Sydney Hostels Near the Water

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Among the many good reasons to spend at least part of your Australian vacation in Sydney is the fact that the city is located right on the water. The beautiful harbor and nice beaches make for some picturesque views, not to mention that they add to your list of potential activities.

You might think that finding a place to stay that’s close to the water in Sydney is going to cost you an arm and a leg, but there are several hostels in Sydney near the water where you can enjoy access to some of the city’s prettiest areas and not pay a fortune for it, either.

>> And if none of these hostels looks like the ideal spot for you, there are plenty more hostels in Sydney where these came from – both around the water and further inland.

Hostels in Sydney Near the Water

Noah’s Bondi Beach

If you’re looking for a hostel near water, you can bet that a hostel with “beach” in the name is a good bet. Noah’s Bondi Beach faces Sydney’s famous Bondi Beach, which is in a hip part of the city. The city center is 15-20 minutes away by car or bus, but there’s plenty to keep you entertained right around the beach – and that’s not even including the beach itself.

The dorms at Noah’s Bondi Beach hostel aren’t huge, with the largest holding only six beds, and there are girls-only dorms available. The BBQ area is actually on the hostel’s roof, which boasts a great view of the beach, and there’s an on-site restaurant and bar. Linen is included in the price, and internet access is available.

Mountbatten Hotel

In a completely different part of the city, a half-hour from Bondi Beach but still near water, is the Mountbatten Hotel (nevermind that it’s called a hotel – there are plenty of dorm beds at this hostel). It’s just a short walk from Darling Harbour and the famous Sydney Opera House, and only a minute away from the central train station as well.

The Mountbatten Hotel has an on-site bar and restaurant, a comfy common room/TV lounge, and a fully-equipped guest kitchen. The hostel organizes special social events every week, including pizza nights, movie nights, afternoon BBQs, pub quizzes, and pub crawls.

The Original Backpackers Hostel

The Original Backpackers Hostel is the first of three on this list clustered in the same area between Potts Point and Kings Cross in Sydney. It’s an area well-loved by backpackers and budget travelers, as it’s full of cheap places to stay and great nightlife, and it also happens to be not terribly far from the harbor as well.

In particular, The Original Backpackers Hostel has been listed in the Lonely Planet guide (so don’t be surprised if it’s booked up by the time you get to it), and it’s easy to see why. It’s a comfortable building and the hostel staff and friendly and helpful. There’s no curfew, so you can enjoy the area’s bars and dance clubs for as late as you like, but you’re also likely to get a good night’s rest because the hostel’s common rooms are closed at 10pm.

Great Aussie Backpackers

Also located in the Kings Cross area is the Great Aussie Backpackers hostel – again, it’s close enough to some of the city’s best nightlife so as make it easy to have a great night out (every night, if you want to) without going too far from your bed, and yet the lovely harbor isn’t too far of a walk in the other direction, either.

Great Aussie Backpackers offers weekly BBQs on Friday nights, followed by a free drink at a local pub. And four of the other nights each week, there’s someone on staff who’ll escort hostel guests to a different bar in the neighborhood for a free drink. Breakfast is free every morning, and if you’re lucky enough to be staying over a Sunday morning you’ll get a free pancake breakfast to boot.

Kanga House

The final hostel in the Kings Cross area is Kanga House, which is not only in the popular Kings Cross neighborhood but a short two-minute walk from Kings Cross train station – making it easy to come and go as well. This isn’t a big hostel, so it’s particuarly friendly and potentially quieter than some of the other hostels in the area.

Kanga House claims it’s the only hostel in Sydney that’s not only a short walk from the Harbour Bridge but also has views of the bridge and the opera house. If you decide to splurge on a double room instead of a dorm, you’ll get your own TV, fridge, and microwave – but there’s a fully-equipped guest kitchen for everyone’s use. Internet, linens, tea, and coffee are all free, as are the regularly held BBQs.

photo by zayzayem