11 Cook Road, Arcadia, Magnetic Island Tel (07) 4778 5153 or 1800 665 153 Websitewww.foresthaven.com.au
BUG Review
This is a lovely and peaceful little hostel tucked away in quiet gardens. The dorms are lacking in maintenance, but they have kitchens and plenty of charm. The shared apartments are nice and a great value. The bathrooms are pretty shabby, but there is a nice swimming pool and covered barbecue area. They offer internet at $4 per hour, laundry facilities and free pick up from the ferry terminal. It is located steps away from shops and Alma Bay and it is a good place to rest your head after partying at Magnums across the road. The family who run this place are welcoming and talkative.
Price Dorm bed $15-18 Double/twin room $40 Apartment $70 for two people, $80 for 3 people, $90 for 4 people Prices are in Australian dollars and are inclusive of all taxes.
For $45 (twin, $22.5 for each person), sometimes you can get a nice new place, with good walls, a bug-free zone, a gracious hostess, and quiet neighbors... and sometimes you don't. That's the reality of backpacking.Foresthaven was the latter for us for the night we stayed there in 2005.The building is old and the walls are paper-thin and you'll find some ants running around. Family owned - the guy is nice and sweet, but the lady is a bit of a hag.The ensuite accomodations (cost $80, 2005) might be better and newer, but we weren't staying in one.
