Albatross Hostel

I have stayed at the Albatross frequently and I haven't reviewed it since my first stay, but I wanted to post another review now just to say how really fantastic the staff are. They are the nicest, friendliest, most helpful staff I have ever encountered in any visitor accommodation. When I first started staying there I was going through a difficult time in my life and this hostel became a sanctuary for me. It has a really homely feel. There are always interesting people staying there. It is clean and comfortable and relaxed and it always feels very safe. And of course it's fantastic value for money, especially when you add in the free tea and coffee and the cooking facilities.

Of course you have all the usual issues that you get in any backpacker hostel, but that's not a criticism. The only thing that bugs me a bit about the place is the way that all the doors squeak. A can of WD40 wouldn't go amiss.

I have stayed here over many years. It is at the basic end of the accomodation market but I love it for it's city centre location near to the station and for the value for money. The room I was staying in had been recently decorated in awesome orange/ grey shades with a cool cow print on the wall and the staff were super friendly and helpful. :D

Sadly the wifi is only available from the kitchen area but this makes sense as it's a big building and I've stayed places before where they advertise having wifi and in reality only some rooms are lucky to have wifi reception.

clean, decently comfortable, in a perfect location

the lockers were difficult to use, not sure if it was just the one i used that was dodgy but it was very hard to open mine. i also didn’t like that the top bunk was too low down so i couldn’t actually sit comfortably on the bottom bunk, but that isn’t really a big problem! i could also maybe suggest having some rooms just for under 18s? obviously this is a hostel so you can be sharing a room with anybody and i understand that, but being 3 17 year olds sharing a room with 5 25+ plus male strangers can be quite intimidating. one final thing is that the toilets are really quite far from some of the rooms which is kind of inconvenient. i also wish that there was mirrors in the rooms for doing your makeup as using my phone camera as a mirror did not go very well 😅

Look no further, the best hostel you could ever choose. I was impressed of how clean it is and the location is perfect as it is right at the centre. Saying that the staff are very friendly is an understatement, Carl, Matt, Sam and all the other members will go beyond and above to help you out.. I got sick during my stay and Sam cared for me as if I was family. I was looking for accommodation but I've met some really amazing people(staff).

The staff are friendly, especially Matt, who I often see whenever I stay here. The facilities are very good, especially the common room spaces, which are plentiful, and whilst I do not use the kitchen for cooking, it is very well maintained. The beds are also comfortable and the rooms spacious.

The only thing that is not so great is the WIFI, which is a little slow compared to most hostels, but still, it is available and free and probably good enough for most people's needs.

Great location. Wonderful staff. Good kitchen for preparing small snacks or breakfast. Room was fine with lockers. In a nice traditional building.

It was a very hot night and you can't open the windows so it was stifling. Mixed with people coughing, it wasn't great. Came back with COVID! Someone had taken my pillow and when I went to ask late at night they couldn't find me a replacement. The downside of being in an old building is that....it's an old building and some aspects need updating. Especially ventilation in the rooms.

Wonderful staff. I had a guy being disrespectful with his music which caused a major conflict. The member of staff professionally resolved the matter and I managed to have a good nights sleep for work the following day

Think of separating the long term guests from the short term. Backpackers and people staying over with work the next day are there for very different reasons. People who live there long term get too comfortable as if it is their own place. There should be dorms specifically for long term guests

Matt on reception was a top lad. He went above and beyond to help make my stay a good one. You never quite know what to expect with hostels but Albatross was more than decent. Good bed, room was clean, not too noisy even for a bank holiday weekend. Shower facilities were decent and I was able to use them after checking out after I'd finished the Gateshead Half Marathon which was great of them to offer. The break out areas are a nice feature which are something I personally like to see in a hostel. It's also a great way to meet fellow travelers so it's nice to see a decent one here. Location wise you're right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Newcastle City Centre. The staff were friendly, not surprised Geordies are famous for being friendly so no surprises Matt was friendly chap with decent banter and good level of service. Would recommend this place for any travellers/backpackers

The whole place is very clean and has a plain, modern decor, with attractive wooden floors in the dorms. There are women-only dorms and bathrooms, which many modern hostels don't have, and that made it feel safe and comfortable. The staff are very helpful and you have the feeling they would be on top of any trouble. The shower room is great. There is a communal kitchen and lounge area which is really nice. My room was at the back and was very quiet.

The mattress wasn't the best, but for the price I'm not complaining. My only real reservation about this place is the number of stairs.

Good value hostel which provides the basics (bed, kitchen) in a prime location at a cheap price. Staff were also all really friendly and great to chat to. Temperature was perfect in rooms which is great considering it was 5 degrees outside.

No Wi-Fi or mobile reception in the room, no electrical socket designed for top bunks (they were at bottom bunk level). Beds were a little more uncomfortable (you can feel and hear every spring) than I would expect even in a budget hostel.