Jewell House Reviews

This was my first ever experience of staying in a YMCA and my first ever visit to Perth Australia. I was on a budget and and it was just a short stay. Perth seemed to have a very limited choice of low cost places to stay in the CBD (Central business district), I hunted around and really found nothing reasonable, I was just about resigned to having to stay in a 3 star hotel when I was recommended this place via a travel forum on the Internet.

The hostel is located very centrally within walking distance of the city centre and most tourist sights.

There is a 24 hour reception manned by a friendly team, there is an Internet room on site as well as a cafe run by a volunteer charity, there are also coin operated snack and drink vending machines and pay phones.

Two lifts take guest up to their rooms, there are 200 rooms in total over 11 floors, amixture of single, twin and family rooms.

On arriving in my room I discovered a small but clean place, a single bed along one way, facing it a wardrobe and opposite the bed a heater and small desk. All the furniture is functional but quite dated in a nasty dark brown colour.

I was surprised not to have my own bathroom as I though I booked a private room, probably my own hurried booking but I later found out private room meant it was just for me. The bathrooms are located on each floor and consist of a room with toilets and another with showers. They were relatively clean and as you would expect, the quantity was fine as I never had to wait to use the facilities.

The one thing that put me off was a fairly big one. On the evening of my 2nd day I was abit bored in my room so was poking about, I opened the cupboard above the wardrobe and was in for a shock. I found several syringes and foil and other bits and pieces. I reported this to the reception and they were very apologetic, checking I had not been pricked or anything - I was fine and went out for a stroll, on my return it was all gone and cleaed up