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Zing Backpackers – reviews, photos

156 Victoria St | Kings Cross, Sydney, New South Wales 2011, Australia (Formerly Travellers Rest)
Hotel amenities
Zing Backpackers
3.0 of 5 stars 21 Reviews
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21 reviews from our community

    Trip type
Traveller rating
    7
    4
    3
    2
    5
Date Rating
east kilbride
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
“Expensive, dirty, noisy and staff are unhelpful”
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 22 May 2011
1
person found this review helpful

We booked a weeks stay here in a double room on our 2nd week in Australia.
Our room was up a steep flight of stairs which did not feel safe at all! There was a sink (with no hot water) a fridge (full of mould) a bunk bed with the bottom bunk half the size of a double bed, dirty mattress and sheets, a single wardrobe which was falling to pieces and was also filthy. It rained heavily most of the week and water poured in through the ceiling, onto the worktop which had most of our personal belongings on it (mobile phone, passports, ipods) through a light fitting on the wall and soaked the already filthy carpet inside and outside our room. when we told staff and asked to move rooms we were told no as we had already paid for the room and they placed dirty towels on the floor to soak up the water, all this did was soak through the towels and leave dirty marks showing how filthy the carpets were.
Toilets and shower rooms were located at the end of our floor and one down the stairs, all were dirty and in much need of a coat of paint with flaking walls and rusty parts. I had a shower one morning, left the shower gell for my boyfriend, went upstairs, he then went straight down to find the shower gell had been taken! Not good!
Kitchen was tiny for the amount of guests, old chipped and dirty crockery with limited amounts, limited clothes and sponges and all in good need of a wash. Cookers barely worked, ovens non existent and limited hot water.
Overall not a very pleasant week!

Room Tip: Stay somewhere else
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  • Stayed June 2010, travelled as a couple
    • 1 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Location
    • 1 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 1 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 1 of 5 stars Cleanliness
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Ask michybbz about Zing Backpackers
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
London, United Kingdom
2 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
“Disgusting Horrible Scary!!!!!!”
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 April 2011

Rats in the kitchen!!!!!!! Please DO NOT GO THERE!!!!!
This place is the worst I have ever seen in my life!!!!!!
We also saw cockroaches in the bed room!!!!!!!!!

When people at reception were told abut the insects and rats they responded that in a city like Sidney this is absolutely normal. I couldn't believe my hears and I have checked out.

I went to Chili Blue next door which, despite being a party place it's clean at least.

Room Tip: Go somewhere else!!!!!!
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  • Stayed March 2011, travelled solo
    • 1 of 5 stars Value
    • 1 of 5 stars Location
    • 1 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 1 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 1 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 1 of 5 stars Service
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Ask RonaldEclestone about Zing Backpackers
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Contributor
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Reviews in 13 cities Reviews in 13 cities
11 helpful votes 11 helpful votes
“Great location - On the expensive side”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 14 February 2011

Stayed here for a week when I just moved to Sydney. The place is in a great location - minutes away from restaurants/ shops/ etc...
Rooms - The room was furnished with a fridge and a AC. There was no AC control and I had to always stand on the window to switch it on and off. There was a musty smell in the room which stayed there throughout my stay.
Service - It isn't a hotel so its all self serve. The receptionist Joe was very polite and helpful. Also if you catch the cleaners around they are more than happy to help you.
The bathrooms were always clean. The kitchen was small and only 1 person could cook at a time - they had only one cooker. Additionally they closed it at 10.30pm so if you wanted to cook or heat food after that time your out of luck.

  • Stayed February 2011, travelled on business
    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 3 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
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Ask Detritus about Zing Backpackers
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Sydney, Australia
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
“Amazing spacious, clean & well looked after room with brilliant staff”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 5 February 2011

I just checked into this place into a double room and am very impressed with it. it's basically a studio apartment without the private bathroom.

I live in Sydney and stay in hostels coz the rental market is so horrible. I see myself staying here for at least a few months as I am so impressed with this place.

The staff were so friendly when I checked in and they had just defrosted the fridge and not one, but two staff members came to check that everything was okay.

I am very impressed with this place.

They also have modern amenities which makes for a brilliant stay.

  • Stayed February 2011, travelled solo
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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See 3 more reviews by wild_aucker_liz for Sydney
Ask wild_aucker_liz about Zing Backpackers
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Cusco, Peru
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
“*FILTHY* room. Avoid.”
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 21 January 2011
1
person found this review helpful

Lovely receptionist, very friendly. That's where the good stuff ended for us I'm afraid. Smelly, musty, dirty room. Spent 20 minutes or so after arrival swatting the 30 or so mosquitoes that were in the room on the ceiling and the bed. Semen stains & pubic hair on bedsheet. You don't want to know what I saw on the mattress as I changed the bedsheet. We've been on the road for 3 months now (mostly in South America), and this was the first time I've slept in my sleeping bag in a hostel, which tells it's own story. Stay somewhere else.

Also, there's a mean-spirited owner who applies petty charges for everything. Take you business elsewhere!

  • Stayed January 2011, travelled as a couple
    • 2 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Location
    • 3 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 2 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 1 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 3 of 5 stars Service
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Ask UKcpl79 about Zing Backpackers
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