Australia is a whole bunch of firsts for me as I made it one of my goals to try as many things as possible even if it made me step out of my comfort zone. In alignment with this goal, I wanted to try and stay at a hostel by myself despite never having to share a room before; I skipped the whole dorming experience in college because I enjoyed my own space.
To be honest, I was prepared for the worst - I expected disrespectful/party roommates, to have my belongings and food stolen, and dirty beds and communal areas. However from the very first day, I felt very much at ease. The employees working at reception were incredibly friendly and were so personable that I even felt comfortable asking them for advice about my work situation. I stayed for 6 nights in a 4 female dorm, and for the most part, the girls kept to themselves with the exception of a lady who I had enjoyed frequent conversations with. The kitchen was being constantly cleaned although I picked up the occasional dirty plate/bowl/silverware and had to wash them before use. The restrooms and showers were acceptable. The beds were bug-free! I was even able to borrow a couple of the books to read in the room when I was tired; the individual lights in each bunk was a nice touch. The lockers provided a little bit of security because I needed a place to store my valuables, and luckily I bought my own lock before I checked in (although you can purchase it from the hostel if needed).
The only inconvenience was that some of my food in the fridges had been taken, but it was no big deal considering it was only bread.
If all hostels are like Melbourne Metro YHA, then I'd have no objections to staying at another instead of at a hotel. It was clean, had all the necessities, affordable and located conveniently near the Queen Victoria Market with the added bonus of meeting other travelers. read more