laundry

Nightclub

Curfew: No Curfew

Reception Hours: 24 Hours

Similar places you might like

Sadly, this hostel has closed.

On the bright side, there are more hostels in Johannesburg...

Compare Hostel Prices for Johannesburg

Unlock your Hostel Account to Freedom!

Unlock your Hostel Account to Freedom!

Sign up with Hostelz.com and get access to exclusive hostel content and much more.

Do you already have an account? Login
Home Pluz
Comparizon
Login