Youth Shack Backpackers
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Youth Shack Backpackers
69 Mitchell St, Darwin, Northern Territory 0800 Australia
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Avg. AU$96 /night, 3/19 - 3/20
AU$119
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AU$102
per night
AU$85
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About
#3 of 13 hostels in Darwin
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
The Youth Shack is a great choice for backpackers and travellers looking for affordable, value for money accommodation. Located right in the heart of Darwin at 69 Mitchell St, the Youth Shack is just a short stroll away from the wide range of cheap eateries, restaurants, bars and nightclubs that Darwin has on offer. For those wishing to relax, grab a meal, shop, or catch a few rays, the Waterfront lagoon and its surrounding cafes and restaurants are only a leisurely ten minute walk away. Providing air-conditioned four, six or eight bed dorms, Double or Twin private rooms (Shared Bathroom), the Youth Shack has become a home away from home for many satisfied guests during its' time. Featuring a large semi-shaded pool, Poolside Bar, great Sundeck, a huge kitchen with adjoining dining area and a Job Shack desk, the Youth Shack has everything required to make your stay comfortable while in Darwin. Get your tan on atop the first floor rooftop sundeck after a day out adventuring or night out partying. Soak your miles away in the pool, relax on the sunbeds and catch up on that book you've been meaning to read or just have a few cool drinks in the bar and make new friends or hang out with old ones. In addition to all this, our experienced and helpful reception staff can assist you with all your tours in the Top End. Ask about our amazing deals on single or multi-day tours to Kakadu, the waterfalls of Litchfield National Park, Uluru, if it's available we will get you on board. Experience the natural beauty and culture of Australia's Northern Territory. 24 hour check-in. Arrivals between 10pm and 6.00am can call the night manager, the number is on the front door of the hostel. In room Locker, Linen provided. Valid photo ID and credit card details required upon check in.
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Property amenities
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Pool
Bar / lounge
Billiards
Evening entertainment
Adults only
Baggage storage
24-hour front desk
Wifi
Outdoor pool
Vending machine
Poolside bar
Sun terrace
ATM on site
Self-serve laundry
Room features
Air conditioning
Safe
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
Centrally Located
Location
69 Mitchell St, Darwin, Northern Territory 0800 Australia
Getting there
Great for walkers
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: 100 out of 100
100
Darwin Airport
6.3 km•
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Rental Cars
144 Restaurants
within 0.5 kilometers
ReviewsWe perform checks on reviews.Tripadvisor’s approach to reviewsBefore posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
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We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
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Detailed Reviews
Great location, walking distance to everything you need!
Staff were super friendly.
The level my room was on had no hot water in the showers, staff told us this was due to broken solar panels?? So we had cold showers for the duration of our stay or you had to walk across the building to use hot water showers which was pretty inconvenient All night you can hear live music playing until about 3am which isn’t bad if you have earplugs! I didn’t mind the live music but just a heads up for other travellers :) The sink in our room was very dirty and the chlorine in the pool is super strong as it turned our swimmers another colour. Despite the cold water showers, dirty sink and heavy chlorine pool I would still recommend staying here as it is a great backpackers hostel in a VERY good location.
Staff were super friendly.
The level my room was on had no hot water in the showers, staff told us this was due to broken solar panels?? So we had cold showers for the duration of our stay or you had to walk across the building to use hot water showers which was pretty inconvenient All night you can hear live music playing until about 3am which isn’t bad if you have earplugs! I didn’t mind the live music but just a heads up for other travellers :) The sink in our room was very dirty and the chlorine in the pool is super strong as it turned our swimmers another colour. Despite the cold water showers, dirty sink and heavy chlorine pool I would still recommend staying here as it is a great backpackers hostel in a VERY good location.
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Date of stay: February 2021
Rooms
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.
The place is located really well, with everything you could need at a short walk (bar, cafe, supermarket, busses...). It has a nice swimming pool with a bar and a big kitchen/common area with music until 10pm. During the weekdays it's pretty chill.
During the weekend the spot turns into a mess. I went to have a shower in the morning and I found a bloke lying on the toilet, I kicked him a little and started snoring, so everything was fine.
Everything's was pretty dirty and noisy.
WiFi was not working really well.
During the weekend the spot turns into a mess. I went to have a shower in the morning and I found a bloke lying on the toilet, I kicked him a little and started snoring, so everything was fine.
Everything's was pretty dirty and noisy.
WiFi was not working really well.
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Party non stop from Thursday till Sunday
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.
Lovely place to stay as a long or short term resident, however there was one particular member of staff who really tarnished my experience. As a young person I’m more than willing to forgive and forget, but one member of bar staff was very rude. I believe his name is Robbie, might as well call him Robbie Rotten. His attitude was absolutely disgraceful. He made me feel so uncomfortable and was very aggressive and disrespectful towards a lot of my friends and me. This kind of treatment is not expected and lucky enough he wasn’t around enough to completely ruin my stay there.
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Date of stay: October 2023Trip 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.
I stayed here on and off for 6 months. If you want party it has it, if you wanna chill it has it. The best kitchen and cleanest hostel you will ever see anywhere. Honestly you couldn’t choose somewhere better. The staff look after you like family and there’s a night on pretty much every night to keep you entertained. The TV room is like a small cinema and the roof deck is kitted out for your sunbathing needs. The pools always clean. Honestly could rave about this hostel all day. You can NOT go wrong here!
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Date of stay: October 2021Trip 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.
I've been staying at Youthshack for the past week and had an incredible time! The staff have been super friendly and helpful, with heaps of recommendations for food and things to do. The hostel itself is great! Room was lovely, great facilities and one of the best kitchens I've seen in a hostel in Australia. Went to the Karaoke last night and Peter (the Irish lad behind the bar) was an absolute hoot! Had a great time and the rest of the bar staff joined us at The Lost Arc after they clocked off. Was great banter all round! Big shout out to Debs as well, great chats at reception and you can see she really cares about the place. There was vibe, it was schmick, the only hostel I've seen that hasn't appeared to drop the ball during COVID. Unreal!
Overall, if you're coming to Darwin STAY HERE!
Overall, if you're coming to Darwin STAY HERE!
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Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
Place is noisy & filthy, staff are unfriendly. Didn’t have a nice welcome feel at all. The Canadian/American guy at the front desk has to be one of the rudest and most unfriendliest person I’ve ever met, should not be working in a face to face role ! Looks like he was more interested in chatting up girls than offering any sort of friendly service. We were shocked at the way we overheard him speak to some people. Extremely arrogant and set the tone for our whole stay unfortunately . We stayed for 3 nights & we never once got a hello or a smile from anyone on the desk.
Say goodbye to any sort of quality sleep. It’s like trying to sleep In a nightclub. Music goes on till at least 2am.
Only positive is the location. Looks like from over reviews, we aren’t alone in our opinion so go somewhere else !
Say goodbye to any sort of quality sleep. It’s like trying to sleep In a nightclub. Music goes on till at least 2am.
Only positive is the location. Looks like from over reviews, we aren’t alone in our opinion so go somewhere else !
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Date of stay: September 2021Trip 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.
Amazing time at Youth Shack.. Entertainment each night if the week, with the friendliest staff.. particularly made to feel welcome by the bar man / Dj Lloyd .. location perfect, kitchen and pool area clean.. me and my friends will back next time in Darwin
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip 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.
The heart of Darwin is Mitchell Street and the Youth Shack is at the very centre. It’s close to the transit centre, where most tours pick up and drop off. Most activities are within walking distance from the hostel, but if they’re not, you’ll need to book it for the bus tours.
The first thing to remember is this place is a hostel and you get what you pay for.
The four bed dorms have a locker for bags, air conditioning and a sink. The communal showers and toilets are in the centre of the halls. Noise does come in from the streetscape, but more noise comes from the halls as residents come in from the pubs. The beds are okay and sheets are clean. Some of the dorms are okay, but this is where backpackers are their own worst enemy.
Many of the residents (not guests) are here long term despite the hostel policy of a maximum 7 night stay. Darwin is a city where many backpackers get work and stay hostel to hostel, a week at a time. One of the guys in my dorm checked out and back in again. Bums in beds provides the dollars and keeps the business going; therefore, it becomes their home away from home. The bags are unpacked and, in some dorms, the contents are scattered evenly across the room, preventing the cleaner’s best work. The showers and toilets get a scrub each day, but by the end of the same day, they are a mess as workers come home from trade / mine jobs.
All these hard working people need to party hard. The pool and bar area get a buzz going every night (not audible from the dorms) and for some, the booze flows well. Singing and screaming come into the halls as the night goes on. Theme parties and barbeque nights help to mix it up. What is noticeable is the ‘dust’ of cigarette ash built up over the ground and in some lounging areas.
The staff are okay and friendly enough. They smile and help where they can.
If you’re considering staying in the hostel, I strongly urge you to weigh up all your options. There will be noise. There will be bags and boots left about the place. Boozy nights lead to zombie like bodies walking about the next day. If you want privacy or an all-day clean environment, go elsewhere. If you want to mix it up with people, can handle the communal lifestyle and enjoy the party environment, this is a good one.
The only way I could think to improve the balance of workers and short stay travellers is to split the groups. When a person checks in again after seven nights, place them into a floor / wing of longer term stayers. Keep travellers, seven days or under, in their own floor / wing. If a traveller books in again, across to the new area they go.
Create some policy of bags to be stored in lockers or under beds. It will make the cleaners jobs easier in the dorms. Some kind of management inspection may assist with strange signs appearing on bathroom doors, for example, the no entry sign on an operating shower or an out of order sign on the ablutions door they stay up for over a week. I trust a prankster put them up because everyone is going in there!
The Youth Shack is good for what it is, a cheap hostel providing communal accommodation in the heart of Darwin.
The first thing to remember is this place is a hostel and you get what you pay for.
The four bed dorms have a locker for bags, air conditioning and a sink. The communal showers and toilets are in the centre of the halls. Noise does come in from the streetscape, but more noise comes from the halls as residents come in from the pubs. The beds are okay and sheets are clean. Some of the dorms are okay, but this is where backpackers are their own worst enemy.
Many of the residents (not guests) are here long term despite the hostel policy of a maximum 7 night stay. Darwin is a city where many backpackers get work and stay hostel to hostel, a week at a time. One of the guys in my dorm checked out and back in again. Bums in beds provides the dollars and keeps the business going; therefore, it becomes their home away from home. The bags are unpacked and, in some dorms, the contents are scattered evenly across the room, preventing the cleaner’s best work. The showers and toilets get a scrub each day, but by the end of the same day, they are a mess as workers come home from trade / mine jobs.
All these hard working people need to party hard. The pool and bar area get a buzz going every night (not audible from the dorms) and for some, the booze flows well. Singing and screaming come into the halls as the night goes on. Theme parties and barbeque nights help to mix it up. What is noticeable is the ‘dust’ of cigarette ash built up over the ground and in some lounging areas.
The staff are okay and friendly enough. They smile and help where they can.
If you’re considering staying in the hostel, I strongly urge you to weigh up all your options. There will be noise. There will be bags and boots left about the place. Boozy nights lead to zombie like bodies walking about the next day. If you want privacy or an all-day clean environment, go elsewhere. If you want to mix it up with people, can handle the communal lifestyle and enjoy the party environment, this is a good one.
The only way I could think to improve the balance of workers and short stay travellers is to split the groups. When a person checks in again after seven nights, place them into a floor / wing of longer term stayers. Keep travellers, seven days or under, in their own floor / wing. If a traveller books in again, across to the new area they go.
Create some policy of bags to be stored in lockers or under beds. It will make the cleaners jobs easier in the dorms. Some kind of management inspection may assist with strange signs appearing on bathroom doors, for example, the no entry sign on an operating shower or an out of order sign on the ablutions door they stay up for over a week. I trust a prankster put them up because everyone is going in there!
The Youth Shack is good for what it is, a cheap hostel providing communal accommodation in the heart of Darwin.
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Date of stay: July 2014Trip type: Travelled solo
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip: Get the rooms at the rear, not onto Mitchell Street.
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 Debbie T, Manager at Youth Shack Backpackers
Responded 18 Sept 2014
We appreciate your feedback whether good or bad as we are always looking at ways to improve our services. We must mention that you have brought up very valid points that I will look into to improve the service we provide. Although I unfortunately feel you may have been misinformed as we have always welcomed long-term guests in our hostel as we support work, stay and play in Darwin. We will look at taking measures on the issues you have raised to eradicate these problems from continuing. Thank you again for your time and we wish you all the best on your future travels, Thanks, Youthshack Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This is the worst place I have ever spent a night!
Noisy, loud & dirty
Everybody I have met that has spent a night in Darwin that has stayed at the YS has checked out after 1 or 2 nights to stay at another hostel... Loud music persits until 2am most nights, impossible to get good nights sleep. Compared to other hostels just about 50 meters down the road which I mention later the facilities do not compare. Sort of place you would rather go buy a bottle rather than drink the water. Atmosphere generally comprises of 20 something Aussie blocks listening to heavy house music sunbathing by the pool all hours of the day
There is plenty of choice of other hostels... I would recommend Chillis (mitchell st.) or Meluelca on Mitchell (mitchell st.) Both of which will have rooms for the night if you just turn up, there will be room.
Noisy, loud & dirty
Everybody I have met that has spent a night in Darwin that has stayed at the YS has checked out after 1 or 2 nights to stay at another hostel... Loud music persits until 2am most nights, impossible to get good nights sleep. Compared to other hostels just about 50 meters down the road which I mention later the facilities do not compare. Sort of place you would rather go buy a bottle rather than drink the water. Atmosphere generally comprises of 20 something Aussie blocks listening to heavy house music sunbathing by the pool all hours of the day
There is plenty of choice of other hostels... I would recommend Chillis (mitchell st.) or Meluelca on Mitchell (mitchell st.) Both of which will have rooms for the night if you just turn up, there will be room.
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Date of stay: July 2016Trip 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.
I stayed here a couple weeks ago and have since discovered that I have body lice. I was living at home prior to my 3 night stay at this hole - I am certain that I have the general filthiness of this place to thank.
The beds were very stained and looked a little dirty upon arrival, common areas are also generally dirty and unkept.
The beds were very stained and looked a little dirty upon arrival, common areas are also generally dirty and unkept.
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Date of stay: September 2015Trip 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.
Response from Debbie T, General Manager at Youth Shack Backpackers
Responded 7 Oct 2015
We suggest that your current predicament is not due to your brief stay with us. Body lice are generally transmitted only by direct physical person to person contact as they require a host to live on. We provide clean linen on demand to all in-house guests and clean linen is issued to all arrivals. Our team of cleaners work extremely hard to clean rooms daily and are definitely not as you describe. It is also odd that this review comes 2 weeks after your last review which was written closer to the time of your stay here. In addition, there have been no other complaints of this kind from guests of ours as far as anyone can remember. Of course you are entitled to your opinion however we cannot accept responsibility for the situation you find yourself in. All the best with your travels and hope things improve for you soon.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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"rooms facing the main street, all the 400s and 500s suffer the night life noise of darwin"Read full review
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PRICE RANGE
AU$77 - AU$96 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
AustraliaNorthern TerritoryTop EndDarwin
NUMBER OF ROOMS
86
Prices are provided by our partners for one room, with variable occupancy rules as provided by the property, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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Claim Your ListingYOUTH SHACK BACKPACKERS (AU$77) - 2025 Prices & Reviews (Darwin) - Photos of Hostel - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Youth Shack Backpackers
Which popular attractions are close to Youth Shack Backpackers?
Nearby attractions include Crocosaurus Cove (0.04 km), Parliament House (0.05 km), and St Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Cathedral (0.3 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Youth Shack Backpackers?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, a pool, and a lounge.
What food & drink options are available at Youth Shack Backpackers?
Guests can enjoy a lounge and a poolside bar during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Youth Shack Backpackers?
Conveniently located restaurants include Hanuman Restaurant, PepperBerry Restaurant, and Moorish Cafe.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Youth Shack Backpackers?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Is Youth Shack Backpackers located near the city centre?
Yes, it is 0.4 km away from the centre of Darwin.
Are there any historical sites close to Youth Shack Backpackers?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Burnett House (1.7 km), The Old Town Hall (0.6 km), and Survivors’ Lookout (0.3 km).