Budget Travel – Page 22 – The Wknd Travel

Hostel Of The Day: FLINDERS BACKPACKERS MELBOURNE – Budget-Friendly & Extremely Popular Hostel In The Heart Of The City

Hey ho! Welcome to my newest Hostel Of The Day feature. Last week, I shared with you some details of the walkathon we made around Melbourne. We went to & passed by some interesting parks, gardens & historical sites. Don’t worry, that’s not all. I have a lot to share with you about Melbourne. Watch out for those posts in the coming weeks & months.

I mentioned in my previous post that my friends & I stayed in a hostel in the center of Melbourne. This hostel is Flinders Backpackers Melbourne, today’s hostel of the day feature. We stayed in this property for 8 days & 7 nights; basically the whole duration of our Melbourne trip. Flinders Backpackers has been awarded by Hostelworld as the most popular hostel in Melbourne for 3 years in a row. No wonder a lot of tourists & those on working holiday stay in this hostel.

Allow me to share with you some details about the hostel, it’s fantastic location, room pricing & the amenities included in the hostel. At the end of the this post, I will also tell you how my stay went in the hostel & if I will recommend this to my readers or not.

Location & Access

One of the reasons why this hostel is very popular is because of its location. The hostel is located at 35 Elizabeth St, Melbourne, right at the center of the central business district. The nearest tram stop (tram rides within the CBD zone are free!!) is a 1 minute walk from the hostel doors. Flinders Railway Station is about 2 minutes walk from the hostel.

The hostel’s location is unbeatable. The nearest Coles, Liqourland & Woolworths supermarkets are on the other side of the street. There are also food shops (pizza parlors, kebab & sandwich takeaway shops) & fast food restaurants (McDonald’s & Hungry Jacks) nearby. The nearest convenience store (7-Eleven) is at the corner of Elizabeth St & Flinders St. Everything one needs can be found within the area.

Melbourne Tullamarine & Avalon Airports are about an hour way from the hostel by public transportation. From these airports, one needs to take the SkyBus shuttle ($19-$22) to Southern Cross Station. From this station, take the local subway to Flinders Street Station. Get off the station & walk northbound up Elizabeth St until you reach the hostel entrance. Alternatively, from Southern Cross Station, transfer to the free city trams. Take trams number 86 & 96 up Bourke Street, change to any southbound tram to Elizabeth St. Get off at the Elizabeth St / Flinders St stop & walk towards the hostel entrance. The hostel reception is located on the 3rd floor.

I give the hostel’s location a 12 out of 10. It’s location is perfect for everyone travelling around Melbourne.

Private Rooms & Dormitory Rooms

Flinders Backpackers Melbourne is a large hostel that caters all types of travelers. They have different room & bed configurations that can satisfy the guests wants. They have private rooms with ensuites. You can get these rooms cheaper if you go with the one with shared bathrooms. They also have dormitory style private rooms with shared bathrooms. Instead of the usual double or twin beds, the rooms have bunk beds in it. The rooms with private en-suites have their own bar fridge. The other private rooms have the usual basic amenities – individual plugs, reading lights & a comfortable bed with pillow & sheets. Towels are available for rent at reception. All these rooms only have fans, no air conditioning – something to take note.

The hostel has 2 types of dormitory rooms – the basic & the premium dormitory rooms. The basic dormitory rooms are the usual dormitory rooms with individual lockers, reading lights, individual plugs & single beds. These rooms either have 3 beds, 4 beds, 6 beds, 14 beds, 16 beds or 18 beds in a room. Note that these rooms also do not have air conditioning. The 2nd & newest type of dormitory rooms are the premium ones. These dormitory rooms have the same amenities except that they have brand new shower areas plus the rooms have air conditioning. Towels are also included in these dormitory rooms. The rooms come in 6, 8, 10 & 12-bed configurations.

The rates of these private rooms & dormitory beds vary from one to the other. The basic ones will surely cost lesser than the premium dormitory beds. Rates also differ based on the season & how busy the hostel is. For those who plan to stay longer (like a week or 2), the hostel has weekly rates for the different rooms. Check out this page for the updated rates. For the general rates, feel free to head over to the hostel website & click Book Now.

Hostel Amenities

Like any other hostel, Flinders Backpackers Melbourne also has a long list of amenities to enjoy. Check out these amenities & perks below.

Free WiFi
All guests have access to free WiFi connection. The password can be obtained from reception. It’s not the best connection you can have (also due to traffic), but it can get you through whatever you need to do. I got myself a data SIM card so I didn’t really use the hostel’s WiFi.

Free Superb Breakfast
The hostel provides a superb breakfast to all guests. Pancake mixes are available every morning. You can cook your pancake depending on how big or how much you can finish. They also have bread with jam & all sorts of filling. There are also different types of cereals (with milk – non-fat, low fat & full-cream) to choose from. As far as I can remember, breakfast starts at 6:30 or 7 until 9:30 am.

Free Coffee, Tea, Rice Grains & Pasta Noodles
Aside from the superb breakfast, Flinders Backpackers have coffee, tea, rice & pasta noodles for free every day at all times.

Spacious Kitchen & Dining Area
Flindes Backpackers is a large hostel catering to hundreds of guests every single day. Their kitchen & dining area is spacious enough to accommodate guests. The kitchen has complete cooking facilities. There is a big cold storage for unfinished food or raw ingredients. Guests just need to put their name, room number & check out date in their containers. The kitchen is open as early as 6:00 am until 12 midnight. The dining area on the other hand is open 24/7. PS. The hostel follows the CLAYGO (Clean As You Go) policy.

Large Communal Toilet & Shower Areas
The hostel has large communal toilet & shower areas per floor. Of course, the male & female shower & toilet areas are separate. They even have hand dryers near the faucets. These facilities / areas are cleaned daily.

Lounge & Games Areas
The hostel also has a spacious lounge & games area. This place is perfect to meet new friends & also to mingle with other people. There are board games available to play with (including a giant Jenga) & a pool table for those who fancy.

Cinema Room
The cinema room is located beside the reception area. The hostel hosts movie nights (with free popcorn) weekly. They also hold viewing parties of popular series & movies. They had a Game Of Thrones viewing event during our stay.

Communal Personal Computers
The hostel has communal personal computers which guests can use to book onward flights or accommodations, research about Melbourne or Australia or use it for whatever purpose. These computers can be used for free.

24-Hour Reception
Hostel’s reception is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can always check with reception if there’s something you need to ask. Check in time is at 2:00 pm while check out is at 11:00 am. Remember that they take $20 deposit at check in. They give the money back when you check out from the hostel.

Daily Housekeeping
The hostel people go around all the rooms every day from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm for cleaning & daily housekeeping. They provide the every guest a container where things can be placed. These containers are not touched by the staff during these cleaning times. Valuables should be placed in the provided lockers.

Free Luggage Storage
Luggage storage is free for all guests both for the check in & check out days. Guests can leave their stuff in the area beside the reception.

Laundry Facilities
The hostel also has laundry & ironing facilities in one of the floors – I forgot sorry. Feel free to ask reception how you can use these facilities.

Helpful Staff
The hostel staff are very helpful & accommodating. They approach all guests with their warm smiles & lively greetings. You can ask them anything about the hostel facilities, activities & basically anything about Melbourne at any time of the day.

Secured Hostel Access
The hostel can be accessed by individual key cards provided during check in. These key cards have limited access – guys can’t access female toilet areas, key card only works on your room & not in any other room. Also, the key cards are needed to use the lifts up to the rooms. The hostel also has security cameras everywhere – including the cold storage. It’s definitely a secured place to stay.

Daily Hostel Activities
The hostel hosts daily activities for all its guests. They have movie nights, game nights & even free meals every Thursday night. I was able to take a photo of the daily activities last April 2019. Check out the activities below. These are the perfect opportunities to get to know your co-guests & meet people from all sides of the world.

Bar Discounts
The hostel has partnered with the bar on the 1st floor for guest-only discounts like free entry on poker nights, discounted alcohol drinks & free karaoke activities. Check with reception on what are the updated perks on the bar.

Free Walking Tours
Last but not the least, Flinders Backpackers have free walking tours daily. These walking tours basically talk about the history of & some interesting facts about Melbourne. The guide picks up the guests every 10:25 in the morning at the reception.

Quite a long list, eh? Now you know why Flinders Backpackers Melbourne is a popular hostel. This hostel indeed provides this long list of perks. This list makes one’s stay worth it.

My Stay

As mentioned earlier, my friends & I stayed in the hostel for 8 days & 7 nights. We stayed in a 3-bed basic dormitory room – perfect for us 3. My good friend Lord, stayed in another dormitory room because he only stayed for 4 nights. The daily rates during our stay were not the lowest because we were there during the Easter holidays. Weekend rates cost $38 per person per night while weekday stays cost $35 per night. We got 1 night free because we stayed there for a week. We paid $216 each (tax included). It’s one of the cheapest rates in the city at that time. We had the room to ourselves. Hey, we’re staying in an awesome hostel!

The 3-bed basic dormitory was clean but just alright. The room was a bit small but it contained all our basic needs. It has a single bed by the window & a bunk bed. All beds have a personal reading light, a power plug & a USB plug. The room also had lockers & personal storage spaces under the beds. The room didn’t have air conditioning, only a fan for us 3. The communal toilet & shower areas were a few steps from our room. Our room had a nice view of the city. WiFi was not the best, but still OK. The hostel has 2 lifts, but it takes a while to go up or down due to guest traffic.

We enjoyed the free breakfast during our stay. We made our pancakes every morning, even had cereals & bread with it. We were always full every morning. One thing I wasn’t able to enjoy during our stay was the hostel activities. We were out most of the time, so I didn’t have the chance to really mingle with the other guests. They had awesome hostel & bar deals (& even free Mexican dinner) during our stay. Perhaps I’ll check these activities out next time.

The staff mentioned they recently upgraded their WiFi,but looks like it’s still bad. I hope they fix this soon. Also, some areas like the 8th floor male toilet & shower area are already quite old. A lift system change can also be good for the guests. I hope they slowly refurbish their facilities for better guest experience.

Overall, my friends & I had a pleasant stay at Flinders Backpackers Melbourne. Are we going to stay here again? I don’t know with my friends, but me? A BIG YES. As mentioned above, I want to join their activities next time. Oh, they’re usually booked out so better plan your stay & book early. Also, book directly with them – it’s usually cheaper than other booking websites.

Just in case you have any more questions about the hostel or you want to contact them for your upcoming stay, feel free to reach them in the details below:

Flinders Backpackers Melbourne
Address: 35 Elizabeth St Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
Phone Number: +613 9620 5100
E-mail Address: info@flindersbp.com.au
Website: www.flindersbackpackers.com.au
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/flindersbackpackers

Have you stayed with Flinders Backpackers in Melbourne? How was your stay? I hope you had a great experience as much as we did. I am still in constant search for hostels to feature in this website. Do you know any cool hostel to feature? Feel free to share them in the comments below. You can also send your suggestions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thanks for your time.. Until the next Hostel Of The Day feature!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

N9 In Straya Series: Walking Around MELBOURNE Part 1 – Parks, Gardens & Heritage Sites

Last August 2018, I went to Australia for a week-long trip with my N9 friends, Shane & Leng. We spent days around Sydney’s heritage sites & country icons, tried the extreme rides in Scenic World Blue Mountains, toured Hunter Valley & had a taste of the best wines in the region & walked along the beautiful Bondi & Coogee Beaches. I also had the chance to spend a few days with my relatives in Brisbane. It was the perfect dry winter trip, away from the humid & rainy Manila.

We all got multiple entry visas on our 1st application (find out here how we did it) & we agreed to fly to Australia again before our visas expire. Fast forward to April 2019, we all flew back to Australia for another week of adventure.. But this time, in Melbourne! Yes, we went around Melbourne & Victoria in general for 8 days & oh boy, we had a great time. I cannot wait to share everything in this platform. This trip to Melbourne also means I’ll be reviving the N9 In Straya Series which started last year.

We were joined by my good friend, Lord of LordAroundTheWorld, for the first 4 days in Melbourne. Lord was the one who invited me to go to Its The Ship 2018 last November. We had the best party nights on board a cruise ship – good times. Anyway, I will be dividing the trip write-ups into 6 or 7 sections & I’ll try to remember as much details as I can.

FLIGHTS

Last year, I paid around ₱11,500 all-in for a return ticket to Australia. Yes, that cheap! We flew with Cebu Pacific Air, a low-cost carrier, for 8-hour trips to & from Sydney. The experience was alright, though nothing beats flying with a full-service airline. Given our planned dates fall on the high (Holy Week) season, we decided to fly with the same airline in their Melbourne route.

This time, I paid around ₱15,000 for a round-trip ticket to Melbourne, Australia. The ticket only included shared baggage with my friends, no in-flight entertainment or food. Both flights were on time which were good. However, the experience was terrible. The flight was full, we had no space to change seats & have a row of seats to ourselves. The cabin was noisy in general & the service was a bit slow. The crew were fantastic, there were just around 400+ passengers on board.

This Melbourne ticket is amazingly cheap considering higher fuel prices & taxes. I’d still take the same flights but not during peak seasons.

ACCOMMODATION

My friends & I stayed in Flinders Backpackers in the center of Melbourne. We got a 3-bed dormitory room (perfect for us 3 – Lord got his own bed in another dormitory room) for 8 days & 7 nights. I will talk more about the hostel, its location & our experience in my upcoming hostel of the day feature. Watch out for that.

WALKING AROUND MELBOURNE

Last year, my friends & I joined the I’m Free Tours in Sydney & we had a nice experience. We opted not to take the I’m Free Tours Melbourne because we already know about the history of Australia. It would’ve been nice to know more about Melbourne in that walking tour but my friends didn’t want to take it again. Instead, we explored the city on our own. Trams are free within the central business district plus everything in the area can be reached by foot. Today, allow me to share with you the list of heritage & historical sites, parks & gardens we went to in the city.

Flinders Street Station

Flinders Street Station is Melbourne’s main train station. It was built in the 1850s & then transform into what it is now in the early 1900s. It is Australia’s first railway station. The station serves the whole Victorian metropolitan network. Flinders Street Station also has one of the world’s longest train platform at 708 m long.

St Paul’s Cathedral

Located opposite Flinders Station & Federation Square, St Paul’s Cathedral is another heritage structure built in the late 1800’s. It is an Anglican cathedral in Melbourne, the cathedral church of the Diocese of Melbourne & the seat of the Anglican Primate of Australia.

Royal Exhibition Building

Royal Exhibition Building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Carlton Gardens, Victoria. It was built in the late 1800’s & has been used for events & exhibitions in the city. Up to now, the place is used for those types of functions. Note that this building is undergoing a multi-million renovation & is expected to be completed by 2020.

Carlton Gardens

Carlton Gardens is a 26-hectare site located a few streets from the main city. This massive open space has the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne Museum & IMAX Cinema in it. Just like the Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton Gardens was also declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.

Shrine of Remembrance

The Shrine of Remembrance is a war memorial that is dedicated to all Victorians who served in the war, particularly during the World War 1. The shrine is located outside the Central Business District, but is only a few tram stops from Flinders Street Station.

Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne

Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne is a 36-hectare botanic garden located at the south of the Yarra River. This botanic garden is home to thousands of plant species located along slopes, garden beds, lakes & lawns. This botanic garden serves as a breakout space & a bonding place for people who wanted to take a break from the busy city life. Entry to the garden is free of charge.

Fitzroy Gardens

Fitzroy Gardens is another 26-hectare block of greens at the back of the Parliament Square. This massive parkland is another park that is located within the Melbourne CBD. The Cook’s Cottage can also be found in this park.

Parliament House of Victoria

The Parliament House of Victoria is the house or meeting building of the Victorian Parliament. This historical & heritage landmark is located along Spring Street, beside the Old Treasury Building. The building was under renovation during our visit last April.

Old Treasury Building

From the name itself, the Old Treasury Building used to house the Treasury Department of the Government of Victoria. This old but beautiful building has then been transformed into a museum of Melbourne History.

St Patrick’s Cathedral

St Patrick’s Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. It is also the seat of the Archbishop of Melbourne. The church was built in the 1850s but took a while to be completed. The cathedral is located in Cathedral Place, right at the back of the Parliament Building.

Old Melbourne Gaol

The Old Melbourne Gaol used to be a prison that held the country’s notorious criminals. It also had records of people being executed & hanged. It stopped operating as a prison after the world war & has then become a museum. Entrance fee to the museum is at AUD 28 per person, quite expensive to be honest. My friends & I decided not to go inside because it was out of our budget.

Queen Victoria Market

Queen Victoria Market, locally known as the QVM, is one of Victoria’s famous landmarks. It is an open air market that serves as the main trading hall for Victorians & for visitors. We visited the QVM on a Wednesday night & it was also the 2nd night of the Europa Night Market. This night market showcased different food, delicacies & drinks from selected European countries.

State Library of Victoria

The State Library of Victoria is the state’s central library. Built in the 1850s, it is Australia’s oldest public library & at the same time world’s first free libraries in the world. The library has various reading & collections room where locals & visitors can have a look. I’ve been to this library twice last April, 1st one with Lord & the 2nd time with my N9 friends. This is by far one of my favorite places in Melbourne. The view from the topmost floor of The Dome is just stunning.

This ends the list of parks, gardens & heritage sites we’ve been to in Melbourne. I’m sure we’ve been to more but I can’t remember the other ones. Melbourne is such a nice city. Its buildings are combinations of heritage listed brick ones & modern & contemporary ones. Its one of those cities where you won’t get tired of walking around.

Have you been to Melbourne in the past? What is the most interesting building you’ve been to? How was your visit? Feel free to send your thoughts & experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about the matters above? You can also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Watch out for more Melbourne content in the future! Thank you for reading.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Japan Highlights 2019: MATSUMOTO & FUKUOKA Stopovers

Now, I’ve shared much detail about my recent Japan trip – from spending 36 hours in Tokyo, exploring Nagano in 48 hours to going around Kyoto for a day, riding thrill rides at Universal Studios Japan & playing with the sacred deer of Nara Deer Park. I’ve also talked about the hostels I’ve stayed with – Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel, Dot Hostel Nagano, New World Inn Osaka & Fukuoka Hana Hostel.

It was a beautiful, clear & sunny day in Fukuoka during my 22-hour stopover last February 2019.

There’s one more part I’d like to share with you to complete the details of this Japan 2019 trip. In between the places & hostels I mentioned above are 2 cities where I stopped for a few hours – Matsumoto & Fukuoka. Allow me to share with you the details of my stopovers in these cities.

Matsumoto

Matsumoto is a mountain city in central Japan; it is the second largest city in Nagano Prefecture. This very small & simple city is known for its beautiful castle & the view of the Japan Alps. I had about 3 hours of stopover in between trips from Nagano to Osaka.

I took about an hour trip from Nagano to Matsumoto via the local JR line. We passed by the snowy mountains & smaller towns of central Japan. Upon arrival at the station, I was welcomed by the beautiful view of the alps. I had a 3-hour stopover so I decided to walk around the city.

Matsumoto Castle

The city’s landmark is the country-famous Matsumoto Castle. Know locally as Matsumotojo, this is one of country’s original & most beautiful castles. It is a castle that is built on a flat ground rather than a hill or a mountain. This castle dates back to the ancient 1600’s & still has the majority of the original structure. Entrance to the castle grounds is free while a fee of ¥600 needs to be paid if guests want to go inside the castle buildings. I didn’t have enough time to inside the buildings; I explored the nearby streets instead.

One of the streets near the castle is Nakamachi Street. This street is full of ancient & preserved wooden houses that have been converted into commercial spaces & souvenir shops. There wasn’t much going on when I walked along the street.

Matsumoto Station

The city’s main hub is Matsumoto Station. Everyone that travels to the city by land drops by this station. This station is also an inevitable place to see when visiting the city because of its modern & clean facilities.

Japan Alps

One of the most beautiful views that welcomed me in Matsumoto is the view of the Japan Alps. I’ve seen the same alps in 2017 from Mount Fuji’s 4th Station but seeing them a bit closer was different. These alps run along the mountains of Central Japan, mostly in Nagano Prefecture. Most of the areas in Matsumoto provide a nice sight of the alps.

After walking around Matsumoto for a few hours, I headed to the Alpico Bus Terminal in front of Matsumoto Station & took the afternoon bus to Osaka where I met with my sisters.

Fukuoka

The second stopover I made & the last city I visited on my recent Japan trip is Fukuoka. As mentioned in my previous posts, I had to go to Fukuoka because it was from this city where I got my cheap flight back to Manila. Believe it or not, my Fukuoka to Manila ticket cost me less than ₱700 not including check in baggage. Cheap right? I got this on way ticket from one of GetGo‘s points sale last August 2018.

I’ve been to Fukuoka in 2016 so I decided to just walk around the city in this 22-hour stopover. I booked a night stay in Fukuoka Hana Hostel (again) & explored the nearby area by foot right before my flight. I went around the following areas.

Kawabata Shopping Arcade

My hostel was located along Kawabata Shopping Arcade. I took this chance to check on the local shops, restaurants & cafes in the arcade. The area is tourist-friendly though I find it catering more to the local crowd than the tourists. I still had a nice stroll anyway.

Tenjin

Tenjin is Fukuoka’s downtown area. Located about 15 minutes walk from my hostel, this area is full of shops, fancy restaurants & night clubs & bars. It is also where you will find most of the locals & tourists; also the place to see a lot of Hakata ramen places.

Canal City Hakata

Canal City Hakata is Fukuoka’s largest & most unique shopping complex. This 5-storey commercial complex has about 200 shops & restaurants & 2 hotels with canals running through the building.

One of the unique areas you’ll see in this shopping mall is the Ramen Stadium in the fifth floor. It is an area of 8 restaurants serving different flavors of ramen from various Japan cities & areas.

Kushida Shrine

Kushida Shrine is the Shinto shrine a few meters away from my hostel in Hakata. The famous local festival called Hakata Gion Yamakasa is being held in this shrine every July. I was there on a weekend so there were a lot of people in the shrine.

I only decided to walk around the area near my hostel because I was a bit tired. It was the last of 9 days in Japan & I’ve been out & about for the past days. That laid back last day was the one I wished for before flying back to Manila the same night.

So there you go.. This post sums up my stopovers in Matsumoto & Fukuoka & my February 2019 Japan trip in general. Thank you for taking time in reading my posts & sharing them in the online world. I appreciate all the comments, emails & messages I receive. They keep me going!

Do you have any question about Matsumoto, Fukuoka or the whole trip in general? Feel free to post them in the comments below or send them via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Can you do me a favor? I hope you can help me promote my social media pages to your friends & families – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

The end of a trip series means a start of another series. That’s right – watch out for my upcoming posts about my recently-concluded Melbourne trip with my N9 friends.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hostel Of The Day: NEW WORLD INN OSAKA – Simple, Affordable & Modern Property Near Tennoji

UPDATE: New World Inn Osaka has ceased operations. I am keeping this Hostel of the Day feature to give tribute to such excellent accommodation.

Hello & welcome to the newest Hostel Of The Day feature on this website. In my last Japan trip, all my accommodations were hostels. I already shared with you some information about Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel & Dot Hostel Nagano, my hostels in Tokyo & Nagano respectively. I mentioned in my recent Kyoto post that my sisters & I decided to base in Osaka.

We decided to stay in an inn or hostel for 4 days & 3 nights while we explored the Kansai Region – Osaka City (for them), Universal Studios Japan, Kyoto & Nara. This accommodation is called New World Inn Osaka. It is a relatively new property located in the area of Nishinari, near Tennoji. We booked less than 2 months before our stay, but we still found this great accommodation for an affordable price.

Allow me to share with you some details about the hostel plus how my 3-night stay went in this lovely property.

Location & Access

New World Inn is a 3-storey hostel located 1-5-6 Taishi in downtown Nishinari-ku in Osaka. It is located in a quiet neighborhood about 10 minutes away by foot from Tennoji, Osaka’s one of the busiest stations. Popular Osaka attractions such as Tsutenkaku Tower, Kuromon Market & Osaka Tennoji Zoo are near the property. There are nearby restaurants, cafes & bars a few meters away from the hostel. The nearest convenience store is about a minute walk from the hostel’s doorstep. Believe it or not, there is a Don Quijote near the hostel, about 7 minutes walk, just across the Shin-Imamiya Station.

The property is very accessible via subway & JR lines. The hostel is about 3 minutes walk from the east exit of JR Shin-Imamiya Station. It is about 3 minutes walk from exit 4 of the Doubutsuen-Mae Station of the Midosuji Subway Line & also a few minutes walk from exit 8 of the Sakaisuji Subway Line. Namba & Shinsaibashi area are about 4 minutes away by subway. The hostel may not be in the super center of Osaka, but it’s strategic location connects all the guests to pretty much everywhere in the city & even in Kansai Region – Nara, Kyoto & Kawaramachi.

Room Types

New World Inn caters mainly to budget & business travelers. They have both private & dormitory rooms in the property. First, the property has a number of single private rooms. These rooms come with a bed, mattress & pillow, air conditioning & heater, power plugs, a small desk with a chair, mirror & lamp. The 2nd room type the property offers is the twin room. This room has 2 single beds, same features as the single room, but with a bigger space. This room also has a private balcony. Toilets & shower facilities are shared & are available for use on every floor.

The dormitory rooms come in a 4 & 6-bed configuration, all equipped with wooden-framed bunk beds. Each bed features a mattress, pillow, duvet, a reading light & a power outlet. Guests also have access to lockers located in each room. Just like the private rooms, toilets & shower areas are shared unless specified. There is a 6-bed dormitory room that includes a restroom, shower area & a powder area.

I booked my stay in this property via Agoda & Booking.com using credit card & promotional codes. I may not have the fixed rate at this point but rest assured that the room & dormitory bed rates are affordable & competitive enough.

Guest Amenities & Perks

Staying in a Japanese hostel comes with a long list of amenities & perks guests can enjoy. Check out the following offered by New World Inn in Osaka.

Free Wi-Fi

Guests have access to a fast & free Wi-Fi connection. Username & password can be obtained from reception.

Ground Floor Cafe / Bar

There is a cafe / bar in the ground floor. The hostel has partnered with this commercial establishment to check out the place for offers (if there are any).

Communal Lounge & Dining Area

Guests have access to a small communal lounge & dining area in the 2nd floor, right in front of the reception. It is the place where guests can relax & eat after a long day of exploring.

Communal Kitchen With Free Coffee & Tea

The hostel comes with a small kitchen complete with cooking & heating facilities. It also has a refrigerator where you can store food & drinks. Just make sure to put a label on your items. Coffee & tea are free & available any time of the day.

Common Toilets & Shower Facilities

As mentioned earlier, guests have access to clean & well-maintained toilet & shower rooms. These facilities are located in each floor. They even have female-only shower toilets.

Rooftop Space

The property has a communal rooftop terrace where guests can sit, relax & mingle with other guests. The terrace is open daily from 8:00 to 22:00.

Luggage Storage

Luggage storage is free of charge to all arriving & departing guests. Bags can be stored from 10:00 to 22:00.

Reasonable Reception Hours

The hostel has reasonable reception hours. Reception opens at 11:00 & closes at 22:00. Check in time is from 15:00 to 22:00 while check out is up until 11:00 only.

Nice & Helpful Hostel Owner

The owner of the hostel lives in one of the rooms in the 2nd floor. He is a super nice & helpful man. He makes sure that guests have a nice stay in his property. He even gives us suggestions on where to go & what to do.

Coin Laundry

New World Inn has coin laundry facilities. Washing of clothes cost ¥200 while drying costs ¥400 & lasts for 40 minutes. The laundry facility is open from 8:00 to 22:00.

Secured Door Entry

The property has a secured entry area. Everyone needs to key in a entry code to get through the door. The way going up the rooms is well-lighted. The hostel has no curfew.

My Experience

Let me share with you some thoughts about my 3-night stay in New World Inn. I got myself a single private room for around ¥2,700 per night. That pretty much is an equivalent to a dormitory bed in other Japanese hostels. My sisters stayed in a twin room on the 4th floor. My room was located just in the 2nd floor, near the reception & the communal areas. The room was just right for a single person, not much space for big luggages & other stuff. The bed was comfortable. The only problem I had with the room is its location in the building. It is by the main road so guests can hear all the cars & people passing by at any time of the day or night.

The facilities & common areas are modern, clean & well-maintained. The property interiors are simple but very neat to look at. The owner was really nice. The only thing I think of as a challenge to some guests is the absence of lift to the property. The hostel reception is located in the 2nd floor & it is a few steps up. It may be hard to go up with your big luggage but the owner is very much willing to help in bringing your stuff up & down the property. The property’s location is a winner. It’s 10 out of 10 for me & I will definitely stay here again when I fly back to Osaka.

If you want to know more about the property or if you want to check the rooms available for your intended stay, feel free to contact them in the details below.

New World Inn Osaka
Address: 1 Chome-5-6 Taishi, Nishinari Ward, Osaka, 557-0002, Japan
Phone Number: +81 6 6537 9140
Email address: Contact form available via website or Facebook page
Website: www.newworld-inn.jp/en/
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/newworldinnjp

Have you stayed with New World Inn during your Osaka visit? How was your stay? Do you know other interesting or feature-worthy hostels in Osaka or anywhere in Japan? Feel free to share the names of these hostels in the comment section below. Who knows, I might consider that in my next trip to Japan. Do you have any questions about New World Inn or anything about Osaka? Feel free to send an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Many thanks!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Japan Highlights 2019: KYOTO – Japan’s Ancient Capital In One Day

The whole 9-day Japan trip is starting to take its full shape. My first 36 hours was spent in Tokyo with my family. Then, I took the off-beaten path & spent 48 hours in the mountainous area of Nagano. After my stay in Nagano, I headed to Osaka to be reunited with my sisters for a few days. Our 1st day in Osaka together was spent being ‘kids’ again at Universal Studios Japan.

After spending a fun day in USJ, my sisters & I allotted one day to visit Japan’s ancient capital, Kyoto. It was their 1st time in the country so a visit to Kyoto (at least the highlights) was on our list. I already wrote a few articles about Kyoto in the past in this website. I’ve been to Kyoto in 2015 & 2016 so I was their tour guide for that day. We only had a day here so we only chose the major sights & carefully planned our route.

Kyoto Route

In my past visits, my friends & I decided to stay in Kyoto during our visit. This time, my sisters & I decided to base in Osaka. From our accommodation, we started our Kyoto journey by taking the train to Hankyu-Arashiyama Station. We walked around Arashiyama & then took the local railway from Randen Arashiyama Station to Kitano Hakubaicho Station. Then we walked for about 15 minutes to reach Kinkaku-ji or the Golden Pavilion. From there, we took the local bus to Kyoto Station for lunch.

After lunch, we went to the nearby Higashihonganji Temple. We walked back to Kyoto Station & took the local train to Fushimi Inari Taisha. After going up (or at least half of the mountain), we walked down to Fushimi-Inari Station of the Keihan Main Line & took the express train back to Osaka.

We planned our route well up to the point where we won’t go back & forth certain places. We started off in Arashiyama & finished our Kyoto visit in Inari area with a short stop in the center.

Let me share to you the specifics of each area we visited.

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Arashiyama

Katsura River
Random street in Arashiyama

My recent Arashiyama visit was different from my previous trips. This trip started off in Hankyu-Arashiyama Station where we walked along Arashiyama Park, Togetsukyo Bridge & Katsura River. We then headed to Tenryu-ji, Arashiyama’st most important zen temple. The temple features a landscaped garden with a central pond surrounded by rocks & trees. An entrance fee of ¥600 is collected from each visitor. My sisters & I bailed out knowing there’s an entrance fee.

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

We continued walking to Arashiyama’s main attraction, the Bamboo Forest / Grove. This must-see scenic place stretches through an easy uphill path. We went up to the very end of the way thinking there will be lesser people. Unfortunately, there were even more people in that part. Luckily, we found some spots where there were close to no people.

More of the Bamboo Grove
Local Randen Railway

Kinkaku-ji

After about 1.5 hours around Arashiyama, my sisters & I went to Kinkaku-ji via the local Randen railway & a few minutes walk. Kinkaku-ji, commonly known as the Golden Pavilion Temple, is Kyoto’s most beautiful & famous temple. This temple is the number 1 attraction in Kyoto & is flocked by millions of tourists every year. It has a pond in front & a garden at the rear. We were there during a cloudy day but we still saw a reflection of the temple in the pond. [Entrance fee: ¥400]

Kyoto Center

Right after a short visit in Kinkaku-ji, we took the local bus to Kyoto Station. We first had lunch at Sukiya, a local restaurant chain in Japan. I got my favorite gyudon dish topped with melting cheese. I ate it with their signature pickled radish & cold Japanese tea.

After lunch, we walked to the nearby Higashihonganji Temple. This temple served as the center of Buddhism in Kyoto. Admission to the temple is free. We leisurely walked back to Kyoto Station & went to our next destination.

Fushimi Inari Taisha

From Kyoto Station, we took the JR Nara Line to Inari Station, then to Fushimi Inari Taisha, the temple famous for the thousands of orange torii gates. This shrine is dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. We went up to half of Mount Inari, to where there were more torii gates & less people & took photos of ourselves. Entry to the shrine & up Mount Inari is free of charge.

We then made our way back down & headed to Fushimi-Inari Station of the Keihan Main Line. We took the next express train back to Osaka, had dinner in Shinsaibashi & went back to our accommodation.

It was a day full of walking & sort-of hiking around Kyoto. We may not have been to as many places as we can but we surely covered the highlights of Japan’s ancient capital.

Have you been to Kyoto in the past? How did you find the city? Are there other places that I need to visit when I go back? I’ve been to this city 3 times & I feel like I still need to go back & to explore more. Don’t be shy & share your suggestions in the comment section below. You can also send those suggestions to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Arigatou. ✌️

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.