BUG review
Birmingham Central Backpackers is a small hostel in a former pub with facilities that include a colourful common area on the ground floor with sofas where you can sit in front of the fireplace and use the Wi-Fi. There is also a TV and in-house bar on the ground floor plus a small courtyard. Some of the dorms have cosy capsule-style bunks, each with individual reading lights and curtains for a bit more privacy. This hostel has a very friendly atmosphere and many guests feel that staying here is like being part of a big family. It isn't the nicest neighbourhood, but it is close to the coach station and just a short walk to the city centre.
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Price Dorm bed £13-20 Single room £30 Twin room £38
Prices include breakfast Prices are in British pounds and are inclusive of all taxes.
Credit cards MasterCard, Visa 2% credit card surcharge
Pros:
Some investment in entertainment in the common room
Cons:
Packed in dorms
remington77
saw things this way
Maintenance
(1)
Cleanliness
(1)
Facilities
(1)
Atmosphere
(2)
(Review ID: 14543)
I did not take to this place despite good feedback on some hostel sites. I couldent wait for the next day so I could get away.I normally commend anyone who can turn old industrial buildings (or in this case a pub) into a homely backpack residence but this one made me feel really uncomfortable. This has been put together on a minimum budget and it shows.The common area is a mix of second hand furniture with gaudy coloured soft funishings and decor. To be fair their are a lot of Games, CDs and DVDs available that they promote but for me it all adds to the overall feel of clutter. It looked and felt like a load of random items have been brought in from a jumble sale to provide entertainment and furniture.My room had 8 beds (room 3) that really did not have the space for this number of beds. The bunk beds were uneven in terms of size and style and there was a long, complex code system to get in to the room each time. No space on the floor for bags or to dress properly.There were some home made lockers (for padlocks) but the metal work was indequate and some were falling apart.Worst of all was a shower built in to the room with the only separation being the shower cabinet door !! no outside door at all to the room. That really is unacceptable.I only stayed a night and will not return again. My advice when visiting Birmingham is to stay at Hatters Hostel - far better facilities, comfortable, clean and tidy.
9 of
17 people found this review helpful
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TERRY PERERA MEEMANAGE
Review from a HostelBookers customer 27 January 2010
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
TERRY PERERA MEEMANAGE
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(2)
Atmosphere
(2)
(Review ID: 13484)
Easily Approchable Location.
9 of
10 people found this review helpful
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Barbara Szal
Review from a HostelBookers customer 23 January 2010
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Barbara Szal
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 13730)
Great place to stay, perfect location, very nice staff. Hope come some day for longer!
Pros:
the staff, location and common room
Cons:
The outside area
timrobins
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 8527)
This is my 61st hostel and so far the best. Quite a shock since it is in Birmingham of all places and all I have heard is how bad it is. I really liked the city and the hostel, both the city and the hostel have a new wave about them. The hostel is run by a fellow american and her british husband. They are very helpful and perhaps the best thing about this hostel is the staff. There is a homely feel to the place, from the moment you walk in you have bright colors.The common area is set up with a movie theatre, it must be about six metres wide, with hundreds of DVDs to pick from. This is in one section of the common area. Then you have the reception that houses a small bar with lots of beer choices from around the world. If you like Nintendo (I do not) then you have a wii and a playstation three in each corner of the games area. Free wifi was a godsend for me here also.The room I stayed in is the POD dorm. These are kind of strange at first and I did not think I would like them but found them very nice to sleep in, the matresses were great. They had a reading light, curtains and I am told soon to have small TVs. A Nice idea to have a little privacy while still keeping that hostel feel.THe hostel was nice and clean, you always saw one of the staff cleaning something. The kitchen and bathroms are nice, in the kitchen you have pretty much everything to make your meal and then some.The downside is the area. It is in a great location less than a minite to National Express, a couple of minutes to the Bull Ring Shopping mall, but it does not look the best, industrial. But I found it safe enough it is jjust pretty quite.
One of the best hostels i have stayed 25 January 2008
Pros:
Staff, movie screen, colors, facilities
Cons:
Industrial part of Birminghams city centre.
starbuck1976
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 7504)
This is one of the best hostels we have stayed at. Our last hostel before our flight back to Vermont on a three month trip. We only got to spend three days here but had lots of fun. We stayed in the private twin the first night and a six bed dorm the second. The twin room is in the second building about a minutes walk. Not ideal but the room made up for the long minutes walk. The room had just about every color there is on the walls, a DVD player (you can rent movies for free at reception). I found this place clean, but not as good as the main building.The dorm room as clean, again lots of color and well maintained. The staff are very helpful at this hostel. The american/british owners went out of their way to help us get around birmingham and see the sights. At nights you can buy a beer, watch a movie on the huge movie screen, play nintendo wii, playstation three, read... Has so much to do. We had a quiz night and the following a bowling comp on the wii through the projector TV.All in all we had the best few days of our tour around Europe. Only bad part to this hostel is the area, the location is great in the city centre, national express just over the road but like much of Birmingham its run down which is a shame for the Brits second city.
Don't give this hostel your business 6 December 2007
Pros:
location - but not worth the cons
Cons:
The e-mail I got after I returned home full of lies.
WANDERER
saw things this way
Maintenance
(1)
Cleanliness
(1)
Facilities
(2)
Atmosphere
(1)
(Review ID: 7429)
The entry, halls and bathrooms were not cleaned the 3 days I was there. There was a mouse in my room - I found and blocked it's hole - in the middle of the night. There were at least 10 different shampoo, etc. bottles in the shower the entire time I was there. The shower rug was constantly wet. The furniture in my room was minimal - and that was falling apart. There was nowhere to hang anything - not even to dry out a towel. One of the large drawers was full of old touristy brochures - trash really. I could feel the mattress springs all night. Our room was in a separate building a significant distance from the 'lounge'. The 'free wi-fi' was impossible to access (had child controls or something) that the staff could not give me the password for. 'Breakfast' was tea or coffee, white bread, butter and jam - and maybe fruit. After my stay, I got a ridiculous e-mail saying I was rude (presumably because they were asked to not let the dog sit on the serving bar) and falsely accused my companion of sexually harassing a girl in the common bathroom. I tried complaining to Hostelbookers - who booked the hostel and gives it good reviews - but, they refuse to allow other hostellers to see the comments. My advice to anyone traveling to Birmingham is to avoid this hostel. The convenience of the location was not worth the creepiness. I have pictures of the facilities and issues.
Worst hostel I have ever stayed in 22 September 2006
Pros:
the front door works so you can leave
Cons:
Drugs, sleezy workers, dirty hostel
julie25
saw things this way
Maintenance
(2)
Cleanliness
(1)
Facilities
(1)
Atmosphere
(1)
(Review ID: 833)
I loved this place early last summer. I had a wonderful stay. Then when I returned I was told that the people whom ran it left and moved overseas ( I have just found out they moved to a new location). I did not feel safe atall. I was booked in for four nights but stayed only one. They staff were not very nice. They were sleezy. Myself and two other girls left and found a hotel in the city a day after I arrived for safety reasons. Drugs were everywhere ***EDITED TO COMPLY WITH BUG'S REVIEW GUIDELINES*** on the streets. The bed I stayed in looked like it had not been changed in weeks. I have to say avoid this place at all costs.________________
EDITOR'S COMMENTThis review refers to the period between 1 Sep and 1 Nov 2006 when this hostel was under different management.
Pros:
Staff! very helpful and kind. The hostel is nice and clean.
Cons:
The bar downstairs
Kellyn
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 624)
I stayed at billys just last week and had a great stay. The staff have to be the most friendly at any hostel. THe rooms were nice, well cleaned, they had a office/living room that you could use the internet, watch movies, tv, meet other guests. The staff helped me on all my travels. They looked up trains, hostels in other cities, they really went out of there way to help. Thank you so much to bug for helping me find them and billys for a nice stay and all the help with the rest of my travels.
Kelly
Good friendly staff make this place a good time 18 June 2006
Pros:
I liked the staff, they were really friendly and helpful.
Cons:
located above a pub that is really noisy on the weekends.
jenny30
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(3)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 508)
Overall I had a good stay at Birmingham Backpackers. Its not a big hostel but it serves its purpose. One of the best things about this place is how close its located to the city centre. Its only about a 5 minute walk from the main area. The area is mainly warehouses though. It is a block away from some very cool clubs and pubs. The staff are super friendly and helpful and helped me find my way around the city and were more than willing to help me find things to do. It could use a bigger kitchen, but overall, I had a good stay.
Birmingham Backpackers (Billy's) was great fun 15 May 2006
Pros:
Clean, great location, friendly and very helpful staff
Cons:
can be noisy on the weekends from bar
chippyguy
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(3)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 430)
I have stayed at Birmingham Backpackers twice so far. I am from Australia and Birmingham was the first city that I stayed in. The staff of this hostel I found really helpful that went out of there way to help me settle in. I have since moved to another city but come back to see friends that I have made in Birmingham. I always stay here as the location is perfect, just a few minutes from the city centre. I booked through the website www.birminghambackpackers.com and although I think they are still working on it the site is very helpful with helpful city links and information. Anyway any of you backpackers will love this little hostel. The pub downstairs can be a little noisy on weekends but has a great bunch of people from all over the world and a great way to meet locals.
Chip
