Witch's Hat Backpackers Hostel
Witch's Hat Backpackers Hostel
148 Palmerston St, Perth, Western Australia 6000 Australia
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About
4.0
#2 of 33 hostels in PerthLocation
Cleanliness
Service
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The Witch's Hat Backpackers Hostel is a beautifully restored 4-star, backpacker accommodation and travellers hostel located close to Perth's shopping, dining and entertainment areas.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Wifi
Free breakfast
Shared lounge / TV area
Self-serve laundry
Room features
Air conditioning
Kitchenette
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Budget
Charming
Location
148 Palmerston St, Perth, Western Australia 6000 Australia
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Grade: 73 out of 100
73
Perth Airport
10.2 km•
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Car Hire
34 Restaurants
within 0.5 kilometers
3 Attractions
within 0.5 kilometers
257Reviews4Q+A25Room tips
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Detailed Reviews
We have just had 2 nights in a double room at this hostel. Julia made us feel very welcome and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. It is located only a 20 minute walk from the CBD and is in a quiet neighbourhood. There was a really nice atmosphere and people were cooking their own meals as there is some space for keeping your own supplies in the fridge.There is a courtyard and a tv room to relax in. The 10.30 quiet time is respected although doors are noisy when closing, so there is a bit of noise for the light sleeper. Ask for clean tea towels, as they are around but not easy to find if you don't know. Breakfast is basic. Would certainly return and recommend this hostel.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Value
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have been living in more than 2 years in a this hostel ,literally it was a great time to spend there,with fabulous and friendly staff they are absolutely kind people specially Julia the manager who invited all the backpackers for my birthday party surprise. also the vibe is absolutely amazing I’ll definitely recommended if you travelling to Perth definitely check it out I can guarantee you will notice the difference to other hostels. Also if you travelling alone or with families this is the safest environment that you can find,around the city.
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Date of stay: April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Booked for 10 nights and still here 6 weeks later ....
15 minutes walking from the CBD. Great staff, great kitchen, great courtyard, very clean and comfy.
Feels like we are a big family :)
Definitley recommand!
15 minutes walking from the CBD. Great staff, great kitchen, great courtyard, very clean and comfy.
Feels like we are a big family :)
Definitley recommand!
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Date of stay: February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Worst hostel I've ever been to. Avoid at all costs. The staff are malicious and cause unnecessary drama. Theres 1 drier between 40 people, which the staff get priority over to wash tea towels. I got asked to leave for playing music at 4pm, to which I gladly obliged. Wouldn't recommend to anyone - genuinely better off sleeping on the park bench across the road (which you're not actually allowed to go to due to the ridiculous rules in place). It's one rule for the staff and another for everyone else. Not allowed to smoke after 10pm unless you work there. No drugs policy unless you work there. You're not permitted to have fun in anyway whatsoever. It's the weirdest atmosphere I've experience since being in Australia. Julia the manager is a two-faced bossy drunk who thinks she owns everyone who stays there. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Terrific vibe - extremely clean and well managed hostel with a great feel. Julia, the manager, is friendly, knowledgeable and very helpful. Close to Perth but situated in a charming old building in a great location. Highly recommended for your stay in Perth: 10/10
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Date of stay: October 2019Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Apparently the best hostel in Perth - which is a bit like saying Chlamydia is the best sexually-transmitted disease. The property is attractive and the staff polite and helpful. But it's still overpriced and full of ex-pat brickies and pissed-up Brit gap-year students. Woken up at 3am by the gap-yahs coming in from the pub and then again at 6am by the construction workers getting up to go to the building sites. If you have to stay in Perth this is worth a look. But you don't have to stay in Perth.
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Date of stay: May 2012Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My travel guide read "something out of a fairytale". If so, then the owners must be ogres. There is a sign boldly posted on the wall of the common room that promises a $10 reward for every positive review posted on Trip Advisor- something to bear in mind when you see favourable reviews. Appalling.
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Date of stay: September 2011Trip type: Travelled on business
Value
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have recently left the hat after spending 4 months there so my review is based over a considerably amount of time. So here goes:
1. On the website it says that the plates and cutlery are without hire-charge, which is true but you pay a deposit. The reality is if you take your eye of them for a minute they will go missing so more likely or not you will lose your deposit. Secondly in the 4 months I was there the management never (not once) provided free tea, coffee, milo, sugar, rice or flour. If there was any free food is was left by the previous residents.
2. It is situated in a good location near the bars and cafes of Northbridge but far enough way that you don’t get the noise associated with such premises.
3. It is expensive probably the most expensive hostel in Perth that I know of. You do NOT get your money worth. For instance there is air conditioning in all the rooms but the management turn it off every morning at 9 o’clock no matter if its 40 Celsius out side. However the air conditioning in their office is on all day long.
4. The actual building is homely and it does create a welcoming atmosphere.
5. The management have tidied up the hostel painted the halls and they have taken down almost all the washing lines as they were an eye sore. That means the entire hostel has to dry their clothes on 3 washing lines! This might not seem like much but its symptomatic of their thinking, they think in terms of what will look nice and not how it will impact on the lives of those living in the hostel.
6. In terms of how clean the hostel is, it has had its up's and down's, really depending on the residents and how well they tidy up after themselves. However on the whole relatively speaking it is one of the cleaner hostels I have stayed in.
7. On the social scene it depends much on who was staying there at the time but on the whole its relatively quiet on the weekdays but understandably gets a little louder on the weekends.
To summarise the hostel has potential to be a great hostel however due to price increases and the penny pinching nature of the management (I am sad to say this as I had some fun times at the Hat) but it is not worth staying here.
1. On the website it says that the plates and cutlery are without hire-charge, which is true but you pay a deposit. The reality is if you take your eye of them for a minute they will go missing so more likely or not you will lose your deposit. Secondly in the 4 months I was there the management never (not once) provided free tea, coffee, milo, sugar, rice or flour. If there was any free food is was left by the previous residents.
2. It is situated in a good location near the bars and cafes of Northbridge but far enough way that you don’t get the noise associated with such premises.
3. It is expensive probably the most expensive hostel in Perth that I know of. You do NOT get your money worth. For instance there is air conditioning in all the rooms but the management turn it off every morning at 9 o’clock no matter if its 40 Celsius out side. However the air conditioning in their office is on all day long.
4. The actual building is homely and it does create a welcoming atmosphere.
5. The management have tidied up the hostel painted the halls and they have taken down almost all the washing lines as they were an eye sore. That means the entire hostel has to dry their clothes on 3 washing lines! This might not seem like much but its symptomatic of their thinking, they think in terms of what will look nice and not how it will impact on the lives of those living in the hostel.
6. In terms of how clean the hostel is, it has had its up's and down's, really depending on the residents and how well they tidy up after themselves. However on the whole relatively speaking it is one of the cleaner hostels I have stayed in.
7. On the social scene it depends much on who was staying there at the time but on the whole its relatively quiet on the weekdays but understandably gets a little louder on the weekends.
To summarise the hostel has potential to be a great hostel however due to price increases and the penny pinching nature of the management (I am sad to say this as I had some fun times at the Hat) but it is not worth staying here.
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Date of stay: January 2012Trip type: Travelled solo
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We actually took up one of the 4-bed dorm room by ourselves. Room is very clean and the beds comfortable but limited storage space. For those staying in the upper bunk, there's no safety rail on the bedframe.
Some of their policy is restrictive. For e.g. Kitchen is not usable after 10pm and strictly no food in the room. So if u'r hungry in the middle of the night, then how? the hostel is located in the middle of the residential area so the nearest convenient store is at James St. which is at least 15mins walk away. Cutlery is available only upon request and paying a deposit of $10. Baggage storage between stay is free, though.
Toilet is very clean but only shower curtains as door for the shower cubicles. Good thing are that they separates the Male and Female Toilets quite apart and the WCs are located outside of the shower areas.
Location wise they are quite convenient in Northbridge. Just 10mins walk from Russell Square where there's a Blue CAT bus stop and 5mins further from there are the James St. (lots of pubs and cafes), William St. (lots of Asian food restaurants), Roe St. (aka Chinatown). Perth Station is just across the street from Roe St. and Hay & Murray St. are just behind the station.
Hospitality wise is quite good with their staff quite friendly but we encountered some hiccups checking on the 2nd half of our stay after a 5-Day excursion to Margaret River & Wave Rock. In the end, everything's good.
Well the best part is the price which is less than $40/bed/night.
It would be best if they improve some of the room facilities, for e.g. add and provide some power socket for the upper bunks instead of just an extension wire. Currently there's only 4 power sockets at the bottom of the lower bunks but with current the trend of everybody having cameras, cellphones, tablets, etc, One is just not enough. Locker size is a bit small and you can't fit even a handcarry bag inside. Since guest staying on the upper bunk is paying the same amount of money, maybe it will be better to provide some lockable storage space easily accessible from the bed without the need to climb down each time. The bedframes squeak when we toss and turn.
Some of their policy is restrictive. For e.g. Kitchen is not usable after 10pm and strictly no food in the room. So if u'r hungry in the middle of the night, then how? the hostel is located in the middle of the residential area so the nearest convenient store is at James St. which is at least 15mins walk away. Cutlery is available only upon request and paying a deposit of $10. Baggage storage between stay is free, though.
Toilet is very clean but only shower curtains as door for the shower cubicles. Good thing are that they separates the Male and Female Toilets quite apart and the WCs are located outside of the shower areas.
Location wise they are quite convenient in Northbridge. Just 10mins walk from Russell Square where there's a Blue CAT bus stop and 5mins further from there are the James St. (lots of pubs and cafes), William St. (lots of Asian food restaurants), Roe St. (aka Chinatown). Perth Station is just across the street from Roe St. and Hay & Murray St. are just behind the station.
Hospitality wise is quite good with their staff quite friendly but we encountered some hiccups checking on the 2nd half of our stay after a 5-Day excursion to Margaret River & Wave Rock. In the end, everything's good.
Well the best part is the price which is less than $40/bed/night.
It would be best if they improve some of the room facilities, for e.g. add and provide some power socket for the upper bunks instead of just an extension wire. Currently there's only 4 power sockets at the bottom of the lower bunks but with current the trend of everybody having cameras, cellphones, tablets, etc, One is just not enough. Locker size is a bit small and you can't fit even a handcarry bag inside. Since guest staying on the upper bunk is paying the same amount of money, maybe it will be better to provide some lockable storage space easily accessible from the bed without the need to climb down each time. The bedframes squeak when we toss and turn.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2015Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from WitchsHat, Manager at Witch's Hat Backpackers Hostel
Responded 30 Dec 2015
Hi Siewhee, Thank you for taking the time to write us such a detailed review. I clearly remember your lovely group of four. Very patient which was pleasant for us at the time you guys encountered the little hiccup when checking in for the second time. Apologies for that, we had new staff working that time. We value your feedback and we will definitely look into a few things to see if we can improve them. You mention our policy being restrictive regarding kitchen hours and food in the room. We close our kitchen to prevent late night cooking and to reduce noise. We don't allow food in the room because it attracts rodents and cockroaches and we like to keep those out. Nevertheless we are happy to hear that you enjoyed your overall stay with us. We look forward to welcoming you again in future. Take care! Regards, Bernadette Kofi - Manager the Witch's Hat
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
this hostel is very beautiful and it is located in Northbridge, very closed to the city center.
it is very clean and confortable.
in the last period the event Manager and all the staff organise lots of event for all the guests!
i felt like in a family from the first time and i came there for three times in one year!
all the people are very friendly.
Anthea, we will miss you!!
jessica and Davide
it is very clean and confortable.
in the last period the event Manager and all the staff organise lots of event for all the guests!
i felt like in a family from the first time and i came there for three times in one year!
all the people are very friendly.
Anthea, we will miss you!!
jessica and Davide
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Date of stay: September 2014Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from WitchsHat, Manager at Witch's Hat Backpackers Hostel
Responded 31 May 2015
Jesica and Davide Thank you so much for your awesome feedback! We are really pleased that you always enjoy your stay here at Witch’s Hat. We will miss you as well! Take care and safe travels!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Small handbags only, but we are very happy to store bigger valuables in our office for our guests!
"They supply everything you need, deposit required for dishes and your key. We had the double room, plenty of space for two people."Read full review
ALSO KNOWN AS
witch`s hat backpackers hotel perth
LOCATION
AustraliaWestern AustraliaGreater PerthPerthPerth CBD
NUMBER OF ROOMS
15
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Frequently Asked Questions about Witch's Hat Backpackers Hostel
What are some of the property amenities at Witch's Hat Backpackers Hostel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and free parking.
What food & drink options are available at Witch's Hat Backpackers Hostel?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast during their stay.
Is parking available at Witch's Hat Backpackers Hostel?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.