One of the best sites of diving to the world, a large aquarium, beautiful beaches, lively nightlife and direct connection with Magnetic Island, the island of koalas. Here are some of the attractions of Townsville, one of the Queensland regional capitals, boasting an average of 320 days of sunshine per year.
Like most of the Australian cities however, it is quite expensive and the cost of an overnight stay could prove to be an incentive to go to the edge of the city to find good value for money. If the budget is tight, but don't want to give up a private room and a central location, there is a solution: the Civic Guest House, at 262 Walker Street, in the city center and a five-minute walk from Palmer Street and Flinders Street, full of restaurants, pubs and nightclubs, and ten from the seafront.
In the Civic Guest House you will find the attention for the guests and the cleanliness of a good hotel, the large common areas and the opportunity to meet people and make friends in an excellent hostel. Although the website www.civicguesthousetownsville.com.au jokingly states that there is no age limit, most guests have between the 20 and the 35 years, with pleasant exceptions: during my 4-day stay at least three couples were well over forty. The Guest House offers various types of rooms, all with fridge and sink in the room: 4/6 beds, with private bathroom and air conditioning (from 24 AUD per bed per night), double rooms (from 30 AUD per bed), double rooms with shared or private bathroom (from 58 and 75 dollars).
All this is completed by a large common kitchen complete with everything with a dining area, a laundry room, two relaxation rooms, a porch, a small terrace and free wifi, which is not seen so often here in Australia. Anne and Levart they have totally renovated the property and have been running it since March 1, 2011: in addition to advice on what to visit in and around the city, they also offer free transportation to / from Townsville airport and train station.
For those who want to, and intend to stop at least 3 weeks, there is also the possibility of working for a few hours a day at the reception or cleaning the common areas, receiving free accommodation and use of the laundry in exchange. That the hostel is much loved by former guests as well as by those who stay there at the moment, is evident from the hundreds of emails, postcards and thank you letters arrived here from all parts of the world and placed by Anne in a large bulletin board in the Lunchroom.
But the Guest House also was awarded by Hostelworld as the third best hostel in Australia in 2012, and since 2011 it continues to receive awards for cleanliness, staff and excellent overall condition of the hostel also from TripAdvisor and Hostelbookers, sites that low-budget travelers appreciate and thanks to which often organize their holidays. This is why we cannot be disappointed.
