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The Backpack Reviews

74 New Church Street, Cape Town, South Africa

Reviews & Ratings Explained

92%Overall Rating

From 176 ratings
  • 92%Character
  • 94%Security
  • 92%Location
  • 91%Staff
  • 92%Atmosphere
  • 93%Cleanliness

The following reviews were submitted by customers who booked in the last 6 months.

The reviews and ratings in the rating box are based on all-time feedback and are the opinions of the customers who submitted them and do not express the opinions of Hostelworld.com. This way, you get an up to the minute opinion of just how good a hostel really is. Read our review guidelines »

We now classify our reviewers based on how well travelled they are.

  • Novice Nomad: 1-10 Reviews Added
  • Avid Traveller: 10-20 Reviews Added
  • Globetrotter : 20+ Reviews Added
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93%

At around £32pppn for a private en suite, excluding breakfast, you can certainly find cheaper accommodation in the city.However, the atmosphere and location are great and the staff brilliant. The private rooms all have safes and there are safes in communal areas for those in shared rooms. Breakfast, sandwiches and beers at the bar are reasonable. You can book a variety of activities through reception. Staff were helpful with recommendations and info. Would stay again.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 10 Feb 2013
  • Anonymous
  • South Africa
  • Female, 31-40
  • (2 reviews)

Owner Comment (Show)
Thanks for all the good things you say about us Catherine we continue to strive for excellence and to give our guests a great experience. Kind regards The Backpack Team

100%

Excellent hostel. Good vibes and great times.

Owner Comment (Show)
Thanks for the review. We are really glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us. We look forward to welcoming you back in the near future. Kind Regards Eleni Good

97%

Awesome staff, really sociable, good location away from the main strip so quieter, but close to all the attractions. Have traveled a lot and would stay there again in a heartbeat.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 07 Feb 2013
  • Anonymous
  • England
  • Male, 31-40
  • (2 reviews)


87%

Great way to meet other travellers. Staff were very helpful in setting up tours and rooms were clean and safe.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 06 Feb 2013
  • Anonymous
  • USA
  • Female, 31-40
  • (1 review)

Owner Comment (Show)
Thanks for the review on Hostelworld.com We are really happy to see that you enjoyed your stay with us while in Cape Town. We always strive to give the guests the best services, especially when it comes to House-keeping. We look forward in welcoming you back in the near future. Kind Regards Eleni Good

100%

Still the best Hostel I have ever stayed in! the travel team were incredibly helpful! awesome atmosphere can't wait to come back!

  • Avid Traveller
  • 05 Feb 2013
  • Anonymous
  • South Africa
  • Couple, 31-40
  • (11 reviews)

Owner Comment (Show)
Thanks for coming again and we look forward to seeing you here again and again and again!!!! Kind regards The Backpack Team

77%

misbooked room, and failed to arange tranfer from airport

  • Novice Nomad
  • 05 Feb 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Australia
  • Male, 25-30
  • (1 review)

Owner Comment (Show)
We are so sorry that we missed you at the airport - I can assure you that this is a very rare occurrence that this happened. Please accept our apologies. Kind regards The Backpack Team

90%

Great stay, clean and comfy with lively atmosphere. The pool was an added bonus to cool off in after a climb up table mountain. Would stay there again and recommend others.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 04 Feb 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Australia
  • Couple, 25-30
  • (2 reviews)

Owner Comment (Show)
Thank you for your lovely review on Hostelworld.com. We absolutely love our pool, especially the location with the view of Table Mountain in the background. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future. Kind Regards The Backpack Team

100%

This is one of the nicest hostels I have stayed in on any continent. It is quaint and fun at the same time. Staff are helpful, polite, and know the area and local activities well. Great food and microbrew beer (hard to find in South Africa!). Wifi is not free. Pool area is very nice.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 01 Feb 2013
  • Anonymous
  • USA
  • Female, 31-40
  • (1 review)

Owner Comment (Show)
Thank you for reviewing our hostel on Hostelworld.com. We are glad that you enjoyed your overal stay with us at The Backpack. We do have free wifi in the cafe/bar area that is available 24/7 for our guests to use. It is lovely to hear that you enjoyed the local beers and food we serve in the cafe/bar area. We hope you will visit us again soon. Kind Regards The Backpack Team

87%

Give free info about places to go and things to do, like restaurants, clubs etc.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 01 Feb 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Netherlands
  • Male, 41+
  • (1 review)

Owner Comment (Show)
Thank you for taking the time to review our hostel. We do have an events board that has a daily happenings of all the clubs in town and the live music in the city. With regards to restuarants to eat out at all the staff has list of places that we recommend should a guest not know where to eat out. It is unfortunate if you weren't able to enquire at the desk for any assistance for dinner places. Kind Regards The Backpack Team

77%

Security guard was extremely arrogant and rude. Not any customer care from him. The night shift one.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 28 Jan 2013
  • Anonymous
  • South Africa
  • Male, 25-30
  • (1 review)

Owner Comment (Show)
Thank you for the review. We are sorry to hear that you had a negative encounter with our security guard. We will be sure to mention that guests weren't happy with the way he was. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed your overal stay with us. Kind Regards The Backpack Team

93%

Overall, we had a great experience and will recommend The Backback to friends.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 26 Jan 2013
  • Anonymous
  • USA
  • Male, 25-30
  • (1 review)

Owner Comment (Show)
Thank you for the lovely review on Hostelworld.com. We are extremely glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us while in Cape Town. We look forward to welcoming you back in the near future. Kind Regards The Backpack Team

97%

Staff were great, and helpful, easy to find things to do at the reception, they even took us to a really cool local bar. Hostel itself has great showers and comfortable beds and its 2 minutes from 'long st' the cool happening strip of the city. also has an amazing view of table mountain from the bar area. I would stay here again without a doubt


70%

This was the most expensive hostel we stayed at, but it was on some point worse then all the oter hostels. The reception people were not asking us anything and not enthausiastic (last time when i checked it out, much better). The room was small and the lock was 1,2,3,4 to easy and made a lot of sound to get in at night (everybody woke up). Also the sound of the road made it not money worthit. Last we found it weird we had to pay for parking and didnt get a lower fee while the hostel was rebuild

Owner Comment (Show)
Thank you for the review on Hostelworld.com. We are sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your stay with us while at The Backpack. We always strive to ensure that our guests feel welcome and we are sorry to hear that you felt the reception staff were not very bubbly. We will be sure to let them know to be extra happy on the desk. Should you stay with us in the future we hope you will have a more enjoyable stay. Kind Regards The Backpack Team

100%

I truly enjoyed my stay there. It was the perfect setting to meet people of all nationalities.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 21 Jan 2013
  • Anonymous
  • South Africa
  • Male, 25-30
  • (1 review)

Owner Comment (Show)
We are glad that you enjoyed your stay. It is awesome staying at a hostel, where you get to meet all different people and hear stories and adventures from them. Kind Regards The Backpack Team

80%

Had a double room with ensuite, however was in a converted attic. This meant , the room was stifling hot, and the windows had no fly screens so we were bitten by mozzies. We didn't get a fan in the room until the 3rd night. Hostel was however located in a convenient spot - was within a short drive all major attractions eg. Table Mountain, V&A Waterfront. Was also on the main road that connects over to Camps Bay, so an easy drive out of the city to explore Cape Point and the beaches

  • Avid Traveller
  • 21 Jan 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Australia
  • Male, 25-30
  • (12 reviews)

Owner Comment (Show)
Thank you for the review. We are glad that you were happy with the location of the hostl. It is close enough to everything you want to see, but far away enough that you can have a good nights sleep. We are sorry that you room was a little on the hot side, we are currently looking into putting air-cons into those rooms, but for now if a guest is too hot, we will give them a fan. It is unfortunate that you only received your fan 3 days int your stay. Kind Regards The Backpack Team

93%

1small issue.The hostel claimed to have free parking. So I did not average that as an added cost in my budget.upon arrival there is a notice asking to "tip" the security guard R20. THATS totally fine! I 100% agree that the man keeps watch on our cars should be tipped. I planned on tipping him upon checkout the same way I tip the house keepers. However, he cornered me one night(scary)asking for his R20/day...PER DAY????????? so wrong! out of fear, I did, but this was sooo wrong!

  • Novice Nomad
  • 18 Jan 2013
  • Anonymous
  • USA
  • Female, 25-30
  • (2 reviews)

Owner Comment (Show)
Thank you for reviewing our hostel. We are sorry that you were scared into paying for the parking tip. It is meant to be an optional R20 daily or for the entire stay and to be placed in the tip box so that it is evenly shared out as suggested by Fairtrade standards. We hope that you enjoyed your overal stay with us and that you will visit us again in the near future. Kind Regards The Backpack Team

97%

Nice hostel in very good location, with bar and music till late. Also very helpful staff and feel of security.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 17 Jan 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Poland
  • Female, 31-40
  • (2 reviews)

Owner Comment (Show)
Thank you for reviewing our hostel on Hostelworld. It is awesome to hear that you loved the location of the hostel. We are in a great spot. Close enough to the city centre, but far enough away that you can have a good nights sleep. Glad to hear that you enjoyed the bar facilities. Kind Regards The Backpack Team

100%

Fantastic place in a great location. Really cool bar with good snacks an excellent breakfast. Fantastic atmosphere much helped by their very friendly staff.

  • Globetrotter
  • 14 Jan 2013
  • Anonymous
  • England
  • Male, 18-24
  • (21 reviews)


83%

Clean and comfortable, especially the bedding! Maybe make the price of parking more apparent so that this can be budgeted for. I was under the initial impression it was a tip not an actual fee. Got a bit of a shock on the way out! Great location and in easy walking distance from the center of town. But the address online does not reflect the actual location of the backpackers. Overall a great stay in a great place!

  • Novice Nomad
  • 14 Jan 2013
  • Anonymous
  • South Africa
  • Female, 25-30
  • (2 reviews)


93%

Amazing. The staff were incredibly helpful. Clean rooms, the most comfortable hostel beds I've stayed in.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 13 Jan 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Australia
  • Male, 18-24
  • (1 review)


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