BUG review
The hostel is painted half-and-half in pink and green, and the building looks good with its wooden balcony, which is a nice place to eat your home-made meals - a well-equipped kitchen is available for use. We found a pretty unclean and badly maintained bathroom when we visited, but the kitchen and the dorms are at an acceptable level. Lockers are available, so are board games and a swimming pool.
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Price Dorm bed $23 per night, $140 per week Prices are in Australian dollars and are inclusive of all taxes.
OK IT IS NOT A ALL NEW AND SHINY BUT THE PEOPLE HERE ROCK1 STAFF FAB! REALLY RELAXED FAMILY WELCOME 14 November 2008
Pros:
HELPFULL, they would always go out of there way to help.
Cons:
a bit old and some things are dusty.
EMILYEAG
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(3)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 11851)
I came in on a early flight and had a really bad flight. I phoned and was able to get a all females dorm. The people in the dorm were all really friendly nice and welcoming.
The owner works there and he is tall and is very hlpfull. My backpack had broken and he gave me one for free it was a bit old but I was going on a tour so it saved me.
When I came back I had mosquito bites everywhere they gave me some eculuptus and plaster, all free. So helpfull and kind.
Pirate and mica make all the females feel safe and welcome. They really are big brothers of the place.
I had a few messy girls in my dorm and I told the reception they sorted it out so I didnt have to. Grab a towel and hang out in the park read a book call a friend.All in all I would highly recommend it,simply for the experience you have there.
If you have a great friendly fun attitude this place will suit you.
I found the atmostphere fantstic, i met some backpackers from sweeden and hung with the locals 2 February 2008
Pros:
I've stayd in allot of places, and the staff here are great, got me on great tours, and hung out.
Cons:
it's an old bulding, it's not realy the flashiest place to stay,it needs allot of love
juni_M
saw things this way
Maintenance
(2)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(3)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 7516)
I was backpacking through darwin 2008, i'd just come from the gold coast and wanted a quiet place off the main hub, but still in town. I went on a great litchfield jumping croc cruse, luckly didn't get caught in the rain YAY. I met some great guys from sweeden, addmitadly we made a quite a bit of mess in the hostel. The staff are realy good to you, they'll have a yarn to you if you look a bit lonely. The bathrooms are good (Clean and basic, but better than allot of places) and the pool area is fantastic and there was a BBQ almost every night. Realy nice kitchen, loads of space, and free breckie. They also have allot of storage space. I spent allot of time reading in the park, and they are so close to shopping and resturaunts. I came here because it was cheep, i was expecting a complete rat house after reading the reviws but was pleasntly suprised.
Pros:
Availability when every other hostel in Darwin is full
Cons:
Messy and stuffy dorms, many workers, smoke(rs) everywhere
Jabe
saw things this way
Maintenance
(2)
Cleanliness
(2)
Facilities
(2)
Atmosphere
(2)
(Review ID: 747)
I should have been suspicious that, during peak season in Darwin, this place was able to offer me a bed when everywhere else was full, though I initially put this down to the fact that it wasn't on the main drag. Unfortunately it turned out to just not be very nice. There seemed to be a lot of workers here, with the usual problems that the dorm was messy and people were already in their little cliques. (My dorm was smelly too, though I guess that was due to one of the residents rather than the hostel.) The aircon struggled to keep the dorm at an acceptable temperature, and people were constantly smoking on the terrace that ran beside the dorms so you got a nicotine hit whether you liked it or not.I got the impression that, like in Broome, demand always exceeds supply in Darwin so hostels can get away with being scuzzy because they know if one person leaves in a huff then there'll be someone to replace them 10 minutes later.I would not stay here again.
Terrible, avoid at all costs, dirty, run down, grim 10 August 2006
Pros:
friendly staff
Cons:
No aircon, dirty, very dated, cell like bedrooms, noisy
Amy_C
saw things this way
Maintenance
(1)
Cleanliness
(1)
Facilities
(2)
Atmosphere
(2)
(Review ID: 676)
This place was grim, I'd booked using the lonely planet recommendations but I guess they've not been for a few years at least. The rooms are like concrete chambers, there are a lot of long-termers so a very cliquey atmosphere, mattresses were the very worst I've had in my 8 months in Oz, bathrooms dirty, kitchens dirty. Communal areas right outside bedrooms so impossible to sleep and clothes stink of smoke as all outside areas allow smoking. I can't say enough to tell you not to stay here. There are plenty of other options in the town centre! I got out as quick as possible.
Frogshollow is the worst hostel we have stayed in. 18 July 2006
Pros:
TV's in double rooms.
Cons:
Double room is a concrete cubicle with no A/C
KrisT
saw things this way
Maintenance
(2)
Cleanliness
(1)
Facilities
(2)
Atmosphere
(2)
(Review ID: 615)
We stayed in the Croc double room, a painted concrete cubicle located right beside the mens' showers. The room was small and dirty, sheets were old and pilled, the air-conditioner did not work, and the place was noisy. We got out of this hostel as quick as we could, after a short and sleepless one-night stay. Hostel staff were helpful under the circumstances. Hostels in Darwin, during the peak tourist season in July, are full, so be sure to book early at other hostels and pay a little more to get decent accommodation.
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14 people found this review helpful
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Tayman
Sydney, Australia
Would have to be one of the worst in Darwin NOT best! 17 August 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Tayman
saw things this way
Maintenance
(2)
Cleanliness
(2)
Facilities
(2)
Atmosphere
(2)
(Review ID: 8808)
My first contact with frogs was when i rang to book. I was arriving in Darwin at 1.10am, but the person i spoke to said that was ok, they would leave a key out & rattled off very complicated sounding directions of where to find it. I asked him to email me the directions on where the key would be and info on available tours to do while i was there. 1 week later i still had not received the email, so i booked into the YHA (open 24 hours) to start my stay, with the intention of transfering to frogs for the second half of my stay in Darwin. When i rang to change the details with frogs i found they had also stuffed up the dates i had given with the original booking! - not a good start!When i did move accross to frogs i only stayed 1 night before moving back to the YHA. That was partly because i had an allergic reaction to something in the dorm (that's not at all their fault) but also because i really didn't think much of the hostel anyway!I booked into an 8 share dorm and specified i needed air conditioning for health reasons. On arrival i was in a 10 share room with no air conditioning (and costing $23 per night - more than the YHA for a 4 share!) i ended up sleeping outside anyway because of my allergic reaction (on the concrete under the clothes line because the pool area and everything else was locked), but in the morning all beds were in use, including the one started the night in, so it appeared they also overbooked and did not have enough beds! In general they appeared to be very disorganised!Next point - facilities. They were ok. not great but not bad i guess, but all close at 9pm, kitchen, pool, everything! Now that might not sound that bad, but Kakadu is 3 hours drive from Darwin, Katherine is 3 1/2 hours etc, so basicly, take a day trip and you won't be getting back to the hostel until at LEAST about 7:30pm, but mostly about 8-8:30pm - really too late to use the kitchen! Also take your sleeping bag as there are no blankets provided and it really is quite cold some nights without one!Next point - moneyI noticed on the frogs sign at the airport it said they were under new management and i think that might be the reason for the changes. It really did seem though, that the current management staff were really only interested in making money for themselves. $23 a night for a 10 share un-airconditioned room would have to be one of, if not the most expensive hostels in Darwin and it's facilities certainly don't explain the high costs! but it gets better! want to leave your lugage there? Well unless you are on a tour you booked through them, that will cost you extra too! Want to use the pool or even just sit and watch tv after checking out in the morning but before your flight? Well that will cost you an extra $5 too!In short, if this was the only hostel in Darwin, i would definately say stay there, it's not "bad" as such but honestly there are a LOT better hostels! I stayed at the YHA and found it wonderful! Much more friendly than frogs (both staff and other guests) and MUCH better facilities. i also heard good reports from other people staying at Chillis and Elkes. The only reports i heard about frogs while not there, were from people complaining about the extra costs they threw in whereever they could and how little people spoke to each other.
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19 people found this review helpful
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Nick
England
Best and Friendliest in town 13 October 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Nick
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 8809)
Moved to Frogs from Globe Trotters. The staff and all the other people staying were really friendly. The pool and spas are great as is the BBQ. It's 5mins walk from the bars in Mitchell St so you can party and still have a quiet nights sleep away from the noise. The doubles are small but clean and cool with air-con. If I had to add any criticism it is the kitchen is far too small and the internet access is expensive - much cheaper in town!
9 of
18 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
Ireland
Beautiful setting, great staff, best in Darwin 15 September 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 8810)
I think the important thing to understand before visiting Darwin is that the hostels aren't quite up to the standards of other Australian hostels. However, Frogshollow is by far the best in Darwin. The pool is lovely, there's a large, well-equipped kitchen, and the staff are always helpful and friendly (especially Luc). I spent many happy weeks here while working in Darwin, there's a good social scene (can be noisy at weekends), and my only gripe would be that the bathrooms should be cleaned more frequently during peak season.
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Anonymous
Melbourne, Australia
"Best Hostel in Darwin" - Hardly 15 August 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(2)
Cleanliness
(2)
Facilities
(2)
Atmosphere
(2)
(Review ID: 8811)
With such rave reviews I was looking forward to staying at Frogshollow, but what a disappointment it was. I don't know where the reputation for cleanliness came from; the bathrooms were continually filthy during my 3 night stay and the rooms are old and poorly equipped with no-airconditioners, fans that do not always work and the most uncomfortable beds ever. If you are 18 years old and wanting to party, then this is the place to stay, but if you actually have to work, or get up early to go somewhere, then you won't appreciate the all-night balcony parties and people throwing up outside your room at 4am. On the positive side, the hostel is situated in a beautiful setting and has a nice shady park across the road.
and there was a BBQ almost every night. Realy nice kitchen, loads of space, and free breckie. They also have allot of storage space. I spent allot of time reading in the park, and they are so close to shopping and resturaunts. I came here because it was cheep, i was expecting a complete rat house after reading the reviws but was pleasntly suprised. 
