About

About Us
Let us take you on a historical and whimsical stay in Melbourne! Our building was built in 1888 and was a real nunnery, home to many nuns, for over 60 years before it was bought by us and turned into an international backpackers!
The Nunnery is a home away from home to travellers looking to make lifelong friendships or to simply explore Melbourne’s sights over a quick weekend getaway!

Our Staff
Our wonderful staff from all corners of the world, lovingly nicknamed The Nuns, will make sure you do not miss a thing in Melbourne babe! You can also join our weekly events to meet other backpackers and get one on one time with our knowledgeable Nuns as they show you their favourite parts of Melbourne!

Free Amenities
We all like free things such as fast, free Wi-Fi in all rooms and common areas.
We have free towels for everyone, hair dryers, straighteners, myki cards, adaptors, and sporting equipment all which can be borrowed from reception. There’s also free bag storage 24 hours before and after your stay!

Facilities
Staying in? We’ve got a fairy light filled courtyard complete with a BBQ and two resident possums who love to come out and meet newcomers.
Use our fully equipped kitchen to cook up a treat, or swing by our lounge to watch a movie and be social with your fellow backpackers! There are coin operated laundry machines on site for you too.

Location
Dream location for the traveller who wants it all! Feed your soul during the day doing something you can tell your parents about when you explore Fitzroy's art markets, stunning street art, historic gardens, and incredible coffee scene. Don't worry, our friendly Nuns (our staff) are happy to help explain the coffee lingo to you and recommend our favourite spots! As for night, explore Fitzroy's inclusive bars, live music, comedy scene and pub crawls perfect for meeting your new best friends!

Rooms and Dorms
Whatever your backpacking adventuring fund can afford, we've got small dorms, large dorms, mixed dorms, female-only dorms and private rooms to suit. Your comfort is one of our top priorities!

Late Check in?...
Reception is open 8:00am 9:30pm with Mother Superior available outside these hours. Please let us know your arrival time when you book and if you need late night check in assistance!

Our Mission
Something we are passionate about is making every person that stays with us feel like they have a special experience and a second home. We really value creating a safe space, seeing first time travellers’ individuality glow-ups and creating a cosy yet adventurous atmosphere! If we sound like a place you want to be a part of, book in now to secure your spot!

House Rules

Check In

13:00 - 23:00

Check Out

until 09:30

  • Taxes Included
View House Rules

Facilities

  • Free City Maps
  • Free WiFi
  • Bicycle Parking
  • Adaptors
  • Luggage Storage
  • Fax Service
  • Tours/Travel Desk
  • Reception (limited hours)
View all facilities

Reviews

8.2Fabulous(2770)
  • Value for Money
    7.6
  • Security
    8.9
  • Atmosphere
    7.8
  • Cleanliness
    7.6
  • Staff
    8.4
  • Location
    9.1
  • Facilities
    8.0
Summary of traveller reviews

The Nunnery in Melbourne offers a unique, characterful stay with a fantastic location. Many guests praise the friendly and accommodating staff, highlighting the social atmosphere and the opportunity to make lasting friendships. While generally clean, some recent reviews mention occasional issues with cleanliness and a prevalence of long-term guests which can affect the vibe. It's well-suited for travellers seeking a lively, social experience.

Was this helpful?
Stayed in Mar 2026
6.0
A
Arianna
Female, 18-24, USA
'Quaint' 'Has personality' .. Dirty, rundown, no hot water on entire floors at a time, rude staff (one employee in particular is notorious among the guests for being evil at heart and I can now attest as well). And if the tales of possums in the courtyard swayed your heart like it did mine, the yard is locked 12hrs overnight so you won't see them anyway! Lol. Unfortunately it takes more than a cute marketing scheme and good graphic design on posters to run a good hostel.
Stayed in Feb 2026
3.7
J
Joao
Male, 31-40, Portugal
It was not a nice place to stay. Not clean, bad ambience.
Stayed in Feb 2026
8.6
S
Sam
Male, 18-24, England
Great value hostel in a fantastic location right next to Fitzroy and opposite the tram to take you into the CBD. Nice chill out areas and a really cool building. Clean facilities (struggles for hot water in some showers but never had an issue finding a free shower). Only thing to note the hostel is mostly long term guests, so if you're just visiting for a couple days it might be a weird vibe and hard to find people to explore the city with- they also left the dorm room open most of the time...
View all reviews

Location

116 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia
1.7km from city centre
speech

Hostelworld says

19th century beauty meets the freshness of modern day Melbourne in this totally unique hostel. Situated in artistic, coffee loving Fitzroy and only a 10 minute stroll into the city. The Nunnery is a beautiful piece of Melbourne history with its grand staircases, stained glass windows and courtyards perfect for hanging out with new friends in the sunshine! It's great for travellers looking to be centrally located to experience the best of Melbourne's live music, cafes and bars.