BUG Review
Narrara Backpackers is one of Hobart's better hostels. It is relatively clean and well maintained although the building is starting to show its age. Facilities include a fully-equipped kitchen, laundry, a TV lounge and internet access. Accommodation is in clean tidy dorms and it has a good atmosphere.
Price Dorm bed $19-23 Double/twin room $49-69 Prices are in Australian dollars and are inclusive of all taxes.
Pros:
Nice and knowledgable staff
Cons:
Messy kitchen, small common area/dining area
cher.pg
saw things this way
Maintenance
(2)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(2)
Atmosphere
(3)
This hostel is reasonably clean and everyone is really friendly but not in-your-face. Kitchen was small and bursting at the seams with groceries from long-term stayers so it was a bit crowded. Toilets/showers were clean and roomier than other hostels I'd stayed at in Tasmania, with lots of hot water. Double Room (@AUD$59 a night) was normal: a small shelf unit, a double bed, a chair, a window.
Pros:
Good atmosphere.
Cons:
Not as clean as it could be.
ukulelemaybe
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(2)
Atmosphere
(4)
This is quite a small hostel. It's comfortable, but the communal areas seem a bit stretched for the number of guests. The internet was out of order when I was there and reception is only manned for a few hours each day.
4 of
4 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 11086)
Least favorite hostel we stayed at ..., March 26, 2004
Reviewer:
Marty
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Imported Review
saw things this way
Maintenance
(1)
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(1)
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(1)
Atmosphere
(1)
My wife and I just got back from a 3 week vacation in Australia. We stayed at a mixture of places including Hotels and Hostels as we visited Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Tasmania and Airlie Beach. Narrara's was our least favorite place we stayed at. There were bugs in the hostel (my wife has the bites to prove it), our mattress had a mouse hole burrowed into it and the women's bathroom had broken glass in one of the showers. The free email was nice but it was hard to get to (would be better if people signed up for computer time). I think the place could be really nice if Nigel took more pride in his building and made it a little more clean and inviting. I would try someplace else.
7 of
10 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 11087)
A home for those that crave no comforts or smiles, February 26, 2004
Reviewer:
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(1)
Cleanliness
(1)
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(1)
Atmosphere
(1)
Claustrophobic, overcrowded, unfriendly, rabbit warren. Bathrooms barely adequate for the number of guests cramped into the tiny rooms across 4 levels. Unhelpful and frankly, a bit of a strange fruit of an owner who seemed more intent on scamming us rather than helping and made me very uncomfortable. Would advise single women to think twice before staying here. Whilst offers free email, only good if prepared to camp out and wait a long while- just pay a few dollars at the local internet cafe. Can not understand how this place gets above one star.
6 of
8 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 11088)
very poor, February 26, 2004
Reviewer:
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(1)
Cleanliness
(1)
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(1)
Atmosphere
(1)
A very bad Escher like building. The rooms were very cramped, not enough bathrooms for the amount of sardines, oops mean guests, crammed into the building. The kitchen, while having a large stove oven area is otherwise overcrowded with little preperation space or storage. Suprised to read other reviews saying great atmosphere as I thought there was none. The outside of the building is lovely, but like a book don't judge this hostel by its cover.
5 of
7 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 11089)
excellent friendly clean hostel with good facilities, May 15, 2003
Reviewer:
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
i stayed here last year and found it the best hostel i have ever stayed in. Nigel the owner is very friendly and knows tasmania so well, he can advise the independent traveller on any aspect of seeing and experiencing tasmania. also all the other hostellers i met there went back several times, a good sign i think and lots of friendly people, and clean facilities made for a very enjoyable stay!
9 of
11 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 11090)
good hostel, strange owner, March 24, 2003
Reviewer:
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(3)
Atmosphere
(3)
The hostel has good facilities and there is a good atmosphere. The only thing which was not so good, was the unfriendly owner. I did not feel very welcome.
8 of
10 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 11091)
Hobart's Best Backpackers Hostel!, November 12, 2001
Reviewer:
Dan
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Imported Review
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
Having travelled over most of Australia, I've stayed in a lot of hostels. Most are good, but Narrara is by far the winner! Excellent kitchen facilities, Whistle clean bathrooms AND free e-mail... What more could the budjet traveller want? I was surprised that it was so inexpensive. Add to that the fact that Nigel (the owner/operator) has bikes and cars to hire, at rates that wipe out the competitors, and you have a five star hostel. Keep up the fantastic service, Nigel!
