Graeme is one of the best YHA hosts I've ever met! And btw. - the place is just awesome. We wanted…read moreto stay just one night but somehow we ended up much longer then this single night.

From the owner: Budget Accomodationread more

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).

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

I lived here for 2 months, and i have neer been so happy in my life. Byron bay is my favourite…read moreplace on earth, and while searching for somewhere to crash, i stumbled upon aqaurius and instantly feel inlove. its proxomity to the beach is amazing, about a 2min awalk. but the attitude and lay out of the place is what makes this place great. The central point being, what we call in South Africa, a Boma, which is an inclosed area with natrual materals, with a long wooden table in the middle where everyone hangs out. a bar on site, and a lazy chilled out attitude during the day..you can seriously loose whole chunks of your life living here.

Aquarius Backpacker's is a great place to stay for anyone wanting a bit of a lively party…read moreatmosphere. They offer tours at great discounts, have an awesome food menu, the best happy hour around town, great atmosphere and super friendly staff. I stayed here for a few nights and would have stayed longer if they weren't booked out on a Saturday. Even with all the great amenities provided, I was a bit relieved to leave the party dorms because, well, it's just not my scene anymore and there's only so much I can handle! If you're looking for a quiet place to stay, this likely isn't it. If you're looking for fun and sometimes delightfully tacky entertainment, look no further. Aquarius is also centrally located making everything super walker friendly. Discounts on food from their restaurant or free dinner included.

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!

It was one of the best hostels I have stayed in Australia! Well located, close to the beach,…read morerestaurants and shops. Good infrastructure: living room with TV/books, kitchen and appliances, swimpool, lift, bike rental, tour agency. Comfy matress, individual plugs and lights in each bed, lockers, AC, rubish, and clean room/batroom. Free brekkie: toast, butter/jam, peanut butter, tea, instant coffee, cereals, milk. In addition, the shape of bunk beds give you a bit more of privacy as you don't face the bed besides you.

Quiet, friendly, old world charm and reasonable who could ask for more!…read more This is my second stay here and as family are two doors down this makes the ideal accommodation. The old world charm of this place is like stepping back into the past and hearing the rooster crow of a morning reminds me of my childhood. The guys who are the owners and mangers of the lodge are very helpful and yet not intrusive. They quietly assist if there is a need. They cater very much so for the LGBT community. The rooms are large and have an ensuite. The bed is firm and comfortable. Tea, coffee, milk etc are supplied. The Internet is a bit spotty. You have to move around to find a signal. Sitting on the verandah of a morning you can hear all different kinds of birds. The lodge is walking distance to the town centre. Nimbin is very alternative. I will always stay here when coming to Nimbin, always pleasantly surprised.

This place is nothing short of awesome. In a way it was the service that I received when I arrived…read more The welcome was great, and when I checked out I even got a lift back into town so I didn't have to drag my bag up the hill. That only is deserving of a five star rating. The rooms were quite well stocked, and very comfortable. Not surprisingly it was pretty quiet, and I got a great nights sleep. The place is nothing short of beautiful, and they even have a great garden, and the country views are magnificent.