Hostels hostels hostels….. Other than ‘are you travelling up or down?’ ‘where are you going next?’ and ‘where are you from?’…. ‘what hostel are you staying in next?’ will be one of your most asked questions whilst you are travelling in Aussie. Lucky for you, the East Coast is FULL of some sick hostels to crash out in during your trip.
We’ll be sharing with you:
- How to book a hostel..
- Making pals in hostels…
- The do’s and dont’s of hostels..
- How to be cash savvvvvvy
The RatPack crew have popped together their ULTIMATE hostels on the East Coast, we’ve been there and stayed there and now sharing our tips with you…
Click images to see more.
The best spots to stay as a backpacker
Hostels are a travellers best friend when it comes to meeting absolute legends that turn into travel buddies and having crazy experiences that you’ll never forget.
Trust us, you will learn some cracking drinking games, how to drink goon, witness some strange concoctions in the kitchen and you’ll see some hilarious drunken antics…. {We won’t talk about the streaking around a hostel in Agnes Water after a competitive game of drunken Jenga!}.
Australia is FULL of hostels, in the majority of spots you will be spoilt for choice of good quality hostels in great locations, with awesome facilities, events and good value for money. We love hostels in aussie because you’ll bump into the same faces up/down the east coast and will become pals with a lot of legends!
The best hostels
Cairns
Hostel: Mad Monkey
Vibe: Super Social
About: Be prepared to have a lot of choice of hostels in Cairns, it’s a backpackers paradise {when you visit you’ll see} we’ve bounced around a few of the hostels and love Mad Monkey. It’s got a great social vibe with loads of events on in the huge outdoor bar area, we’re talking pub quiz, beer pong & they even have free pancakes for brekkie >> yewwwwwww!
Magnetic Island
Hostel: Base Magnetic
Vibe: Party
About: This little slice of paradise is a hostel like NO other, you’ll honestly be surprised that this place is a hostel. It is right on the beach with its own pool, huge bar, and the rooms are set in little huts in the lush tropical grounds.
This place is renowned for its awesome night time entertainment…. Boozy bingo being one of them, get involved and get up to the bar for happy hour or for some of the epic food. We offer an epic package that includes your return ferry transfer, 2 or 3 nights accom and we’ll even throw in a few vouchers yewwwwwww….
Airlie Beach
Hostel: Magnums
Vibe: Tropical party hostel
About: This place is set out in a jungle theme and each room is in a little shack, expect to see bush turkeys, parrots, possums and a couple of spiders around the place! This place is surprising because even though its chilled…. It has its own bar and nightclub attached to it which create some pretty hilarious nights before or after your Whitsundays trip!
Agnes Water/1770
Hostel: Cool Bananas
Vibe: The most chilled of all things chill
About: This is without a doubt one of RatPacks absolute faves when it comes to our vibe… This little surf town is abit of us and Cool Bananas hostel is all about that relaxed chilled pace, were talking hammocks everywhere, cosy common room, campfires with someone playing the guitar. The crew that work at this spot are legends and can help you organise surf lessons and how to see this epic little town.
Noosa
Hostel: Nomads
Vibe: Proper Party
About: The ultimate Fraser Island after party hostel… If you head out on the Nomads Fraser Island Tour, we can hook you up with $10 a night stays at this legendary spot in the heart of Noosa. By staying here before & after your trip, you’ll get extra time with the legends on your tour, we promise that you won’t want to miss the after party, at the Nomads very own bar KB’s.
The hostel is basic but is in a great spot and provides a good time!
Hostel: Flashpackers
Vibe: Luxury
About: This spot is epic and is for the flashpackers amongst us {clues in the name!}, you’ll be impressed by the up market quality of the facilities here and how awesome the crew are! The hostel is a beauty and has a pool, the best kitchen we’ve seen in a hostel and the room facilities are great. These guys have a shuttle bus from the bus station and they put on loads of events throughout the week inc. BBQ, cheese and wine, all you can eat pizza & movie nights.
Brisbane
Hostel: Summerhouse
Vibe: Super Social
About: Located just near the transit centre (roma street) is Summerhouse, we love this cosy hostel and not just because it has a rooftop with epic views of the city, they host so many events inc. BBQ, Cheese & Wine, Movie nights, Pub Crawl & even a talent show {rumour has it Miss Sophie Wilks won this one night…..}.
You’ll become part of the fam in this place and the location is awesome for exploring the city and the next neighbourhood Caxton, if you get time check out an event at the Suncorp Stadium just next door.
Surfers Paradise
Hostel: Bunk
Vibe: Super Social/ Party
About: This place is right next door to the greyhound so walking time is minimal yewwwwwwwww. This hostel is in the middle of Surfers Paradise and is super modern inside, each bed is a little pod so privacy is the one here.
The common area and pool is stylish and they hold events like BBQ, drinking games and you can get involved with a huge bar crawl with all the hostels in the town.
Byron Bay
Hostel: Backpackers Inn on the Beach
Vibe: Super Chill
About: This cruisy little spot is right on the main beach of Byron so if you want to get on the surf, enjoy being on the beach and be close to town then this is for you!
They have hammocks everywhere, a pool and its everything you’d hope to get from Byron Bay!
Hostel: Cape Byron YHA
Vibe: Super Chill
About: This spot is located right in the middle of town and a 3 minute walk from the beach. It has a real tropical chill vibe to it, the pool is surrounded by palm trees, hammocks and fairy lights >>> all about the Byron vibe.
These guys put on great events and make it really easy to meet others, they even do pancakes for brekky a couple of times a week.
Sydney
Hostel: Sydney Harbour YHA
Vibe: Epic views
About: You’ll be absolutely mind blown by the view from the rooftop of this hostel, you have the best view of the Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, and Circular Quay, trust us you’ll get quite a few cracking panos up here!
This hostel is based on an archaeological site and caters for backpackers, families and groups, so expect a mixed crowd in this spot.
Hostel: Sydney Central YHA
Vibe: Super Social
About: This hostel has undergone a makeover and when it comes to a beautiful looking hostel this one fits the bill yewwwwwww.
You’ll love the look of this place, it even has a rooftop with a pool & sauna. You’ll also find a cinema with a free popcorn machine << that’s what we’re talking about!
The crew organise events such as BBQ, cheese and wine & pub crawls so you’ll make friends in no time!
Melbourne
Hostel: Space hotel
Vibe: Flashpacker central
About: If you like things a bit fancy and prepared to pay a little bit more then check out Space in the centre of Melbourne! This is the hostel of all hostels as it has a beautiful rooftop with the best views of the city with an 8 person hot tub, not only that but it has a legit cinema, gym and a hilarious bar downstairs. You’ll be really impressed by this spot and will find yourself keep extending and extending……
About the Author: Sammy
with RatPack Travel?
5-Star Google Rated
From our RatPackers
Absolutely recommended to anyone wanting to take the stress out of booking a camper van! Ben made the process for me so smooth and he genuinely cared for what my trip entailed and catered right to it! Blown away with his kindness and couldn’t be more happy with the price and deal we go for our van!
10/10 service! So helpful and friendly! Looking forward to heading on the trip already 😊
Jenna & Ryan are very professionals and helpful. Wish them the best
This shout out is for James! He took all of our worries,stress and anxiety about our up coming snow road trip and chucked them out the window. In under 30 minutes he had us booked with a better deal,upgraded vehicle and many laughs. Just for his service alone we will be back for every holiday! Thanks heaps James we look forward to our holiday because of you, now I can drive to Sydney today with a clear mind and no worries of having to sleep on my bike in the middle of the snow ⛄️ I have to mention his concern for safety was top notch with not wanting myself or my partner to have a bed fall on our heads again 😂
Jenna and Ryan were very helpful from the beginning to the end of the booking process. They shared all the details needed for our trip and in good time. Once our trip had been confirmed Ryan supported us through the phone call explaining next steps, payment and the process. We are very happy with the service we received! Thank you again and we look forward to our trip!
Ben made our camper van booking experience a breeze, very professional and easy process, would be happy to recommend to anyone!
Mikey was very efficient and easy to deal with, we booked a camper and the whole process took around 1 hour from him getting us prices, speaking to different dealerships and us paying our deposit. He was happy to answer any questions we had and shared lots of information regarding routes, campsites and the day to day travel in a camper. We would definitely recommend!
They were super helpful in finding me a motor home at the last minute—-received great assistance from James
Ben from Ratpack Travel was absolutely amazing in helping find the perfect van & best deal for our dream WA holiday. Best customer service ever! They know their products inside out & I would use them again & again!
George was awesome to deal with! Really knowledgeable and very helpful. Highly recommend!
The service at RatPack-Travel is absolutely great! Ryan took a lot of time to answer all my questions and always clarified everything very quickly. The telephone consultations were easy to understand and everything was clearly explained. Even when my plans changed and I had to adjust my booking, he clarified everything directly with the car rental company and I was able to adjust my booking very quickly and without any problems. I always received an answer within minutes. I am extremely satisfied, thank you Ryan from RatPack-Travel!
James Help us in all the proces and was an absolute Legend! He found the best deal posible for what we wanted to do and withing the buddget. Also provided us with some helpfull information for sugesting itinerarys on things to do and see, as well of apps for finding campsites and campervan sites. 1000% recomended! what a grat custumer service And if this wasnt enought all the service was free!
Thank you Lucas for making it easy to book mum and my camping holiday. You were patient and a joy to deal with. You were able to get a great rate of payment and your help was much appreciated.
Anna was so helpful and kind, she helped me book a van for my friend and I. She was on top of all my questions and was so lovely to work with 😁
Just booked a van for NZ for 2 weeks. Ben made the booking so easy and hassle free, will definitely be recommending RatPack in the future
