8 Blake Street, Deloraine Tel (03) 6362 2996 Websitewww.yha.com.au
BUG Review
Deloraine's YHA hostel keeps alive the traditional image of the depressing institutional youth hostel where having fun is frowned upon. There are rules posted all over the hostel and the sign stating that it is a home first suggests that guests take second place. There are no keys to the doors but the front door is locked at midnight ruling out a night at the local pub. Although the hostel has quite nice wooden floorboards, the furnishings are old and the whole place feels very dated. Facilities include a cosy TV lounge and a kitchen with lots of pots and pans - although the fridges appear to date from the 1970s. Toilets and showers are outside. The hostel is an old house perched high on a hill overlooking Deloraine with a view of the mountains.
Price Dorm bed $24 ($21.50 HI/YHA) Double/twin room $54.50 ($49 HI/YHA) Prices are in Australian dollars and are inclusive of all taxes.
Pros:
Isolated location on a hill, so it was nice and quiet at night.
Cons:
It's messy as all hell and CREAKY. Also had limited hot water in the shower.
cher.pg
saw things this way
Maintenance
(1)
Cleanliness
(2)
Facilities
(2)
Atmosphere
(1)
Men's toilets and showers were outdoors, and womens inside. the place was a total mess with crap and drying linens draped everywhere, books/old magazines strewn all over the place. sofas were gross. rooms were small and kitchen was blech. besides the creaky floorboards (everywhere!), and the fridges that weren't cold, the worst part is probably the showers/toilets. you get five minutes of hot water and that's it. and when you turn on the showers, the design of the shower cubicle made it so that wind blew in , making the cold shower curtain stick to your body as you try to shower and finish within the five minutes.
Pros:
Nice view from the verrandah
Cons:
The manager was rude and unapproachable
Rachel C
saw things this way
Maintenance
(1)
Cleanliness
(2)
Facilities
(1)
Atmosphere
(2)
On arrival the hostel manager grunted at me and thereafter skulked around the establishment watching my every move. There was an old fashioned log fire in the the centre of the livingroom shrouded in abrupt warning signs. These didn't stop a toddler staying in the establishment attempt to put his hand in the fire (ever heard of a child guard?), which sent the manager into a Rasputin-style frenzy. Guests everywhere were rolling their eyes. The two cattle-shed style showers warned of a '5 minute curfew' for hot water, which I didn't really appreciate having just climbed Cradle Mountain. All part of the Tasmanian experience, ok ok, but you can't excuse the pre world war two scratchy blankets, my only warmth for a night in a drab, cold dorm!The kitchen was stocked with about two chipped bowls and some bent forks. And I wasn't keen on the support stickers for the Tasmanain gun club on the fridge or the bible left under my bed. If you've ever felt like starring in a Hammer Horror movie, spend a night at Highview Lodge.
6 of
7 people found this review helpful
Was this review helpful to you?
Hostel Manager's Right of Reply
Hi from Deloraine Highview Lodge YHA,
As the manager, I can say that I do not grunt at people as for the wood fire being shrouded in warning signs- I should point out that having a wood fire in a backpackers results in a dramatic raising of our insurance each time there is a hostel fire in Australia. As a result, I feel that there is a real need to ensure that no one operates the fire and leaves it to the manager. If you do not believe that a couple of warning signs are needed to ensure the safety of both guests and the hostel, I can expand on what I dangerous things I have witnessed done to the wood fire.
As for a fire guard- we have spoken to several firemen and they have agreed that it is a safety hazard to have a fire guard around the fire where people will hang clothes on it. The clothes would then be too close to the fire creating the potential for a house fire. We could put up a fire screen but it would require some sort of warning that may upset people.
Rasputin style frenzy? I do not believe it.
Skulking- I prefer to give people freedom and let them know that they can see me if there is a problem or a question. I do pop out from time to time to check how things are going. But all in all, I let people just kick back and relax with minimal interferance from me. They are on holiday and do not need me standing over them 24/7.
5 Minute hot water for the showers- yes we do have that. It only takes a person to hit the button again for another five minutes. This water saving feature has been accepted by most guests in these times of water restrictions.
We do try to promote a enviromental style of living that some do not appreciate. Pre WWII blankets? Last time I looked each bottom bed had a comforter and a hospital style blanket. Spare blankets are of wool... We also provide hot water bottles.
Stickers for tasmania gun club on the fridge- I can assure you it is not true!
We have no stickers on the fridge. We do have a reminder about the hot water button in the shower, a emergency evacuation guide (requiered by law) and a couple of jokes held up with fast food magnets. I can assure there is no gun club stickers on any fridge in the hostel.
As for the kitchen facilites- two chipped bowls? We have plates and cutlery for thiry guests. No bowls are chipped and bent forks? No we do not have bent forks.
I am sorry but this sounds to me like character assasination. I can not work out the reasons for this negative comment.
I await you reply.
Thanks,
Alex Duncan
Manager Deloraine YHA
PS- as for the bible left under the bed- we have one in the common room and each room may have a copy. I am not a religous person but a I have always accepted the fact that accomodation places have bibles available for guests.
(Review ID: 11066)
Clean and functional with nice views, November 12, 2003
Reviewer:
Tom "Mad Dog" Lusk
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Imported Review
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(3)
Atmosphere
(3)
A nice enough place: everything in the kitchen worked; comfortable clean beds. Alex at the front desk was a helpful bloke who found my phone and looked after it for me after I'd checked out. No TV, which was a problem as World Cup Rugby was on. Segregated men's & women's dorms-may be normal for YHAs, don't know, was my first stay. Good toilets & hot showers. Garden a bit shabby and full of rusting tools (which didn't actually affect our stay, it has to be said). Good spot, all round.
