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4.5

#1 of 6 hostels in Apollo Bay

Location

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Value

Apollo Bay Eco YHA is a stylish and comfortable ECO Certified Nature Tourism accredited hostel located in Apollo Bay along the famous Great Ocean Road. Situated between the rainforests of the Otway Ranges and the Apollo Bay surf beach Apollo Bay Eco YHA is the perfect base for exploring this amazing region. Hostel facilities include free on-site parking, free Wifi Hot Spot, a wood heater, two spacious communal lounges, two communal kitchens, shared bathrooms, a TV and reading room, DVD hire, several outdoor balconies and a rooftop deck complete with a BBQ offering spectacular views. Passive solar design, clever zoning and water consumption techniques are used to reduce the level of energy consumption and give you a great getaway with the knowledge your bed doesn't cost the earth! Various room types are available including 4 multi-share, twin/double and family rooms. Each room is heated and comes with lockers and an individual bed light. Please note that all bathroom facilities are shared for all room types. Apollo Bay Eco YHA is close to all the action with only a 2-minute walk from restaurants, cafes and beach in Apollo Bay town centre and a 90-minute drive to the Twelve Apostles. The region is nature lover's haven with deserted beaches, Cape Otway Lighthouse (Australia's oldest lighthouse), the Great Otway National Park complete with rainforest and waterfalls and of course the Great Ocean Road drive! Head further into the Otways to try your luck spotting glow worms at Melba Gully, the elusive platypus at Lake Elizabeth or the wild koalas at nearby Kennet River. Feeling adventurous? Activities in the area include surfing, windsurfing, snorkelling, horse riding along the beach, hiking, paragliding, kayaking out to the seals and the Great Ocean Road walk. Apollo Bay Eco YHA is also a Rent-a-YHA hostel, and can be booked exclusively for large groups. Bookings can be made for either half the hostel, which sleeps up to 36 people, or the whole hostel which sleeps up to 72 people. Please call the hostel Manager for more information.

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Property amenities

Free parking

Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)

Wifi

BBQ facilities

Baggage storage

Non-smoking hotel

Laundry service

Self-serve laundry

Shared bathroom

Shared kitchen

Shared lounge / TV area

Sun terrace

Room types

Non-smoking rooms

Family rooms

Good to know

HOTEL CLASS

HOTEL STYLE

Modern

Languages Spoken

English

Location

85Good for walkers

Grade: 85 out of 100

27Restaurantswithin 0.5 km

12Attractionswithin 0.5 km

5 Pascoe St, Apollo Bay, Victoria 3233 Australia

Getting there

Melbourne Airport159 kmSee all flights

Rental CarsSee all Apollo Bay car hire

See all nearby hotels

Nearby restaurants

Dooleys Ice Cream - The Ice Cream Tub

See all nearby restaurants

Nearby attractions

3 minSpeciality & Gift Shops

High on Heels

31 reviews

5 minSpeciality & Gift Shops

Great Ocean Road Brewhouse

12 reviews

3 minBars & Clubs

See all nearby attractions

293Reviews2Q+A28Room tips

Reviews
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Talfranky wrote a review Nov 2023

Tasmania, Australia102 contributions51 helpful votes

Wasn’t impressed and photos online are misleading.

We stayed here for 2 nights while doing Great Ocean Road, check in was at 4pm, we got there at 3.45 called the number on the door and they gave us the code to get in and then we just sat and waited until they opened the reception, staff wasn’t very friendly, the room was awful, cold, dark and depressing, we asked to move upstairs to another room and had to pay more for that room..it was slightly better at least it had some sunlight! I don’t think the bathrooms were cleaned while we were there, the whole place just felt cold and underwhelming, it wasn’t pleasant and had no atmosphere at all, the very few pegs on the line were broken and rusty, we really didn’t like much about it at all…not somewhere I would recommend as you will be disappointed.

Date of stay: October 2023Trip 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.

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Response from Eco-Beach Yha, General Manager at Apollo Bay Eco YHA

Responded 2 Nov 2023

Hi Nataly, So sorry to hear you had such a poor experience. Reception does indeed open at 4pm as it states in all of the info that's sent through before you check in. If it's prearranged, we're always happy to check you in early. I sincerely apologise if this came across as unfriendly. As for the room, we do have 2 different Queen room types you can book: Standard Queen and Queen Balcony. They are basic budget accommodation rooms with shared facilities. The balcony rooms are $15 more expensive. All rooms have a small wall heater which once switched on, usually heats the room up nicely in 15 - 20 minutes. Photos have all been recently updated and picture the rooms exactly as they are. All facilities are cleaned and checked daily. If they have been left in a poor condition by another guest and it is brought to our attention, of course we are always happy to clean them again at a moment's notice. I wasn't aware of the condition of our clothes pegs so thank you for bringing that to my attention. I'll buy some new ones asap! Again, my apologies that you didn't enjoy your stay and I hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip down the Great Ocean Road :) Kind regards, Dylan Property Manager Apollo Bay YHA

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Paul L wrote a review Sept 2023

Hallam, Australia940 contributions355 helpful votes

Great hostel

Really nice hostel this - a couple of blocks back from the beach so you are away from any noise and really immaculately clean and well laid out. The staff are very friendly, there is heaps of information for travellers on notice boards and the like and the common areas looked quite nice. The rooms are of course quite basic but that's to be expected. They were very nice however and everything basically worked. The facilities were vastly nicer than some hostels I've stayed in and while there wasn't enough parking next to the building for all the guests vehicles there was more parking on the street directly in front of the place. Recommended.

Date of stay: September 2023

Value

Location

Service

Trip 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.

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Response from Eco-Beach Yha, General Manager at Apollo Bay Eco YHA

Responded 28 Sept 2023

Hi Paul, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a kind review! We're so happy to hear you enjoyed your stay, including the location and facilities! It was our pleasure to host you and we hope to welcome you again soon :) Becca, Dylan & Team Apollo Bay YHA

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Paul F wrote a review Nov 2022

Darwin, Australia1 contribution1 helpful vote

U must stay here:)

Awesome hostel. Becca was so helpful. We arrived late and room key was already to go. We stayed in twin room. The 2 single beds were so comfortable. Room was so cosy we just kept sleeping cos we were so comfortable. Anyway close walk to all the shops for food and coffee and close to beach. Hostel opened in 2005 and still a modern looking eco building. Highly recommend staying here. Bathrooms were newly renovated and super clean. 5 stars.

Date of stay: October 2022

Value

Location

Service

Trip type: Travelled as a couple

Room Tip: Try arrive earlier in the day so u can swim at beach

See more room tips

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.

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Response from Apollo Bay YHA Management, General Manager at Apollo Bay Eco YHA

Responded 19 Nov 2022

Hi Paul! Thanks so much for the amazing review! It was a pleasure to host the two of you! Sorry we missed you on check in but glad to hear the late check in procedure worked well (: We hope you enjoyed your brief visit to Apollo Bay and hope to welcome you again some time! Becca and Dylan Apollo Bay YHA

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

B T wrote a review Nov 2022

London, United Kingdom1194 contributions229 helpful votes

Spotless and lots of common areas

Stayed for 2 nights in the 4 bed dorm. They let us check in early (13:30) and the room was a good size, the whole place was very clean and it had lots of good common areas (lounges, good kitchen, laundry etc.). Staff were very friendly and helpful. Very good place, would recommend.

Date of stay: November 2022

Value

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Response from Apollo Bay YHA Management, General Manager at Apollo Bay Eco YHA

Responded 10 Nov 2022

Hi there! Thanks so much for your positive review! We love to hear that you enjoyed your stay, the facilities and the cleanliness (credit to our incredible housekeepers and volunteers!) Enjoy the rest of your travels and hope to welcome you again! Becca and Dylan Apollo Bay YHA

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

GEB wrote a review Nov 2022

7 contributions1 helpful vote

Should have stayed longer

I actually drove past the hostel thinking, 'that house looks amazing, great balconies'. I went round the roundabout at the end of the road and the house with the great balconies' turned out to be the YHA! Result! Apollo Bay was less touristy than Lorne, which made it better in my opinion. Really chilled and relaxed vibe. Guy on reception was great and welcoming. Hostel was spotless. Communal areas were the best I've seen around Aus. Defo recommend.

Date of stay: November 2022Trip 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.

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Response from Eco-Beach Yha, General Manager at Apollo Bay Eco YHA

Responded 8 Nov 2022

Hey! Thanks so much for leaving your 5-star review! We love to hear that you enjoyed your stay and the facilities we have to offer here at Apollo Bay YHA. Have an amazing time on the rest of your travels and hope to welcome you again some time (: Becca and Dylan Apollo Bay YHA

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

JorjaParis wrote a review Sept 2022

London, United Kingdom79 contributions24 helpful votes

Great quick 1 night stay

Likes: * Movie room with large TV, lots of DVD choices and access to streaming sites * Kitchen has ovens + is well organised + labels for cubbies and items in fridge * Lounge / chill out room available * We got a free upgrade which we loved (thank you!!) * Shop behind reception has all prices - even a laminated sheet in the room to look at * Bathrooms are clean and tidy * Free wifi throughout * Super resourceful and sustainable property with cost and energy saving initiatives * Towels are free and provided in the room at check in Dislikes: * Check in isn’t until 5pm Improvements: * Showers had a leak which meant the water sprayed everywhere but we told the guy at reception and he called maintenance so hopefully fixed soon as this hostel is super sustainable and water waste is a no no * Should be signs so can’t take hot food in the cinema room for the sake of others + furniture…

Date of stay: September 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.

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Response from Apollo Bay YHA Management, General Manager at Apollo Bay Eco YHA

Responded 1 Oct 2022

Hi Jorja! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a positive and detailed review! Current Management took over in May '22 and Guest feedback is so important to us! It's feedback like yours that enables us to continue to work on and improve our facilities and guest experience. We love to hear that you appreciated the sustainable facilities at our accommodation- it's something that's very important to YHA and we're constantly striving to expand and improve on such features here at Apollo Bay Eco Lodge. We're also happy to hear your enjoyed the bedroom, lounges, kitchens, bathrooms, TV room, shop and free Wifi! In response to your dislikes- Our Check In time is in fact 4pm. We're aware this time needs updating on some websites and we're onto it! Guests should receive an email on the day of arrival to confirm our current reception hours. Improvements- Regarding the showers- we had two of the shower heads in the female bathrooms which had a leak (thanks so much for reporting to us!)- we have now replaced these shower heads and all are now working perfectly. Again, thank you so much for your review and we hope you enjoyed your time on the Great Ocean Road! Hopefully we get to welcome you again on your travels (: Becca and Dylan Management Apollo Bay YHA

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Denise R wrote a review Oct 2020

Kangaroo Flat, Australia27 contributions12 helpful votes

Fantastic location, great facilities and value for money

I travel to Apollo Bay about once/year and I always stay at this hostel. The location and facilities are fantastic and the value for money is great. I always found the staff helpful and kind. It is a pleasure to return here. Definitely recommended.

Date of stay: October 2020Trip 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.

2 Helpful votes

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Anne Krogh wrote a review Mar 2020

12 contributions22 helpful votes

Perfect stop half way down the Great Ocean Road

We decided to drive the Great Ocean Road in two days, and the YHA in Apollo Bay is the perfect place to stop. We were four girls who shared a 4-share room. The room and the hostel itself was clean and well kept. Walking distance to restaurants and IGA.

Date of stay: March 2020

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Adam wrote a review Feb 2020

Yamba, Australia18 contributions19 helpful votes

An okay stay

This YHA is perfectly located in Apollo bay on the Great Ocean road and the building itself is beautiful. The staff were happy to help and the room was adequate for our stay. However the bathrooms were a let down. The female bathroom had water all over the floor and the male one had a leaking shower that wouldn't turn on and one other shower cubicle. Luckily it wasn't busy but this could have been a massive issue. While it may have just been us but the hostel had a very sterile, lonely atmosphere. This may have been due to the time of year we visited but still something seemed off. Overall it was a adequate stay that didn't blow our socks off but there were some things that let it down.

Date of stay: February 2020Trip 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.

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danielle c wrote a review Jan 2020

Sydney, Australia29 contributions7 helpful votes

Fabulous YHA

Such a great atmosphere and savvy design. Loved the lounge areas and the kitchens have everything you could ever need. Perfect location. I’d definitely stay again. The bunks however are too wobbly - not good for light sleepers or middle aged peeps.

Date of stay: January 2020

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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.

1 Helpful vote

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