40 Horseshoe Bay Road, Horseshoe Bay, Magnetic Island Tel (07) 4778 5577 Websitewww.bungalowbay.com.au
BUG review
This YHA is an excellent hostel. The dorms are in spacious A-frame cabins with new comfortable beds and shiny en suite bathrooms. The kitchen is dirty and old, but there is an onsite restaurant and the bar does great $10 pizzas. The bar/common area gets very lively at night with trivia nights and music, which ensures a fun atmosphere. The hostel also features a wildlife rescue and care centre, where you get the chance to hold a koala and interact with other animals. There is also an internet café, a gorgeous swimming pool, laundry facilities, bike and kayak hire and a tour desk. The staff are some of the most outgoing and friendly around.
About BUG's hostel reviews
This hostel was visited by one of BUG's team of hostel inspectors who write independent reviews and assess a star rating based on an objective assessment criteria.
We show up unannounced at hostels to write honest and unbiased hostel reviews. Many of BUG's reviews now feature videos and photo slideshows. BUG never receives payment for listing any establishment and BUG's researchers never accept free accommodation in exchange for favourable reviews.
Price Dorm bed $27 ($24 HI/YHA) Double room $64-80 ($58-72 HI/YHA) Camping $12.50-15 per person
Prices include breakfast Prices are in Australian dollars and are inclusive of all taxes.
Credit cards MasterCard, Visa
Reception open 7.30am-6pm daily (check in at the bar until 11pm)
Beautiful, peaceful location with everything you need for a great backpacker "resort" holiday 9 March 2008
Pros:
Wildlife park on site. Great bar and restaurant. Beautiful pool.
Cons:
Leaving...
melonthego
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 7953)
We stayed in a double hut with shared bathroom. If you want to be close to nature, it's a great spot. There's plenty of possums, kangaroos, birds, curlews, etc around, and of course there's the wildlife park. We had a breakfast with the animals - great food and learnt a lot in the ranger tour. The bar/restaurant was great, with reasonably cheap food and a great relaxed atmosphere. There was a trivia night and a movie night while we were there. Staff were friendly and helpful. The only complaint about the advice they offered was when did a walk around some of the island's beaches, it seemed a lot longer than they estimated and they forgot to mention that Balding Bay is a nudist beach! If you're after city lights and sights, this is not the place for you but if you just want to chill out, relax in the pool or in a hammock, enjoy natural surroundings and a quiet drink, this is a fantastic place.
A novel place to stay but limited facilities 18 March 2007
Pros:
The champagne breakfast
Cons:
the kitchen!
sunnyday
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(2)
Atmosphere
(3)
(Review ID: 1339)
We had 3 nights booked here but only stayed one because we couldnt get to sleep for all the screeching of the masses of cockatoos on site. The accomodation was OK but felt a bit like it may as well be a tent! The kitchen was pretty badly equipped with about one pan with a handle left on it and only a few electric camping stoves on which to cook (no microwave). The best part of our stay was the champagne breakfast we paid extra for in the koala sanctuary, it was excellent, if you go there do it!
This is THE best accommodation on the East coast. Awesome facilities and superb management, these guys are true professionals. The double ensuite room, aptly named 'The Penthouse' was 4 star quality at backpacker prices. Great curry restaurant and in house Koala sanctuary, within walking distance of some of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. They really know how to help you relax, a very memorable stay highly reccommended!
5 of
20 people found this review helpful
Was this review helpful to you?
Sofi
England
Really nice for a chilled out stay 19 October 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Sofi
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 10712)
I stayed here for two nights in July and didn't want to leave. Its such a good place to chill out, really quiet and peaceful. You get a information talk by the reception staff when you get there and you can hire body boards and snorkling gear...might even be free i cant remember? The renovation was just finishing off when i was there and it all looked great to me. The TV room was still being worked on but i didn't want to use it anyway. The dorms were really nice in little triangular huts and mine was well sealed and comfy, although 8 beds to one en-suite isn't really great. but it was always clean and it was comfy. I personally found the kitchen fine to use and no wildlife problems! The bar was fine for a quiet drink but this isn't the place to go if you wanna party. Theres Maggies for that, just down the road. The staff were always helpful and the possums give you great photo opportunities. Remember to look out for the wild hamsters nibbling on the grass verges too...soo cute.
0 of
15 people found this review helpful
Was this review helpful to you?
Anonymous
Australia
a really relaxed and friendly place 3 March 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 10713)
I initially booked into Geoff's Place as I was a YHA memeber and it is listed in the YHA guide. Then I started feeling a bit of trepidation, as I read a few bad reviews, but I have to say that I had a wonderful time. The staff were incredibly friendly, the whole place just has a relaxed cruisy feel about it. Yes there were possums, but hello! you are on a small island which is mainly national park! Anyhow, the other guests were great too. I would recommend Geoff's Place to anyone who wants a chilled out place to relax. You want a bit more action - Arkies is just up the road, but Geoffs place is great place to base yourself on Magenetic Island. They are doing rennovations to improve lighting and stuff, but there are lights along the pathways (although the lighting is a little dark, think of it as adding to the atmosphere).
13 of
25 people found this review helpful
Was this review helpful to you?
Anonymous
Melbourne, Australia
Relaxed and real 24 September 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 10714)
Geoffs Place was a refreshing change from most hostels - could have just been the different layout and secluded kind of set up. Staff were easy going but helpful, pool is awesome, relaxed atmosphere at bar but always something happening. Cabins were cosy but air-con'd and comfy. Plus, Maggie Is. is generally spectacular and loads of fun.
6 of
15 people found this review helpful
Was this review helpful to you?
Jamie
Darlington, England
Dirty Hovel 13 May 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Jamie
saw things this way
Maintenance
(1)
Cleanliness
(1)
Facilities
(1)
Atmosphere
(1)
(Review ID: 10715)
We stayed at Geoff's Place expecting big things, but we're very much dissapointed. The place is very badly lit especially if you're staying towards the back of the 'resort' and it can take some time to find your room. Now don't get me wrong, I love animals but this place was a bit OTT with them. Firsty the kitchen facilities were poor and very dirty, lots of ants. It said the kitchen would close at 10pm but alas it stayed open all night and was full of hungry possums in all the bins! Not nice and not hygenic, but the staff seemed to think it was OK.Timer on bathroom block means if you're having a shower etc at night then it will be mainly in the dark! Our room also filled up with moths and was obviously not sealed up, cobwebs around too. Staff very unhelpful when we asked for a refund for our 2nd nights stay as there was no way I'd stay there any longer. Staff also seem to have a trust problem with 20 dollar charge for cutlery - where in most places its normally free! And the TV room was shut early as they reckon customers would steal the tv's during the night - crazy!Please do not stay here, its not good
5 of
21 people found this review helpful
Was this review helpful to you?
Anonymous
Boston, Ma USA
dissapointing 13 May 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(1)
Cleanliness
(1)
Facilities
(1)
Atmosphere
(1)
(Review ID: 10716)
we came to maggie island for a week of relaxation- and we were greeted with possums hanging out in the kitchen (which is dirty and impossible to cook in)- you have to walk pretty far to go to the bathroom, and the path isn't lit, so it's a little stressful trying to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. The "cabins" are a cute concept, but this is not the place to be if you are not one with nature
14 of
14 people found this review helpful
Was this review helpful to you?
Anonymous
Ireland
not up to usual YHA 14 November 2002
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(3)
Atmosphere
(3)
(Review ID: 10717)
This place was ok but not very good by YHA standards. The main prob was the dorms- rather cramped, and, I don't know, just not very nice. They look ok from the outside- they are cabins but I didnt like them much. It's in a nice location and there's a bar which was quite nice for a few drinks ( but not that lively).Average.
15 of
16 people found this review helpful
Was this review helpful to you?
JV
Brighton, UK
Chilled out, natural place to check out nature & relax 25 April 2002
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
JV
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 10718)
It's been a couple of years since I visited Geoffs Place, but can vividly remember a few days spent seeing wildlife in a natural enviroment, and recharging the batteries before heading further north. The site offers accomodation for campers, like us, and Hostel dwellers, so can't comment on the huts, but beautiful place for people under canvas. Peacocks wander around the place, showing off their feathers, incredibly coloured parakeets swarm about the place(serious noise in the morning!)and Koalas can be seen just a short walk from the site. The bar was a reasonably friendly place, had offers on beers, etc whilst we were there.Definate to do:1.Jet ski round the Island, half a day of adrenalin and beautiful views. 2.Go to animal sanctuary, short walk from site, they advertise(or did while I was there that you can(could'nt when I was there)cuddle a Koala, but still good. 3. Go on night walk, see lots of lovely spiders! 4.Drink lots and relax.One bad thing, don't have problems with your motor, cause mechanics expensive, slow and difficult to find.Anyhow, I recommend to all people who are heading that way, so check it out.
