Jolly Swagman Backpackers Sydney Hostel

Potts Point, Australia

3

Open now

5 reviews

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Telephone:
+61 2 9358 6400
Website:
www.jollyswagman.com.au
Address:
27 Orwell St, Potts Point, New South Wales, 2011
Potts Point
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.2 miKings Cross
0.2 miKellett Street
0.7 miSt James
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'n/a'

Today

Today 6:00 am – 5:30 am
Open now
Local time (Potts Point) 23:35 Saturday, 14 June 2025

Business hours

Monday 6:00 am – 5:30 am
Tuesday 6:00 am – 5:30 am
Wednesday 6:00 am – 5:30 am
Thursday 6:00 am – 5:30 am
Friday 6:00 am – 5:30 am
Saturday 6:00 am – 5:30 am
Sunday 6:00 am – 5:30 am

Description

Specialties

Relax with your friends while the sun sets over the city skyline & Sydney Harbour. Experience Sydney life here at Jolly Swagman Backpackers!

Our owner-​operated Backpacker hostel accommodation is renowned for being the heart & soul of the Australian Backpacker & Hostel world. We have been giving our customers hostel accommodation for over 20 years. Rated as a 4-​star Backpackers hostel by AAA Tourism, we pride ourselves on our facilities & the level of service that we offer to many travellers. We constantly upgrade our hostel & facilities as we aim to make your stay with us exceptional.

We have amazing hostel rooms at cheap backpackers rates so you never have to worry about budget. Whether you are a backpacker who wants to experience all the fun activities that Sydney can offer or a traveller who wants to escape it all in a comfortable room, our hostel has you covered!

Book your stay at our hostel today & get the best hostel accommodation only here at Jolly Swagman Backpackers!

History

Established in 1975.

Back in 1975… There existed a small budget accommodation hostel /​hotel (located on Victoria Street, Kings Cross Sydney). This small ‘hostel’ was occupied by long-​term elderly guests.

Every so often, there would be a knock at the door and there standing (with a backpack or suitcase) would be young fresh-​faced backpackers and travellers wanting a bed for the night.

Unfortunately, because all the current guests of the budget accommodation hostel were long-​term guests, there was no room for the young backpackers.

After a while, the owner of the small hostel decided that he much preferred the backpackers, especially with their stories and tales of the Australian outback and the East coast and the excitement of Sydney — so he changed his business to a Backpackers Hostel.

He did this by simply turning his sign over and writing «Backpackers and Travellers Hostel» .

…and the first Backpackers Hostel was born!

You are part of backpacking history when you stay at the Jolly Swagman!

Meet the Manager

Joe M.

Manager

Joe has been in the industry of backpacking for over 10 years, what he doesn’t know, you don’t need!

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Nearby

Browse nearby places:
70
ft
Waterman’s Lobster Co
5/29 Orwell St
100
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Pinkhandlebar
29-31 Orwell St
110
ft
Room 10
10 Llankelly Pl
110
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E.U. Deli
29 Orwell St
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ft
P.E. Dept
15 Orwell St
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Bang! Art Gift
115 Macleay St

5 reviews of Jolly Swagman Backpackers Sydney Hostel

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Place rating: 1
New York, NY
This is by far the worst hostel I’ve stayed in during my 4 months in Australia.
We saw all of the great reviews and amenities included with the price, so we were expecting a pleasant experience. Wrong.
The entire hostel smelled disgusting. It was humid and smelled like feet mixed with mold.
They advertised free wifi, but less then a day in, the wifi shut off on all of us completely. When we asked the front desk about it, they said they didn’t know what to say because the router was in the office and the office was locked. Why didn’t they have a key to their own office?! That was one of the main reasons why we chose that hostel, for the free wifi. Ridiculous.
Also, the «free breakfast» ran out within the first 30 minutes each day. No one was there to refill or provide more, even though it is SUPPOSED to be available for 2 hours.
In addition, my friend got food poisoning on our trip and vomited on the floor of the bathroom. We went to the front desk and let them know that it needed to be clean so other people could use the stalls. This was at maybe 11pm. They said the cleaning people don’t come in until 7am… so they left vomit sitting on the floor for 8 hours in the bathroom. Disgusting. I asked for just a mop or a big rag to clean it up, and I got «the cleaning supplies are locked up.» why wouldn’t you at least keep a mop out?!
A french woman that worked there was extremely rude and yelled at us over a mess that was not ours.
The cleaning lady came in our room at 9am and started vacuuming while we were ALL still asleep and not moving out for another few days.
Horrible customer service. Gross and unclean. I do NOT recommend. There are many better hostels nearby in Sydney.
Place rating: 4
Truckee, CA
They have FREE AIRPORT PICKUP for those who book ahead and offer free bread, butter, jam, vegemite, cereal, tea, coffee and oatmeal each morning.
The staff are friendly and their front desk is open 24 hours.
A great, typical hostel in the Kings Cross area of Sydney.
Place rating: 3
Toronto, Canada
as far as hostels go, this one was pretty standard. the price was pretty average for hostels (I don’t really remember exactly – I stayed at a lot of hostels while down under!). I stayed in a room with four bunk beds (space for eight people) so the room got a little crowded at time, but nothing too different.
the mattresses and sheets were the expected grundgy-​looking old sheets. hey, it’s a hostel, not a five star hilton!
breakfast is toast and butter/​jam/​vegemite (seriously, australians, how do you eat that stuff??). there is also cereal, tea, and oatmeal.
the eating space is small! prepare to make new friends!
a nice feature is the huge tv room. it’s got really large «steps» cut into it, so each step is elevated higher than the one in front of it, making it so everyone can see the TVs. there are comfy beanbags too!
(but if you’re travelling in sydney… you should probably get your butt out the door of your hostel and see the city!)
Place rating: 3
Köln, Nordrhein-Westfalen
ICh stimme maczarr, voll und ganz zu. Ich mache also nur einige Ergänzungen und geh auf die genannten Punkte nicht mehr ein.
Hostels sind absolutes Neuland für mich, also sehe ich hier einige Sachen vielleicht etwas strenger als andere die etwas entspannter an solche sachen herangehen, das schon mal vorweg.
Für ein Hostel ist es denke ich sehr sauber. Was aber wirklich unangenehm war, war der Geruch im Zimmer. Meine Freundin und ich hatten ein Zweierzimmer, und es roch einfach total muffig, das war schon fast das schlimmste. Sonst war das Zimmer ok.
Im Jolly wohnen viele Franzosen und ich als absoluter Frankreich fan, war enttäuscht wie ungesellig und unfreundlich die meisten dort auf dem Flur waren, aber die Gäste in eine Hotelbewertung mit einfliesen zu lassen, wäre denk ich unfair.
Der service an der Rezeption war top! Super nett und schnell, konnten das Zimmer nicht sofort beziehen und mussten dann unsere Tasche im Gemeinschaftsraum abstellen (hätten aber auch die Möglichkeit gehabt die sachen einzuschliessen) doch es ist dann auch nix passiert.
Das Frühstück ist auch ganz praktisch, es sieht eigentlich recht sauber aus und erfüllt seinen Zweck.
Das Bad war nicht so toll, find ich. Ich hab mich dort geekelt, im Vergleich zu deutschen Jugendherbergen schon deutlich schlechter, zudem war das Bad und das Klo in einem Raum …
Naja bin vielleicht empfindlich aber war froh als ich dann fertig war mit duschen, wollt auch mein Handtuch nirgends aufhängen…
Haben pro PErson ca. 28 Dollar bezahlt… für den PReis aber ok denk ich…
Ach und zur Lage noch: Das Jolly liegt einfach dort wo, ca 5 andere Hostels liegen. Deshalb würd ich beim nächsten Versuch vielleicht das Hostel gegenüber probieren, aber wer weiss ob das nicht schlechter ist.
Place rating: 4
Hannover, Niedersachsen
Das Jolly Swagman Backpackers liegt mitten in der Innenstadt von Sydney, direkt nebenan ist eine Bar und zum Vergnuegungsbezirk «Kings Cross» ist es nur ein Katzensprung — das Jolly Wagman ist daher etwas teurer.
Internet gibts auch nicht wie oft in Hostels ueblich kostenlos sondern muss extra gekauft werden. Es gibt einen großen TV-​Raum mit vielen Kissen vor der Mattscheibe. Alles ist sehr offen gehalten. Zum Fruehstueck kann man drinnen oder draußen sitzen.
Die Gemeinschaftsbadezimmer sind sauber und gut verteilt erreichbar. Zum Fruehstueck kann man sich in der großen Gemeinschaftskueche an Toast, Marmelade, Muesli, Milch und Kaffee bedienen.