MEET PEOPLE Very…read moresocial with plenty of space to hang out. Bar & pool. 5 mins to beach. Close to everything. Helpful staff. A taxi driver said this was one of the best backpackers here. Some off street parking out front.

I had never stayed in a hostel before. I usually stay in hotels, and this trip to Australia (my…read moreR&R) I used AirBNB to stay in nice condos on the cheap. I decided to try my luck in a hostel my last 2 nights in Australia (specifically in the Gold Coast) before I headed back to Afghanistan...slumming it would help shoe horn me back into the dust bowl, right? I called and made reservations to stay in a 4-person room, which was a miniscule $31 a night! The hotels around GC were STARTING at $200 a night! One lady was renting out her COUCH for over $100! Please. I showed up on a rainy evening, checked in, got dinner, came back, got a beer from the bar at the hostel (the prices are about the same as at the store), and began journaling at one of the picnic tables in the courtyard area. The courtyard area at BPIP (Backpackers in Paradise) is the reason I think this place is so successful. Some hostels are just motels without any good area for socializing with people outside of your room. I was instantly greeted by a guy from the UK and a girl from Canada. We spoke a while, and I also met one of my roomates, a girl from the UK as well. My other roomates were a girl from Italy, and a guy from Melbourne. There are different set ups and rooms here, so definitely ask what's available: I stayed in a four person bunkbed room without AC, however I know they have private rooms there with AC and king/queen sized beds. The room I had also had its own bathroom which was fantastic. BPIP also does it's best to arrange both fun/exciting activities as well as chill hangouts: we had a beer pong tournament with EVERYONE staying at the hostel, after which we all went out to a beach bbq and then to a club. In the mornings, they have hangover recovery activities like watching movies on their big screen in the recliner and couch room. I also believe there is karaoke. Now remember, you are staying here for $31 a night, that means you'll be sharing your living area, bathroom, there may be nude europeans rolling around (I think a plus), and the quality of the bunk beds, mattress, and cleanliness (which is taken care of by the people staying there and getting paid min wage) definitely lack. But what would you expect for $31 a night? If anything, spend most of your time having fun and doing stuff...by the time you get back, you'll be so hammered and tired youll forget your mattress has no back support, and the guy above you wont stop rolling around causing your bunk bed to rock back and forth like a Northridge earthquake. Hostels are very social, BPIP runs with that. I wouldn't stay at another hostel in GC after being here. If you are still concerned about hostel staying - then rent the movie Hostel, but only watch up until about 30 minutes in...after that it get's dicey (pun intended).

Beachfront hotel with a great view, good sized room with kitchen…read more We got a great deal trough booking.com booking with Haspa Joker.

Breakfast was ok but expensive for just eggs, bacon and pancakes; this was with the hotel discount…read more Scrambled eggs were very runny so I asked them to cook longer and they were still runny but now a little burnt. Orange juice was very pulpy which some like but not for me. Pancakes were supposed to come with ice cream but they didn't. All and all below average for the price and I will not return.

Really dirty rooms I got private room for 2 nights and it was that bad that I rang a hotel at…read moremidnight booked a room and left. Private room had blood n snot on the side of the bed on the wall. Crap under the bed. Room stank real bad. And they don't refund. No air con had fans though. Bathroom is small and dirty.

Worst Backpackers ever!!!…read more I want to start by saying that I have stayed in a few backpackers over the years. Most recently (prior to this one) was in San Diego, California. I never expect too much from backpacker accommodation, they are what they are and its more about the social experience than anything else. But this one really was disgusting! To start with, the sheets on the bed hadn't been changed although the bed was made. There was no toilet paper in my private bathroom and fro some reason there was a hole punched in the roof so that they could run an extension cord to the air conditioner. Also, the room smelt like a public toilet at a music festival. The swimming pool had a very murky appearance and no one seemed keen to use it even though it was hot. That says a lot when you consider the hugeness requirements of many backpackers. The staff were friendly and I can't complain about them. The only thing that I would suggest to them is maybe mention where everything is rather than just handing over the key and being done with it. All in all, don't stay here. It is horrible!!!