Anyone know of good Hostels or Bed-n-Breakfast's to stay in? We will be visiting in May to Sydney, Hobart, Lauceston, Darwin and Cairns. Just trying to keep the budget as small as possible, meet some other travelers and still be safe and have a decent clean place to sleep. <BR><BR>Thank you all for your time!

Try this site.<BR>www.bedandbreakfast.com.au<BR>I find that B &amp; B's are quite expensive in Australia. So I can't recommend any sorry.<BR>

You could try looking at the hostels listed on hostels.com or budgettravel.com/hostels.htm. Also, lonelyplanet.com has a message board and info on hostels and other budget accommodation.

Old info when I did the backapcking thing, but for what it is worth - Cairns had a lot of shocking backpackers, but the official YHA was fine. Launceston's YHA was regarded as one of the worst in OZ due to management (that had been around a long time, so may still be there); Hobart's Bellerive was OK - very quiet pretty location, near the Bellerive Oval. Sydney - I am not a fan of the official YHA at Glebe - it has OK accommodation but I would prefer more central or alternatively more beach oriented location. Lots of Kings Cross hostels, a lot of which will be rubbish - good for night life but not necessarily everyone's cup of tea as a lot of sleaze as well and not as safe as other areas. Once you get there you will find lots of people with recent experience - ask the Brits especially, especially if first stop is Sydney or Cairns.

This is a long URL I found, but worth it! Cut and pasteBR><BR>http://www.experienceparadise.com/db/210/norm/hostels/no/Australia/all/full/listing/page.html<BR><BR>

You should be able to search a few websites and pick out the most recently built private backpacker places. There are new ones coming on all the time and they are more like hotels which is beginning to eliminate the need to stay at a YHA. The standard has improved greatly over the last five years. It's an extremely competitive market now.

Thank you JamesA for the experienceparadise.com website--it's an excellent site and I am adding it to my Australia file.

I've never stayed there but the YHA right next to Sydney's Central Station has an excellent reputation (http://www.yha.com/hostels/details.cfm?HostelID=29).<BR>If you wanted to splurge on a hotel room in a great location in Sydney I'd suggest the Grand Hotel in Hunter St (www.grandhotel.com.au)

You all are great. Thanks for sharing your insights and research. This site is a gold mine because of people like you. I'd like to buy you all a beer when we arrive OZ!!