Hostel The Backpack, Cape Town

The view from my room

The stairs to my room

Great location; shared room was very good with ensuite; great way to meet other travelers

Nothing

Real gem of a hostel and the best one I've stayed at in CT. It's social without being too party or loud, lots of different social areas, inside and out, for relaxing or meeting people. Loved the pool outside, which has a view of the gardens and table mountain. Breakfast each morning was decent and there's an active WhatsApp group for organising hikes/activities with others.

I stayed twice, my first dorm was much nicer with curtained beds and lots of space. The second time, the dorm was more basic and small, despite being more expensive. Sometimes it could be hard to find a free bathroom as there aren't many of them.

beds are very comfortable and visitors were obeying the silence rules after midnighr hrs.

Bathrooms are located very wierdly, you feel like it is a maze and you get lost until you find bathrooms.

Very pleasant atmosphere, relaxed and friendly. You feel safe even in a big city like cape town. Staff is very kind, responsive and ready to assist you.

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I liked that I could meet other people. Made a good friend on the very first day I arrived. I liked that the bed was comfortable and the bathrooms were clean.

I didn’t like that there wasn’t at least one bathroom in or close to the dormitory. It wasn’t comfortable walking around to find an available bathroom. Then I didn’t like how high the top bunk was and the ladder is so straight, made me so scared whenever I climbed up. There were no stools so everyone just kept their stuff on other people’s boxes. Breakfast was also not great, same meals daily and the juice was watered down.

♡ 95% of the staff are genuinely kind & helpful ♡ I loved Bruno hence his photo ♡ I met amazing people

Pros: Location Beds in dorms Spacious bathroom Spacious lockers Cool house overall Pool Views Breakfast was decent and included in room price

Cons: The dorm bathroom rail was broken, preventing us from having places to hang our towels. The shower had an issue - it had many ants

I really enjoyed my stay at Villa Viva. The facilities are clean and the staff is taking care that everyone feels comfortable. A big plus is the complimentary breakfast and the location is close to Kloof street with lots of food options. For everyone who needs to work, there's also a room, where you can work without getting distracted.

Sometimes you have to look for a free bathroom in the whole building.

We loved the ambiance, and certainly, the location is also a great spot . It was very convenient for all our activities.

We never had the privilege of hot water , which i found rather unfortunate as we were up quite early each day and using very cold water was a bit of a challenge

The Breakfast was okay. We only experienced a shortage of hot water there and there but overall everything was fine

The place is better as it is

Everything. The staff was amazing and lots of space.

Nothing. It was perfect

Love this place - stayed here many times in the past before its rebrand and its done well maintaining the vibe that made it popular in the first place. Very social, without being an overbearing party hostel. Great place to meet people, chill bar, very close to all the good things in Town. Fully recommend.

Traffic noise from some of the dorms is a bit unbearable at times.

breakfast and location

room is too small

The stuff, people I shared room with very friendly. What you see in the picture is what you get. It’s clean!!! Enough bathrooms

The check out time it’s too early but it’s okay.

Very easy going and helpful staff Clean dormitories comfortable beds

People snoring

One of the nicest hostels I’ve ever stayed in! Everything was clean, the rooms were comfortable and the staff was friendly and helpful. The breakfast has everything you need and the location is perfect to get around Capetown. Will definitely come again :)

Friendly

Some of the people my room was very rude

Casual atmosphere and welcoming staff

There was a surly guy at the front office that I interacted with a couple of times. On the day I finished my start it was early morning and the guy just said ‘key’. No that’s for staying et al

Breakfast, location

Other travel girls that feel entitled.

Very cool Vibe in the middle of the city and there is a view on the Table montain. People were fun. I wished I had planned more time there.

+friendly staff +i like hostel’s dog Bruno +great breakfast (extra fee for coffee) +perfect location next to Bookap colorful houses +very comfortable bed +rented hairdryers from the reception

-there were 3 spiders on our 1st day -we didn’t have hot water to take shower in the evening after 22:30, so we started to take shower around 20:00h -no shampoo or conditioner -room smelled like a mold -there is hole in the wall in bathroom next to the door in Bulungula room

Loved staying there, very comfortable and accessible. The staff is helpful and the patio at the back is perfect for evening booking reading. Limited but good breakfast

They could change the breakfast options on some days.

Location, Breakfast, the staff

The noise

Good location and safe.

We shared a bathroom with a lot of people, so one had to wait on a line to take a bath.

Everything

Nothing

The staff were exceptional and friendly. The location is superb, close to Table Mountain, walking distance to the Bo Kaap, lot of fantastic eateries and pubs around the area. I would definitely stay again but in a dormitory with bathroom inside.

The outside view surrounding table mountain and standing into Bookap street. Inner room cleannesses, ambiance, toiletries all are top notch Staffs are friendly Breakfast was great

A bit crowded and party freak and not soundproof especially the room close to common place and outdoor activities

My group of friends really enjoyed most of the stay. The staff were super helpful, really kind and professional. Love the staff!

My friends felt a little insulted on how the owner approached us when we came in with our gift boxes. The owner assumed it was for a party or event but it was only gift boxes. Other than that it was really nice.

Beds are super comfortable, good location and breakfast was nice too.

Nothing.

Good location - near restaurants/bars, close to table mountain and lions head Great view of table mountain Breakfast was nice Plenty of areas to chill out or work remotely if need be Staff are helpful

Double room was a bit small, but fine for what we needed Room smelt a bit damp and couldn’t lock from the inside

Breakfast lacked protein...need more cold meat options and a variety of warm egg options; such as scrambled.

The breakfast was cold and not continental.

Very clean staff very friendly Receptionist kitchen bar cleaners are very good

Staff were exceptional. We had an issue with our original room and they handled it quickly and efficiently. Our second room was very comfortable, and great for our group.

I liked the breakfast as well as the staff and the karaoke

Our home when in Cape Town‼️

Spacious, clean room

Breakfast time

Staff great. Breakfast good. Generally a great vibe and a convenient location.

No pool

Wonderful and good to see they support multiple good causes. From #WASH to youth development. Easy atmosphere.

I liked everything about the property. The place was entertaining, meet with other foreign nationals, nice communicative staffs. Location and views were amazing. There is this one staff outstanding , l like her so much. Don’t know her name. African woman.she knows how to communicate very well, even if she doesn’t understand ur language, she will find her way . The breakfast super. Everything u need is right on the table. The kitchen was organized,the pool was so clean , i was like wow,I would love to come stay there again. Villa viva .

What i did like was : 1) I didn’t get the preferred room I got, it was available when i booked and paid. That was a 4 bedroom dorm , now i was given a 6 bedroom, that’s against the law and i can sue for the scam. If u want me to do that till me cos i have proff of everything.

It was very close to all the things we wanted to do in Cape Town. The breakfast was a cherry on top. Will probably still choose to stay there for my next visit to cape town

-We got treated unfairly and we were disrespected when we arrived there but all was cleared the following day.

The location is wonderful, it is within walking distance to great restaurants and bars, and the historic Labia Theatre. Excellent breakfast - fresh melon, grapes and pineapple. Bread with jam, nutella, butter, etc. Freshly delivered pain au chocolat from a local bakery, juice, a yogurt bar, cheese, tomato, and cucumber. The staff were super helpful throughout my stay. The property is large with lots of bathrooms, hangout spaces, and even a pool. The showers had good water pressure and got warm quickly. The rooms were modern and clean, and the kitchen and fridges had more than enough space for guests. Each bed came with a lamp, small shelf, and outlet. There is a cat and a dog who are super friendly.

There is no aircon in the rooms so when it’s hot you need to open the window and ask for a fan. Also, the doors are very heavy and when they slam it is quite loud. Make sure to bring your own padlock because the cubbies in the rooms don’t have a way of locking themselves.

- good location - very nice staff - excellent breakfast - very nice rooms - beautiful common area

Lovely bed and cosy, clean bedding. Great privacy afforded by curtains. Breakfast could be a bit monotonous if you stay for awhile eg suggest scrambled eggs sometimes if it was possible to keep them hot? And different pastries within same budget range. Fruit salad. Good variety of beverages. Lovely different breakaway areas meant you can gain a modicum of privacy or gathering in smaller groups. Brilliant kitchen for self catering. Safes and lockable cupboards offer peace of mind. Lovely old houses with wooden floors. Good social gathering opportunities.

All good.

Safe, nice rooms and friendly staff. Great breakfast. Loved the cat too.

Bedding Clean

Break fast accommodate everyone

I liked everything about them. Healthy breakfast

Lovely place to stay, lovely staff

Only issue is that this is a cash free venue, this is a little annoying when you are traveling as a tourist

Value for money

Very clean and so nice staff

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