I was a little wary of staying in a hostel as I haven't done the whole shared bathroom down the…read morehall thing in a few years but I was pleasantly surprised by the YHA. My friends and I were in a big enough group to share a six person room-- it was clean and fairly spacious, and the beds were comfy. The bathrooms were also very clean and there was never a wait for the shower. I also found that it wasn't noisy late at night-- either we came at a time when the big party people weren't staying or these guys do a good job of noise control late night. This hostel is super close to all of the bars and restaurants in Byron and only a couple of blocks to the beach. It was only $40 a night and that includes free use of their boogey boards and bicycles as well! We didn't use the kitchen but took a peek one day and it looked big enough to accommodate everyone. Would definitely recommend this to a budget traveller.

AMAZING! probably my…read morefavourite hostel I've stayed in. hosts were amazing, and the rooms were comfortable and clean. they have a pool and upper deck to hang out at. if you want to do something local they can give you plenty of options to look at. for example I tried surfing and they referenced me to a place to go. very helpful. overall I loved this place and will try to book with them if I stay in bryon bay again

During my travels through the some parts of the south and the mid-way east coast of Australia,…read moreByron Bay was one of my favourite places of all!!! It was such a peaceful and laid-back town that I even considered how it would be like to live there and just spend my days in peaceful bliss until the end of my days. Arts Factory Lodge was just the perfect place that captured the essence of Byron Bay. It was full of people from many different places and everybody was like they had known each other for years. Everything about this place screams 'peace'; at least for me it did and helped me refresh my mind in the best possible way. There are cabins, tents and teepees as the different kinds of accommodations that they are offering. The one that we preferred was the garden buree that was some kind of a tent but with much more to offer than a simple tent. Our 'tent' was big enough to contain two single beds of a regular size and plus our luggages; so don't hesitate when I mention a 'tent':)))) They also have the best milkshakes so I would strongly recommend one while you're laying by the pool (yes, you've heard it right! They also have a pool!! :)) ). There is also a big shared kitchen where you can make stuff and keep whatever you have bought for yourself from the supermarket; you just have to tag it and put it on a shelf or something. They have many activities for entertainment and if you're a friendly person, you'll definitely fit in here comfortably. Some nights you'll see people playing some guitar, drinking tasty drinks and enjoying each other's company in the courtyard, so you might not even need any kind of entertainment at all. The Lodge offers shuttle that take you to downtown and also back (I think) every half hour so you can also enjoy what Byron Bay offers you. The prices are affordable and the place is safe and friendly.

I give this hostel 4/5 stars even though it is truly the best hostel experience you'll ever get and…read morehere's why... Check in experience: staff are friendly but they do not walk you around and show you the hostel, talk about the rules/etiquette, etc. 3/5 stars. Vibe: if you like hippies, chill vibes, musicians, free spirited young people, and impromptu music sessions, stay here. If you don't like any of these things, then don't stay here. Yes people smoke pot here. And yes, the whole place has a chill but young and loud atmosphere. There is always something happening here including bush walking tours, yoga classes, talent shows, live and loud music, etc. Generally speaking however , it is quieter after 10pm, as in live music stops, but people are still socializing and drinking outside on lounge beanie bags or picnic tables. Seems like there's always something to do every night here. This place is not suitable for families. 5/5 Cleanliness: this place is not super clean and quite similar to many other hostels out there. I'm happy that my bed is made (and clean) when I arrived and while I do see the staff cleaning the bathrooms on a daily basis, it's definitely not at a hotel standard and even once it does get cleaned, its dirty quickly afterwards because of the volume of people here. There are cleaner hostels out there. That said, it's not incredibly dirty, and it's not very clean. No bed bugs... I guess I can be happy with that? 2/5 Kitchen: by 8pm, the kitchen is packed with people and you cannot find a place to cook, nor can you find utensils or plates to eat with. So I suggest you try cooking or eating at 6pm if you wanna use the kitchen. There aren't enough fridges for the amount of people coming here either... but you can make it work. 3/5 stars People: the best people I've met yet have been here. Young, chill, open minded, creative, and free spirited. And if you're travelling on your own and want to get a great experience, then this hostel will give you just that. 5/5 stars Power plugs: just expect that your electronics will be running on low battery for most of the duration while you're here. There aren't enough power plugs in the shared dorms , which is why you'll see people charging their stuff all over the place. If you book a private room or twin room, then I expect you'll be fine. 3/5 stars. Location: 15-20 min walk into town. Secluded and away from all the fun, but they have a free shuttle running to and from the city. The weather is nice and I have working legs so I always walked it. 3/5 Despite all of the shitty sides of this hostel, I still loved it because of the people, the vibes, activities/events, and the impromptu music sessions. You can always get a cleaner hostel that's closer to town, anywhere else, but you can't get an experience like this place. So go here anyway and enjoy it! That's why I give it a 4/5 stars. You have the honest review!

This is the deal of directly at the beach/center and having a big place with a lot of features and…read moregood people. This place can host maybe 100 guests in 4dorm rooms. The have their own way to the beach (just 1 min, LOL), a pool, big kitchen and community/chill out area. The have a travel desk and also an own surf school. You can hire boards or bikes. They'll do a free outdoor cinema 3times a week and also have a bbq area. Possible improvements: start are shared food area (salt, pepper) for everybody. Also wifi is mostly shitty.

From the owner: All of our accommodation consists of communal bathrooms which are within 4 doors of your room.read more

This is one of the better hostels I've stayed in. Great common areas and the bathrooms are clean…read morefor the most part. The reason for such a bad review is they claim to have Air Conditioner in every room and it barely blows air. They would be better off putting fans-- hottest We have ever been sleeping. Free WiFi was not worth connecting too. The main thing wrong with this place was everyone in our group received bed bug bites. Absolutely disgusting.

Most of the building and facilities are in need of renovation - carpets, curtains, furniture,…read morekitchen appliances, etc. Some of the indoor common areas have ants. Sue is great!

This hostel was fantastic. Fun hostel group activities every night. Nights ended at 10pm in the…read morehostel but they always have an employee direct you to a bar with specials for that particular night. The common area is excellent with 2 hot tubs, hammocks, a huge outdoor courtyard, and an inside loft with ping pong and and billiards. Rooms have housecleaning every day with the kitchen being cleaned daily. Prime location in a small beach town with a 2 minute walk to the beach. It's definitely the best hostel I stayed at heading up the east coast.

If this is supposed to be a great hostel in Byron Bay, I'd hate to see the others. While the night…read moreI spent here wasn't the worst, I wasn't exactly stoked by the lack of A/C, the lack of power outlets, and the lack of a super comfortable bed. Great staff here, though, as they were friendly and found me a room when the Internet said they were sold out.

This was one of the best hostels that I've ever stayed at! The staff make you feel right at home…read moreand there's always a party going on in Byron Bay. At night there are always people drinking at the tables near the kitchen area so it's easy to talk to new people. I stayed in the apartment rooms which are a bit quieter and consist of two 4-bed dorms with private bathroom and kitchen. I found this to be a great deal considering the price even if you decide not to go out at all. Hostel is also close to restaurants in the area and the Woolworths grocery shore, which is convenient. The bottle shop can be found near the grocery store if going for a quick beer run or whatever.

Cape Byron is a little out of the main city center but it's only a 20min walk if you miss one of…read morethe free shuttles the hostel provides though out the day. SERVICE The older gal at the front desk was an absolute doll! She was just the sweetest person I've ever met at any hostel. She wanted to make sure my sister and I enjoyed our stay - thanks heaps! QUALITY It's a hostel folks, you get what you pay for. Community areas are clean. Bathrooms could use a fresh coat of paint but atleast the showers had warm water. VALUE It's cheaper than some of the other hostels which are more "party hostels". This is a good place to chill out and enjoy some surf if that's what you're in to