Sydney Central Backpackers 16 Orwell Street, Potts Point, New South Wales 2011

"Do not stay here!!! This isnt a review its a warning! I cannot describe how bad this place is. I worked for accommodation for a few months and got to know the hostel and it should be burned. The main problem being the manager Adrian and his refusal to address the multiple problems at the hostel. My first night I was put into a room with bedbugs. Me and my roommates were left covered in bites/rashes. He ignored this for a long time denying they were there. After, we were moved into a room with cockroaches. The original room was not delt with and Adrian continued putting guests in room 11. There is a sever rat problem. Traps were in place when I first came, but after cutting costs they were removed to save money. The cleaner, Guy, has abused multiple staff/guests. Adrian claims he is mentally incapable of communicating properly and continues to have him cleaning communal areas, putting other people at risk. Do not ask for a blanket as they don’t get washed. When receiving my induction, Adrian picked up a dirty blanket, smelt it, and decided it was okay to give to arriving guests. There is no fixed rate!! Adrian determines the price for your stay based on his mood or how he perceives you. I witnessed this at-least once a day, him raising prices where he could. Usually to guests from overseas with poor English skills. After considerately handing in a weeks notice, he threatens to kick us out on the spot claiming he was ‘betrayed’. He then attempts to stop me from entering other hostels, he was comfortable preventing a 19 year old from finding shelter in the middle of Sydney. This man is heartless and unable to control his anger. Luckily this did not work as his reputation for petty and arrogant has reached multiple hostels. The management is a joke and thankfully not just to us. There are plenty hostels in Potts Point, avoid this one."

"I never write reviews but everyone needs to be warned about this place. I worked here recently as the cleaner. The owner Adrian overcharges everyone for rent, there are bugs everywhere. One time bed bugs, my friend had bites all over and he ignored the issue for a few months. He never asked permission to enter our female dorm and he was aggressively rude to female staff. He was aggressively swearing and shouting at my nineteen year old friend and I on the spot after she gave him her weeks notice, not to mention him overworking her to the BRIM. I'm not aware of the reason he kicked me out but he was well aware that I have very serious medical issues and medical bills yet he proceeded to make me leave immediately without giving me a reason, not even a week after I had surgery. I don't think I've met a more evil man in my life. There is so much more issues to mention but other reviews sum it up. Police came countless times because people were using knives and making threats. The Amazon rainforest would be a safer place to live than this."

"Don't use this backackers. The window was broken in the room when I checked in. So, I asked for a refund or change to other room but it was rejected because of full booking the day. The staff took the box and try to close the window but it wasn’t work well. We can’t sleep, wind came in the window and very cold. there was a risk of being able to enter the room, but he said that it should not refund. I took the pictures for evidence. I booked 2night but sleep only one night and booked a different hotel. Can you guys sleep without window? I paid over aud100 dollors. I want to refund it my second night!!"

"NEVER GO THERE. Booked this hostel online by accident, I was looking for a different one with a similar name, and then didn’t look close so paid 45$ … when I double checked I realised the mistake I made, reviews don’t even come close to how rubbish this place really is. I arrived at 4.30pm and the door was locked, I called the number on the door and the guy told me that he will send someone. After about 10minutes I called him back, and he said he sent SMS to the staff in the hostel, if they don’t show I shall call him back again … no one showed until a guest arrived and opened the door. I asked him if it’s a good hostel, he said it’s not good, a lot of cockroaches and very dirty. I used to live 4+ years in hundreds of hostels all over the world including Sydney, Bondi, Surry hills, Redfern, kings cross … but never have I come across such incompetency, dirt and disgust in one single place. The owner of the building literally doesn’t give a …. After 20min a random Backpacker walks up to the reception, tells me to pay my key deposit after confirming my name, after all the red flags I asked if I could see the room, and boy oh boy from the hallway that stank like a urinal to the room where the door barely opened to beds that looked like they were salvaged from homeless people the beds weren’t made the mattress topper if you can even call it that was black and ripped off half way. The pillows had no cases and looked absolutely disgusting. They must’ve been originally 2$ pillows from Kmart but after 50years in business they looked like a an exploded stuffed animal. Rubbish everywhere throughout … literally saw a cockroach family having dinner in that room… and the one guy in my room looked like he was homeless. When I went down to the reception I asked nicely for a refund to which the backpacker who couldn’t give less of a … answered I don’t do refunds you need to call the manager tomorrow morning, after explaining to him that I want my money now so I can book in somewhere else he said call the manager tomorrow morning he will tell you the same, no refunds and walked off. NEVER EVER GO THERE. I am in mad monkey backpackers opposite now it cost 5$ more a night, super friendly staff, clean beds good showers normal people."

"Dear public, positives are warm working shower and toilet. Decent cooking facilities. Kings Cross location is ok. Upstairs rooms away from street noise. Negatives, black mould, dirty stained floors furniture and mattresses. Broken slats on bunks, torn mattresses. Police are called to take care of situations rather than clever handling of all guests. Can't sleep. Overbooking beds, drunkenness. Asked for a quieter room was denied an upgrade, while in the same room people were moved to quiet single rooms on the house. So I asked for refund, no such luck. Oh and then called the " complainer and argued with by staff who like to get drunk of an evening. So toughen up snowflakes, management likes to argue with customers."