Guest User
June 6, 2025
Indeed, the hostel itself is pretty and could be a nice place to stay. But it’s by far the worst-managed hostel I’ve seen in Australia (and I’ve been here for nearly two years). Ceci, the head manager, treats every guest—whether they’re 18 or 70 years old—like a child who needs constant reminders on how to behave. She has zero tolerance, doesn’t listen when you try to speak, and is even willing to damage your belongings just to enforce a rule. This attitude reflects the overall management style of the hostel: treating guests like kids all day and night, with endless, absurd rules. (I stayed here for four months because it was close to my job, so trust me on this.) Examples of the rules: • No smoking inside or even in front of the hostel after 11pm. You must go smoke at least 100 meters away. • No talking in front of the hostel after 11pm. • Lose your room card? That’ll be $20, even though they have thousands of spares. • No listening to music without headphones—at any time, anywhere, not even outside. • No sleeping with your partner. • No alcohol allowed in your belongings at all (clearly to push you to buy drinks at the bar). • No eating in your room. • And now, a brand new absurd rule: no access to the common areas after midnight. That means no fridge, no couches or TV, and of course, no kitchen—which is already way too small and closed for most of the day. And on top of that: no talking in the hallways. A long list of restrictions that makes your stay feel like punishment. I won’t even go into detail about food bags being stolen—with management not caring at all (“checking the cameras takes too long”)—or about your personal items disappearing during “deep cleanings,” which are more like deep destruction than actual cleaning. Speaking of cleaning, here’s another strange routine: • At 10am, a cleaner comes in to vacuum your room and open the curtains. • At 10:20am, another one shows up to wipe down the bed rails. • Sometimes even later, someone else comes in to sweep the floor. It makes no sense. So if you work late and sleep in the mornings, avoid this place. In conclusion: this hostel is okay if you’re just passing through for a night or two, but definitely not for a long-term stay. Thankfully, the other backpackers are all lovely. This review might sound harsh, but I swear most people here feel exactly the same way. So if you’re coming to Cairns, choose another hostel—most have pools, better beds, and a way more relaxed atmosphere. You’re welcome. 😉
