Haymarket (Central)

Wake Up! Sydney Central

★★★★★

Wake Up! Sydney Central is the classic Sydney backpacker base, and it does the job well. It sits on Pitt Street directly opposite Central station, which matters more than anything else for a budget traveller: the airport train, intercity trains to the Blue Mountains and the south coast, the light rail and dozens of bus routes all leave from across the road. Inside, it is a large, well-run hostel with a social atmosphere. Shared dorms come in four-, six-, eight- and ten-bed configurations, including female-only dorms, and each bed has a personal locker and a light box with a USB port, with linen supplied. Private rooms, from singles to twins, doubles and triples, include towels and toiletries, and some have ensuite bathrooms, which makes the hostel a decent option for couples on a budget as well as solo travellers. The facilities go beyond the basics: Roy's Cafe serves barista coffee and Aussie fare with a daily happy hour, Side Bar hosts DJs and evening events, and there is a communal kitchen and dining area for cooking your own meals. More unusually for a hostel, there is a gym with a sauna and cold plunges. Reception and security run 24/7, with free Wi-Fi, laundry, air conditioning, a travel desk for booking tours and onward travel, and luggage storage on arrival and departure days. Wheelchair access is available to all areas. From the front door, Chinatown and Haymarket's food courts are a few minutes' walk, Surry Hills is just behind, and the CBD and Darling Harbour are easily walkable.

Where it fits: Central is the transport heart of Sydney, and the streets around it are a mix of student accommodation, hostels, Chinatown restaurants and the edges of Surry Hills and Haymarket. It is not the prettiest part of the city, but for cheap eats, connections and being able to reach everything quickly, it is ideal. The airport train makes arrival and departure simple, which is a real advantage on early flights.

Room craft: solo travellers who want to meet people should book a six- or eight-bed dorm; light sleepers should choose a four-bed dorm or pay for a private room. Women travelling alone may prefer the female-only dorms. Couples and friends travelling in pairs should compare the price of a private ensuite with two dorm beds; it is often a small difference for a lot more privacy. Use the travel desk for Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley and coastal tours, many of which pick up nearby.

Who it suits and the trade-offs: backpackers, students, solo travellers and anyone on a tight budget who values location and a social scene. The bar and the size of the place mean it is lively rather than peaceful, and street noise around Central is constant. Families with young children will be more comfortable in an apartment hotel. For an affordable, safe, well-equipped base right on the transport network, it is one of the best in the city.