YHA Sydney Harbour

Incredible location near everything you need to see in Sydney. The rooftop bar is definitely the highlight, with incredible views of the opera house and live music on weekends. Standard facilities for a hostel but staff were friendly and helpful. You are also able to borrow hairdryers for free from reception and towels are provided which is very helpful.

This was our first stay at a YHA – and it definitely won’t be our last. What a fantastic surprise! The location is excellent, and the rooftop bar offers stunning views across the city. It quickly became our go-to place to relax after a day out. The room allocation was spot on – close to the lifts and the rooftop bar, which made everything really convenient. The room itself was simple but very comfortable. The beds were great, and my daughters couldn’t stop talking about how good the pillows were. Nothing fancy, but everything was clean and well looked after. We also didn’t realise there were tea and coffee facilities in the room, which was a really nice bonus. The staff were genuinely friendly and helpful. A special mention to Lee, the rooftop bar manager, who went above and beyond – not only helping with our food order for the family but also giving great local tips, including how to get to the observatory. The Big Dig downstairs was an unexpected highlight. Having an archaeological site right there and being able to explore some local history added something really unique to our stay. We were also really impressed with the food. The prices were very reasonable, and the quality was great – burgers and chips on the rooftop with those views felt like incredible value for Sydney. We’ll absolutely be back.

Hi, I enjoyed my stay here but 3 days was more than enough. I've stayed in the Meriton 1 bedroom suites & will compare my YHA Rocks solo room ensuite to Meriton 1 bedroom because the nightly rates are close (Meriton prices being slightly higher at the time of writing this). What I liked about YHA Rocks: clean & modern, very friendly staff in my experience (guy with Spanish accent made excellent hot chocolate for me & was super nice). Breakfast for $14 was excellent value for me with good choice of food. Excellent location and thats why the prices are what they are! I'd say for what I paid, YHA the Rocks is not as good or excellent value for money compared to Meriton 1 bedroom ensuites. I'd say the prices at YHA the Rocks for your own room with ensuite are very high because of the fantastic location, definitely not the room quality. Meriton I have: own washer & drier, kitchen (I can cook anything I want & the gas isn't shut off at 11pm), own dishwasher, cutlery & crockery, own fridge & freezer, daily free amenities like bottles water, toiletteries, coffee, milk, coffee maker, pool, spa, gym, air con & heater better range of temperature to choose from than YHA, own cupboard, drawers, safe, own couch, coffee table. My room in YHA was tiny, no cupboards & draw as huge as Meriton. I have stayed at YHA 23 years ago & it was more of a party backpackers place, lots of fun. Way more grungy. These days, I wouldn't call it a youth hostel. Its more like a nice place to stay with no crazy party animal types you'd get 20 plus years ago. I saw people there of all ages from young to elderly, most people keep to themselves or their group. I'd say that has to do with modern technology & everyone looking at their phones too much & too afraid to talk to new people. In summary, good for short stay, great location, but not as good value as Meriton.

I had a really great stay at YHA Sydney Harbour in The Rocks. The location is excellent and very convenient. It’s close to the city, and you can easily walk to many places. There are also buses and trams nearby, which makes getting around very easy. One of the best parts of the hostel is the amazing view—you can see both the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House from the property. The rooftop bar is a fantastic place to relax and enjoy the view, especially in the evening. I also really liked that they have a café open 24/7, which is very convenient. The hostel also has a shared kitchen for guests, so you can cook your own meals if you want. The staff were very kind, friendly, and helpful during my stay. I especially want to thank Aldo , the manager who helped me when I came back to the hostel one night after having a bit too much to drink. I really appreciated the understanding and support. Overall, the service was excellent and the atmosphere was welcoming. I would definitely recommend this place to others, and I will happily come back again in the future.