I find the thing that attracts most people this hostel is it warm, homely vibe. The term "Original" does suggest the hostel to be the oldest in the area, however the hostel earns its title for its grandiose appearance.
The hostel is located just north of the famous Kings Cross Rd. Honestly, I'll say that this area is more of a party pitstop than a place to live. I made the poor choice of living here for 2 months, and I probably seeing more than I ought to have seen. Some good, some bad, some weird, and some......well some things require no words. lol
The Good Side:
The hostel is nestled into the safer part of the area on Victoria Rd. The staff were in charge of daily and nightly activities ranging from walking tours to BBQs to nightly Pub crawls. Every Friday there was a $5 BBQ the outdoor dining patio. The staff were fun, hospitable, and of course there for your needs.
I always loved the style of the rooms as well. Clearly this building used to be an old hotel in its golden years. The dorms were all very spacious with grand windows that almost stretched from the floor to the ceiling. The front rooms on the 2nd floor even had cute little balconies to view the madness on the street.
The front porch was also a nice spot for smoking and relaxing. This place does have a lot of charm!
The Less than Great Side:
Oddly enough for being in an area that seems hospitable to temporary visitors, I found the OBP to hold quite the opposite presence of its surrounding area. Most of the people who stayed here were looking for work and/or an official apartment in the area. As nice as the actual hostel and its facilities were, there were just too many serious feelings draining the life out of this place. I felt connected to my circle of friends, but only for the sake of social survival. The vibe was very adolescent, like a high school mentality - friend alliances, girlfriend/boyfriend drama, clicks - all that crap. After the first few weeks, it just went flat for me.
I realize that hostel vibes change weekly, even daily! So hopefully this place has changed since my time here. It really was a beautiful, fun spot to experience at first! It might just be best to stay here for a great week in Sydney. read more