Wake Up! Sydney Central - Youth Hostels, Sydney

I stayed in the Wake Up! hostel is Sydney for a week in October 2009. I was traveling alone (18 year old female) and booked into a 10 bed dorm room which cost me $26 per night. This rate is a little more pricey compared to other hostels in Sydney..

THE ROOM:
This hostel is exactly that, a hostel. Do not stay here unless you are prepared to put up with young travelers and their ways. My room has 10 beds and there was always someone in the room, very hard to get time to yourself. The room was very big and had a lovely view onto a tree lined Sydney street. The bunks are very basic and not the most comfortable, but like I said, comfort is not something which draws people to Wake Up!

When I arrived there was an issue with a double booking. My bed was still being occupied by the girl who was there before me, so I was a little put off when I arrived, especially after my 14 hour flight! This was sorted out quickly b the staff though. The room was quite empty because it was so big and the decor was bare but colorful. There were 10 flimsy lockers in the corner to lock your stuff away but most people felt comfortable enough to leave their luggage out on the floor when they weren't in the room. Obviously, due to the large number of people in the room, there was always high noise levels to deal with.

THE HOSTEL:
This hostel was to a very high standard. The staff were all extremely friendly and always had a laugh with the guests. The lobby was constantly buzzing with young travellers so there was always someone to talk to. Wake Up! had a very large supply of computers to use but it was quite exensive and neede to be paid hourly. The bar below the lobby is simply excellent and many travelers chose to stay there most nights instead of going out in Sydney itself. The location of the hostel is quite good, took about 5 minutes to walk into Sydney city centre but this was never a problem for me.

In general, I loved my time here. There are downfalls to this hostel but this is because it is constantly occupied by young travelers and it's perfect for their needs. Its a very modern and bright, cheerful place to be with a great atmosphere 24/7. I would definitely recommend it for backpackers in Sydney who want to make friends/socialize as much as possible. As a young female traveler traveling alone, I constantly felt very safe and would enjoy staying here again. It is worth paying the little extra for the general upbeat atmosphere.