197 King Street, Melbourne Bus 216, 219, 684 T 55, 70, 86, 96 Train Spencer Street Tel (03) 9670 1111 or 1800 671 115 Websitewww.kingstreetbackpackers.com.au
BUG Review
King Street Backpackers (formerly The Friendly Backpacker) is a good hostel that is spotlessly clean and has top class facilities. The hostel has a kitchen and a large dining room with a pool table downstairs, while the upper levels have several lounges and quiet reading areas.
Price Dorm bed $22-24 Double room $72-80
Prices include breakfast Prices are in Australian dollars and are inclusive of all taxes.
Credit Cards MasterCard,Visa
Reception Open 7.30am-11pm daily; late check in by prior arrangement
Pros:
Comfy/secure dorms, clean bathrooms
Cons:
High turnover of people, rubbish Internet
Jabe
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(3)
This was the first hostel I stayed in in Australia and I was pleasantly surprised, especially as it was surrounded by strip clubs. I found the facilities to be clean and well-maintained though I didn't use the kitchen. Though free, the PCs had been locked down to the point where I couldn't even access my Hotmail account, and other sites were really slow to display. Turnover seemed to be really high - after 3 days in a 4 bed dorm, I'd already had 7 dorm-mates. I'd stay here again.
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(Review ID: 675)
A very nice place to stay in the centre of the city, August 9, 2006
Reviewer: MarkMurry from Today in North Queensland
Pros:
Clean, safe, and very nice guests
Cons:
Couldn't really find anything
MarkMurry
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
Nice place to stay, very clean and safe. It is just next street to the train station so you can walk there with your backpack without having to hear the trains in your bed. The were some strip clubs near by but they were classy places and with the funky bars close by, the whole area had a carnival atmosphere. A few of us went out and had really good night. Well done.
This is your typical large, city centre hostel. Friendly enough staff but a high turnover of guests means you don't really get to know anyone and therefore a dull atmosphere. The hostel itself is clean and tidy, and the dorms are small but well laid out with partitions seperating the beds. The price is fairly high (especially the private rooms!), admittedly they do dish out a lot of free food!I thought the area surrounding the hostel was fine, not at all dodgy although there is a stripclub next door.
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(Review ID: 419)
Good hostel surrounded by strip clubs, May 11, 2006
Pros:
Free food nearly every day
Cons:
It made me sick
smileymac
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(3)
Staying anywhere in Melbourne during the Commonwealth Games was a bit of challenge. You were lucky to get a bed unless you booked weeks in advance. The Friendly Backpacker was no different. Not a spare bed in the place for the whole week I was there. It is a fairly modern hostel on 3 floors so be prepared to hump your backpack up to the top floor.
The staff are generally friendly and helpful, offering tour advice- booking you on Neighbours tours and the like- and handing out free maps of the city. They even gave away some free tickets to the Comm Games. Most days there is something free on offer- breakfast everyday to those who get up before 9, free pasta nights once a week, free pancakes on a Sunday. It is a good place to stay generally- in a dodgy area of the city though and surrounded by strip clubs- but I couldn't help thinking there was something missing, it just lacked a bit of atmosphere. Oh and I got the flu while I was there which doesn't help!
