Gecko's Backpackers — Hotel in Parramatta Park

I booked one night in a double room because the next day I was taking the bus to Mareeba to start bicycling N in Cape York. That WAS my intent. Because of a sudden, and serious foot infection I stayed for 23 days being treated by very competent physicians.

I saw all sorts of folks stay here at Geckos (I am here on my last day). If you want to stay here, REMEMBER that there are 2 basic conditions:

Paying guests only. No alcohol.

There is no discussion about these two "rules". Both are strictly enforced by Peter, the owner and host. These rules are for everyone's safety, and I have seen Peter enforce both. Eviction with no refund results because of non-compliance - no discussion (and NO refund)! In my 23 days here, I (along with other guests) was/were disturbed by noise by two groups drinking in the evening. Peter took appropriate action! After evictions, the following nights were quiet!

There are plenty of showers and toilets on both floors of the main building, and in the separate building too. The double rooms in the separate building have small fridges. All public areas are cleaned several times daily. I never saw a toilet without toilet paper. Each guest gets a towel. I never had to wait for a shower in my 23 dsys at Geckos and wonder why some complain - what is wrong with waiting?? Besides, what is wrong with co-ed showers/toilets. Every home I have been in does NOT have separate toilets/showers for males and females. Same with airplanes - you know, those metal tubes used to bring the complainers to Australia and to Cairns. Some folks just like to complain for no reason.

The kitchen has hotplates, kettle, toaster and microwave and 2 fridges. There are cabinets to store your foods. Too bad that some folks don't clean up after themselves, but Peter cruises around making sure the counters are neat/tidy. This is all about OUR health and safety. Plenty of room for cooking - if guests don't hog all of the hotplates. There is a need for co-operation/sharing (and sometimes having to wait your turn.) Wonder why anyone wants to pull the knobs off the hotplates - don't you know that the knobs must be turned not pulled?? These knobs don't just "fall off". Didn't Mommy teach these complainers anything??

This is also true of using showers/toilets (I say this to the complainers wanting instant access to all facilities).

In looking at recent negative reviews, I think these reviewers show immaturity and entitlement. They illustrate foreign travellers to be malcontent and uncouth. Not so! Geckos is clean, safe, and quiet. If they are niggling about this hostel, these reviewers should go back home and live with Mom and Dad. They obviously cannot see past their own needs and don't understand anything about living co-operatively with others. When more mature, then these malcontents may realize that hostels like Geckos offer comfortable, clean, and quiet accomodation at a reasonable price. If you want "cheapest and best" then you will find a drunken "party place" elsewhere - but NOT at Geckos. Laughed at Peter's response to "Beth's" negativity - there has not been a Beth booked here at Geckos. Hummm, trolling are we "Beth".....

Geckos has room for some tents and camper vans, but the main offerings at Geckos are the dorms and double rooms. This hostel is right across the street from a big mall and near to inexpensive pharmacies (which I needed for the anti-biotics the physicians prescribed) and a walk-in clinic. There is FAST 5G internet access and it works everywhere - the complainers should check their equipment as my Android tablet worked fine for the 3+ weeks at Geckos and I mean everywhere. No weak signal and fast downloads.

All in all, after 23 days at Geckos I give this hostel a...

When I stayed at Geckos I felt unnerved. Upon arrival I immediately got a bad Gut feeling and texted my friends that I felt like I was at Bates Motel from the movie Psycho. I am very perceptive and my instincts have not failed me yet. My friend had booked on my behalf so I hadn’t checked reviews.||||After checking in before my friends arrived, Peter the owner repeatedly told me that mattresses were new and there were no bed bugs even though I had not asked about that. He was so insistent that it struck me as odd considering I didn’t make any mention of anything related. There was something about his eyes that made me feel scared.||||Due to this odd feeling, while waiting for my friends I checked other people’s reviews. There were many bad ones, including reports of violence from the owner, aggression and drugs. Peter had been accused of being a criminal elsewhere online. Even more worrying was the way Peter had responded to the online reviews- defensive and aggressive in most cases. |||| I was told by Peter that there was a no alcohol rule, which suited me just fine as I was due to take an early trip to Great Barrier Reef. However I quickly learned that although there was a no alcohol rule, drugs made their way in. That night at dinner a 40 year old guest who looked like he was rolling on whatever he was on excitedly came up to us with his nerf gun and convinced me to have a go while I was eating. Shortly after, an older man approached us at dinner and asked us if we had any needles, to which we replied ‘no’. He then disappeared into a room, I think laundry room if I remember correctly, next to the outdoor table. ||||Atmosphere in hostel was very quiet and odd. Peter was somewhat helpful but was also impatient when I asked standard questions about what was included in Great Barrier Reef trip in the morning. ||||I Wouldn’t stay again, I was relieved to leave and that I made it through the night.||||I had intermittent internet on my travels and was very busy and overwhelmed when I returned to the UK but as I travelled this time last year I remembered my experience and want people to know before they book. AVOID AT ALL COSTS Especially if...

My advice - Don't waste your cash here..

Hostel is nice if you like small yellow rooms with no window and blue out of order bathrooms.

The staff were as bland as the decor. Unhelpful and rude at best and he atmosphere was none existent.

Having read the other reviews about the place I can only assume that the manager has a bi polar disorder. Great some days and terrible others.

My girlfriend and I arrived after 3 days without sleep, 2 boats and 5 planes later we just wanted an easy check in and friendly smile. With 9 years on the road I have witnessed plenty of cheap places and bad management skills. Geckos certainly excels in both of these areas.

At the time there were 2 managers - both lacking in people skills and compassion. Their attitude would suggest they were running a 5 star Sheraton Hotel in London not a small back backpackers in Northern Queensland. The manager had clearly lost interest in the business years ago and is now only interested in making more money at the expense of your hard earned cash.

We were forced to pay for 3 night when we only wanted 1 night.

The staff insisted that they were compromising and we trying to force more out of them?

They kept telling us how lucky we were that they had beds for us when it was clearing the start of the quiet season and plenty of beds available.

The website advertising 'The friendliest backpackers in Cairns' must surely be a joke?

Rude and condescending attitude towards the guests.

Their reasoning for the pricing and policy was that its the same everywhere else in Cairns - Not the sharpest business mind at around.

Be sure to take plenty of cash as that's the only form of payment they accept. A dodgy hostel blatantly isnt the only business here.

In conclusion my advice would be - Don't waste...