I stayed here for 2 nights and overall it's a good place to stay. The kitchen is large, clean and well stocked; there is a large common area with TV; there's a nice outdoor area that shows movies on a big screen. The hostel is centrally located, close to downtown, so you can walk anywhere you need to go I had a problem with rudeness from one of the receptionists as well, but I will say if you have a problem speak with the manager/owner- he was great and resolved the problem for me. Alice is worth a short visit- it's a historic town and you're right in the midle of Australia!

We spent 3 nights at Alice Springs Pioneer YHA and at first it was awesome! Good location, spacious and clean facilities and generally friendly staff. Until there was a problem.

On our last night Amy, one of female receptionists, allocated us to a dorm bed that seemed to be empty but was in fact occupied. During the night we were woken up be an angry, drunk man that screamed that we had taken his bed and drove us away. Really unpleasant.

The next day both receptionists, Amy and Julia, were really rude and made us feel like we had somehow done something wrong up to a point were we decided to move to another hostel.

The whole thing was completely unnecessary and could have easily been avoided if the receptionists had been polite and listened to us.

I wouldn't tell people not to stay here, but I can't say that it's truly wonderful.

This hostel suffers from the same problem that many hostels in the area do: it's too big. This results in a much less comfortable atmosphere, where you aren't made to feel as special as you would do in another smaller place. I don't blame the staff at all: they were highly professional and helpful. But the simple fact is that they don't have the time to get to know you properly.

Still, the hostel is spotless, well located and nicely decorated. I especially liked the kitchen, where there was plenty of room to cook and meet other people.

The dorms are ok, but again, 16 people to one room is ridiculous: it's clearly done only to make money. It leaves you feeling slightly anxious at all times, especially with the signs on the wall appealing for help with lost this, stolen that. Lock up your stuff!

Oh, and as always, internet is expensive. This is the same all over Oz, but I will try to change things one hostel review at a time! Charging for internet is absurd: almost nowhere else in the world does, these days.

I didn't have a bad time here, just not a great one.

Before going to YHA in Alice Springs, I stayed in YHA in Melbourne and Canberra, which I thought was worth my money. My experience in Alice Springs of the YHA was so different (even though they charge you the same than in Melbourne and Canberra YHA). It was dirty: the kitchen as well as the room I was in. And imagine that when I got home the bedbug bites came out on my skin. The only good thing about the hostel was that every night the staff was showing Australian movies on a big screen outdoors. The other was that this hostel is located in the very center of the town.