Haymarket Hostels

I had a very pleasant stay at YHA Sydney Central. From the moment I arrived, I was warmly welcomed by Angel (the Angel!) at the front desk with a BIG radiant smile. Her helpful orientation about the hostel and surrounding area especially the super convenient Central Station just across the road made settling in easy and stress-free. I also appreciated the clear signage in the hostel which made navigation simple and intuitive. I was thrilled to find the dual-monitor setups thoughtfully provided at every desk in the co-working space - something I have always desperately needed but never found in all of my travels across more than 20 countries. It was a huge bonus for me. I’d love to see it open beyond 11 pm. Given the area is well-secured with access card and CCTV, keeping it open 24/7 would be more user-friendly for those who struggle to focus during busy hours or for night owls working across different time zones. Another seemingly small but thoughtful touch that made a big difference was the steam iron and ironing board provided in the laundry room. They were exactly what I needed very much since my clothes often come out wrinkled after long hours packed in suitcases. I was also impressed by the detailed guidelines and the conveniently placed bins that encouraged timely, efficient and proper waste separation. In a world where environmental awareness is still lacking in many places, this served as a valuable education opportunity that travelers can learn from and take back to their own countries. It personally boosted my own environmental consciousness. I truly believe this is an excellent demonstration for travelers coming from different parts of the world. My room was comfortable with a high ceiling, a tall window and a spacious locker to an extent that even a 81 cm suitcase can fit in with no difficulty. The table and chairs inside fostered a friendly and communal atmosphere which is perfect for us to unwind and share interesting stores with fellow travelers. However, both my roommates and I found the room too cold at night and it seemed that there was no temperate control options such as heating or air-conditioning. Also, the traffic noise from outside was quite loud, even on the fifth floor, and it lasted all day until midnight. One area that really needs urgent attention is the Wi-Fi. During my brief two-day stay, the internet connection dropped frequently regardless where I was in the hostel, whether I was in my room, or on the kitchen floor, even at the front desk. A stable and reliable internet connection is essential for today’s travelers. To be honest, this was one of the most unstable, the slowest and weakest internet connections I have experienced in Australia. Thankfully, the internet connection was much better in the co-working space. Thank you again for the warm hospitality and for creating such a welcoming space for us. I hope this review is helpful. I genuinely appreciate the effort put into maintaining such a great environment.

We’ve already stayed at this hostel a month prior to this stay and we had a great time once again. Great value for money! Would recommend if you’re looking for an affordable place to stay close to Chinatown.

Not bad, quite affordable. Although small, it is clean and tidy.

Location: Located in Haymarket, very close to Central Train Station and Haymarket Light Tram Station, there are bunch of restaurants and supermarkets (just within 3-10 mins walk) around the area which is very convenient for quick access to food, coffee/drinks and groceries. Reception: Reception is very welcoming and friendly, also they provide services like help collecting letters and packages, printing services (1 copy is free yet multiple copies charge $0.2 per page), coin exchange etc. There’s a great open area in front of the reception where you can find sofas and a long workstation available for people to rest and work, the design is also very good. Facilities: There’re a café (Roy’s Café), a bar/club (Side Bar) and a travel agency (Travel Up!) in the building, making my stay very accessible to all the things I need be it coffee or drinks or a travel advice. Kitchen: Kitchen is on the 1/F, it’s relatively spacious. There’re 2 huge fridges and a locker wall for us to store our food. There’re total 8 stoves, 4 sinks, 3-4 microwaves, 1 oven and 1 hot water tap where you can have boiling hot water right away. All utensils are provided so that’s very convenient. Overall the kitchen area has exceeded my expectations. Dorm area: My dorm is on the 4th floor, it’s relatively quiet. And because we’ll need our badges to access the elevator so the security is quite good as well. From the picture you can tell the dorm and hallway are clean enough, also the bathroom is very clean just I didn’t take a picture but it’s clean and comfortable. Also I love the interior design which made it looks aesthetic in a clean way. Just sometimes the dorm room might smells a little bit if your roommates bring in something smelly cuz you’re not able to open the window and the AC is not strong enough. Laundry: There’s also a laundry room each floor, 2 washing machines ($6 each wash, if you need laundry detergent from the reception that will be another $1) and 2 dryers ($4 each use) are equipped, they are big enough to consume a lot of clothes at once which is very good. It could get quite busy at night so I suggested to set an alarm when doing your laundry if you don’t want your clothes being taken out by others. Events: There are free / cheap events every day and every night, if you are a social person you’ll love it. All the volunteers and staff there are really welcoming and they will knock your door to give you invitations, I really love their enthusiasm! Been to wine and cheese night on a Wed night, vibes is good. So definitely recommend this hostel if you love meeting new people through events. After it’s definitely a great stay at Wake Up! Sydney Central and I’d recommend it to people who love a vibrant hostel environment like this.

It has a very exciting atmosphere and although it is a bit far from the city centre, I was happy with it. I only booked a single room for one night to pack up my luggage before going to the airport, but if I get the chance next time, I would like to stay here. Although I heard the sound of the person next door farting, the soundproofing seemed to be good. There was an inconvenience because there was no elevator.