The building is charming and gives very cozy vibes. The beds are dirty and incredibly stained, same goes for pillows, holes in duvets etc. The kitchen is way too small for the amount of people, they also lock it off at 22:00 which is super inconvenient. Staff also seems dissatisfied and depressed working there.

A real dive, run by a total scumbag, who loves to offer weekly discounts to guests and then turf them out on the street if there is a problem. He has this routine he does, where he boots them out after they have paid and waits till they have accepted that they will LOSE THEIR MONEY!” then he approaches them and in a compromising way, offers a REFUND. That would be ok but for the overtones of serious repercussions to agreeing to this deal he makes. I have seen it happen to people, the same as it happened to me. Beware of the Manager.

Not a bad hostel, cool nun theme. People are polite but not friendly and mostly long term stays, I would go elsewhere if you're just in town for a few days. Hardly/no planned events by hostel staff

The place itself is a good looking hostel, with good common areas to chill, cook, eat and chat. The location is amazing, right in between Fitzroy and the CBD, a 2min walk to the Melbourne Museum and in front of a tram line. However, although the staff was nice when they were on site, I wished they stayed for longer than they do. There is a 10Pm quiet rule that exists, but it is nowhere to be enforced, and my partner and I found ourselves woken up by people chatting loudly in corridors multiple times from 10PM up until 2AM... The 1 bed bedroom was tidy and minimal, but somehow always warm? Would love some more insulation (both noise and light) from the doors and windows too.

Lack of communication between the staff led to me not being charged the correct amount when I thought I had paid up to my leaving date. Really disappointed with the lack of flexibility and professionalism of the American receptionist, I know she's just doing her job, but it really annoyed me. Otherwise this is a realllly loud hostel. Suitable for young backpackers but not for anyone looking for a good night's sleep. Positive notes: I was in an extremely loud room and late one night and one of the members of staff, Gabriel, very kindly moved me to another room that was much quieter, so thank you for that Gabriel 👍 He was very kind and professional.

My favourite hostel in Australia. A Melbourne institution for backpackers. This was the first place we stayed in Australia and it couldn’t of been more perfect for what we wanted. Extremely well run, loads of connections with the local area so great place to get aquatinted with the city. Very social, which is promoted by the hostel but not forced - something we struggled to enjoy in other places we stayed. An amazing place to meet cool/creative/fun people.

If you want to share your food with rats, The Nunnery is the place for you! Terrible experience due to unsanitary conditions. Wasn't refunded. I paid $92 for two nights in a 4-person mixed dorm. First, they assigned me such a small room that I couldn't even open my suitcase on the floor. Moreover, it smelled really bad. I asked if they could move me to another room, and thankfully they did. However, minutes later, I had to share my bread with a guy because his was completely eaten by rats. I immediately reported what had happened and requested a refund. All of this happened within about an hour. At the time, they couldn't do it because the manager wasn't available, and they told me that on Sunday, when the manager arrived, she would contact me (spoiler: she never did). Before that, they had offered to let me keep the money I had spent as credit, and I explicitly told them I had no interest in returning. On Sunday evening, after hearing nothing from them, I sent an email. I received a response from a person whose name I don't know because they didn't sign their reply. They simply expressed they were sorry that I hadn't enjoyed my stay with them and again offered a credit as the only possible solution for when I might want to return. Which, in other words, is never :')

Good location by museum and 96 tram stop and friendly staff. Very noisy, including on Sunday night, old wooden building so noise carries and some other guests also very loud, and quite rough/basic, showers either super hot or cold, no basics like tea or coffee, and beds very hard.

The nunnery was one of the best hostels I experienced in 2013. Still in contact with friends I made here including a guy I met on a pub crawl who is now my husband...can’t wait until we can visit again and reminisce! And Fitzroy is a great neighborhood!

-The rooms are spacious which is nice and have high ceilings. -There’s lots of chill areas to sit, a big lounge, lots of tables and outside seating too. -The kitchen is well equipped and had decent fridge space when I was here. -The staff are very friendly. -There was a nice vibe and other backpackers there were friendly. -Unfortunately the en-suite shower in my 6 bed dorm was out of order, and another shower upstairs wasn’t working well either. But usually managed to find a free shower on other floors. -The ‘quiet at 10pm’ rule is not enforced and if you’re in a room on ground floor, near kitchen or near the lounge room it’s quite loud at night with people in there after 10pm, especially at weekends. -I would rate hostel cleanliness a 3/5 as most common areas were clean but I don’t think my en-suite bathroom was cleaned once whilst I stayed for 5 nights.

I've been to many hostels in many countries but the Nunnery has a special place in my heart. Beautiful people and in an amazing building. And what a great location too! Too bad it's on the other side of the planet for me atm, otherwise I would pop by regularly.

I loved staying here, staff was super nice and helpful. Felt super at home here, cosy hostel. They have all kinds of leaflets that are helpful for things to do, places to eat in, etc around Fitzroy and Melbourne, but also Great Ocean Road roatrip tips and such.

I lived here on and off for a few months. The people, the atmosphere, and the environment itself are really truly remarkable. It always felt like home. Positive, nurturing, and healing place.

My flight was canceled which delayed my ability to come to Melbourne. Despite my sending the flight cancellation email and explaining the situation, the Nunnery wouldn’t let me move the booking and I was still charged for a night. With all of the confusion and difficulties flying at the moment, I wouldn’t recommend booking here.

I just check the fire hidrant and it's good, safe hostel. Sorry i was led to believe a wrong thing, it is an extinguisher! And it's still good!

Perfect place for backpackers... Highly recommended!

Hallways and general areas were not clean, and they were unkept and loud. No staff on site. The room was nothing like the photo in Booking.com (see photos), and next to a loud shared outdoor area. The room was cold, the bedding was minimal and old, and my partner barely fit onto the bed. There were left over tissues, wipes, and cotton buds in the showers. The straw that broke the camels back was that the communal toilet seats and floors were sticky with urine. We actually left. We called, and we were told to email to get a refund, but after several attempts, and not getting a response, we gave up.

Bathrooms are filthy. Every part of the hostel is poorly maintained (showers with broken taps, filthy and decrepit toilets). Provided linen is dirty, inadequate, and smells of mildew. BLANKETS ARE NOT WASHED BETWEEN CUSTOMERS. Staff are rarely available. Manager is awful to customers. Location is good, people are good.

The Nunnery is a decent option for hostels at this price in the city. The location is great with the 96 tram stop directly out front, it’s a close walk to the Melbourne museum, and about a 5-10 min walk to Brunswick nightlife (if that’s your kind of thing). The hostel itself definitely gives a homely vibe. There is one common area where all the long termers relax and party in. Whilst they’re friendly, it’s definitely up to you to make yourself included in the fun, but only if you enjoy basking in the smells of others (no windows). The rooms themselves are basic hostel rooms, not much to add. The shared bathrooms are a bit of a wild ride, but always clean. The showers have two options; boiling or freezing, and I mean BOILING or FREEZING, I’m not even sure if it’s legal tbh! You have to spend quite some time finessing the knobs like a dj whilst standing there in the freezing cold nude... To summarise: General vibe: Hipster/European Indie Pros: no significant behavioural issues by the guests or hardcore drug use Cons: shower of death, funky smells Overall: 3/5 stars, I’ve seen worse.

The best hostel with the kindest and most welcoming staff! I’ve had the best stay here, they really make it so you don’t want to leave. The building itself is unique and has so much character, unlike many other hostels in Melbourne; and the location couldn’t be better! Besides the quirky buildings and rare gem of an urban hostel courtyard, both the people who work and who stay here make the environment so special. The staff will take great care of you. Big shoutouts to Andi and Matilda at the front desk. Such kind and wonderful humans. I cannot wait to return!

+ The building itself (old wooden style) and its decoration make you feel comfy and cosy The staff was fairly friendly Free breakfast a bit better than usually (real good bread ?) Outdoor patio tables Easy to meet people in the spacious common areas. I found a free parking street nearby (x little hanover / cowell) Common activities/diner organized Good location, right across a nice park and streetcar stop - Nothing too bad : Could be noisy and messy (like any hostel) A bit pricier than other hostels around.

Honestly I must say it is little old fashioned but you would love your stay here. The people working here are very humble and welcoming.

I can’t put in words how grateful I am for the service I received here, but I wanted to write a review at least. I changed my hostel a few weeks ago because it was simply cold there during the winter days and they didn’t make any effort in changing that. As soon as I came here I just felt this fresh air of friendly helpful staff and a owner that actually cares. Whenever I had a problem I felt respected, understood and helped, that’s the kind of service I like to pay for. Thanks for that nunnery, I’ll come back. Ps: during winter days it’s warm and everyone is very welcoming :-)

Cheapish accom close to Melb cbd. It's basic but pretty good

Like many others, I came to the Nunnery with the intention of staying one week. But after experiencing the chill ambiance, the most amazing people and the helpful and friendly staff, I enjoyed my stay a lot longer :) Don’t expect a clean 5 star hotel, it’s a little rough around the edges. If you’re able to see through that and enjoy the vibe and like meeting interesting people, you’ll have the best time you can possibly have in Melbourne! 5/5 would visit again

I stayed with you guys for one of the best months in my entire life in 1996. Playing soccer with all sorts of people in the park across the street, backpacker evenings in pubs at St. Kilda's Pier, sleeping late till noon and having Egg McMuffins with my best mate during the stay, John Thompson from Thumberland Upon Tyne, at McDonalds in the big shopping mall with the plane and hot air balloon. I miss those days of movie evenings next to the fireplace with loads of great people, watching "Shawshank Redemption" with popcorn and just being part of a great group. The nunnery and the time I experienced will stay forever in my heart.

Small but clean private room. Unfortunately none of the 3 showers near me ran any hot water so didn't start my day off very well.

Excellent staff and great vibe

Really nice and homey place. Most comfortable hostel I've stayed in, in terms of the warmth and character of the space. A few noisey people spoilt the other wise perfect atmosphere.

Perfect accomodation for a few week stay as we did. Staff are very nice, living room is so comfy. I highly recommend this place !!

Haven't stayed there yet,,,butit looks very well restored and lovely paintwork,,etc inside.

Lovely place in the heart of Fitzroy and very close to the cbd, but without being jn cbd chaos. Staff is amazing and there are a couple of social areas, one indoor one outdoor..

Positives: Location. Price. Negatives: Very loud at night and no staff there to enforce quiet rule. Kitchen is tiny and not suited to the number of guests, it's actually the size of a one person studio kitchen plus a dining area that seats only six people. Rooms are very crowded and out of control messy. Ensuite toilet/shower makes noise late at night obviously, and there's only the one shower for ten of us in the room.

Great stay at this hostel and the people who works there are really kindly and helpful. The bathrooms are quiet clean but maybe the kitchen is a little bit small for this hostel capacity. Except that, nothing to add 😉

I would stay away. Rooms are very messy, loud, and seems likes there is no control in the rooms or common areas. They also have a ridiculous policy that you can’t upgrade to a private room upon arrival. You can upgrade, but you have to for your original room and your upgrade. Makes no sense whatsoever.

Very bad experience. Unfortunately I had the bad luck that someone stole my food even though it was labeled, someone moved things from my room without my permission and one day I came back from doing paperwork and they had taken my sheets. I'm leaving early because of all the bad experiences, they don't want to take charge or refund my money. It is also an old, broken building and the kitchen is usually always dirty. I do not recommend it at all.

This place has no respect for the neighbourhood. They like to let their tenants make lots of noise especially on Monday nights when people are trying to sleep. Yelling and screaming. I feel sorry for tenants who are trying to sleep. Completely disrespectful.

Let's start with the good things - the 12 bed dorm was quite spacious, the style of the hostel in general is quite cool in an old building. The location is nice - right across the street of Carlton Gardens, a couple of minutes walking distance to the lively centre of Fitzroy and and a 10-min walk to Parliament station. The staff was friendly and the couches in the living room were super comfy. Now why it only gets 2 stars from me - starting of with the toilet paper. Now this might seem silly to mention something like that but seriously. It ripped the second you would touch it and honestly, investing in a slightly thicker toilet paper shouldn't bankrupt anyone, right? Then the kitchen. Waaayyy to small for so many people. If you're on a budget and have to cook because you can't afford eating out all the time, be aware, that you will always have to work around at least 6 people in this kitchen, no matter what time of the day it is. No Free Food shelf, no free spices and oil to use, disgusting sponges. The order to wash and dry your dishes but no tea towels to actually dry your dishes, so everyone leaves their dishes in or next to the sink, cause you really have no other option. The lock to the room took like 5 trys every time to open up. No big lockers, just small ones. In general not really clean. The room was a mess. I suppose it is quite a social hostel, if you stay long-term and enjoy daily nigh-outs. But when you wanna go to bed at 11pm, be prepared for a big group of people drinking, playing loud music and chatting on the couches in your dorm rather than the downstairs common area. For what its worth, it was quite cheap compared to other hostels in Melbourne, so that was nice.

The Nunnery is possibly one of the nicer backpackers around. Just don't expect 5 star accommodation, you do get what you pay for. It might not be perfect, but, still... it's better than other backpackers around Melbourne. Absolutely beautiful building with some friendly staff. Even though the staff didn't seem to want to be there and looked depressed. Like they're forced to work there or something.

The rooms are clean and the people staying very nice. Location is Good. But kitchen is very small and there is no free breakfast as stated on website and Hostelworld.

Good location, but serious breaches of the disability discrimination act and real health hazards in common areas saw me needing to leave. Room was quiet but dirty stained nattresses are not acceptable.

Rooms feel very basic and dated. No additional blankets in the cupboard and even with the heater it was cold.

My stay was average, the walls are very thin but what do you expect in a hostel. Main negative is that the double room with a shared bathroom is extremely expensive for what it is. Take your money elsewhere and spend it on a hotel near by. You'd get more for your money. Would not come back to The Nunnery

Stayed there November '93. The first hostel I ever stayed in. Looks as superb now as it was then. The only thing missing on the photos is the telephone booth I called my mother, internet and mobile phones were not yet existing. Now running my own hostel...

Fabulous breakfast! Tea/coffee available anytime day or night. ❤️ Three ladies at reception in particular were very helpful. All staff on premises were very friendly. Very clean accommodation. Great event nights throughout the week. However, avoid 4 bed dormitories. Extremely tiny & cramped. Also, I never had one good night's sleep during my stay. Bunk beds shake alot if the other person remotely moves. Kitchen is very very tiny. Great location.

This is one magical place where friendly staff and guest help to create an atmosphere of a home away from home! I was stayed during the cold Melbourne winter and hot Melbourne summers and never thought of moving! Great indoor and outdoor areas where you can socialize with amazing people and quite corners where you can just chill and embrace the funky Fitzroy vibe! If you need anything, Alyse will help you to the best of her abilities, and she will play you a turn on her ukulele if you ask her nicely! Love this place and I would love to come back again 😁

Loved the place and the staff.

Excellent clean, well priced, close to the city. Historical comfortable extremely friendly

(Translated by Google) Free bicycle rental. Kitchen and laundry available. Wifi is slow. (Original) レンタサイクル無料。 キッチン、有料ランドリーあり。 Wifiは遅い。

Hella cool ! Lovely atmosphere, with events planned pretty much everyday, and free breaky ?

(Translated by Google) very uncomfortable mattresses, noisy room overlooking patio (Original) matelas très inconfortables, chambre bruyantes donnant sur patio

Clean, affordable accommodation near the heart of the city

Cheap and cheerful backpacker and flashpacker accommodation in a great location. Good dining and drinking options close by and a tram stop out the front.

The Nunnery Guest House, where I stayed, is quiet and filled with old-world charm. It has a well provisioned guest kitchen, plenty of sitting spaces in and outside, clean shared bathrooms, and a comfortable and clean bedroom ... in a very handy location.

Had a 3 night stay in the guest house. Basic needs were catered for and pleasantly surprised to find even hair-dryers in the bathrooms. The location is very convenient, with tram stops for line 11 and 96 right outside, and 15 minutes walk from the free tram loop.

Good vibe, location and chillspot. Only downside is the kitchen which is actually still pretty ok

One of the coolest hostels I’ve ever stayed at! I loved the old building. There’s plenty of bathrooms and hot water. People at reception were awesome! The location is pretty good too, very close to the CBD by tram. The neighborhood is awesome and there’s plenty to do around. I would stay again!

I enjoyed my stay here! Everyone was up for a good time and super friendly. A few pros and cons. Pros: building charm is great, location couldn't be more perfect, staff are friendly and helpful, facilities are reasonable, plenty of activities, free cereal etc and the beds were comfortable. Cons: being a social hostel the noise level is high into the night and the staff don't monitor it that much so keep that in mind if you're looking for peace and quiet. Bathrooms are unisex, fine by me but could make others feel uncomfortable, you need to pay for street parking (not a huge deal and pretty cheap), call ahead and make sure there are no School City Camps staying as they were obnoxious, rude, loud and one kid spewed everywhere on our landing and they were verbally abusive to guests and hanging out on the roof yelling at each other. Overall if you are looking to make friends, have a bloody good time and party this is the place for you. If you are looking for a peaceful nun like experience-look elsewhere.

Great hostel: staff all friendly; my room was spacious enough; not loud at night but still sociable; everywhere kept very clean; great location. The only thing missing was some bedside lighting and plug sockets that would fit my charger (they are attached to the walls in some awkward places). I would happily stay here again.

Super friendly service !

The rooms were clean and the general vibe of the place was friendly

Friendly staff.

Very pleasant

I can't praise John enough for all his help and going above and beyond to accommodate our needs

For me personally, the Nunnery Accommodation comes close to the perfect package for me, it's location is outstanding ,staff are friendly and helpful , fellow travellers are friendly and interesting and respectful, ? I would not hesitate to recommend the Nunnery as an excellent place to stay , lots of private little pockets & nooks and great community gathering areas, l could go on but I'll stop now , just come have a look and make up your own mind.

I checked into the nunnery on Saturday and the staff that greeted me upon arrival where nice. However, there was a miscommunication that led to me being charged for an additional night that I didn’t want to stay for. When I arrived the lady at reception confirmed my booking and I changed the booking to two nights and was told if I wanted the third night to let them know before 12 the following day. When checking out I was told that I had to let them know before 12 to CANCEL the room. So I’m disappointed with the communicative service of the nunnery. I was also trying to explain the situation before being interrupted and told that I had to leave because there was a bus waiting to take me to the airport. (Fair enough) but the mistake was not on my part and I’ve been charged for it. Not cool. To end on a positive though, the beds were comfy and the place is nice for reasonable price.

Stay in the guesthouse if you can't handle noise

Excellent place to stay.

Beautiful building. Very clean and comfortable. Staff were friendly and helpful

A great hostel, but noisy and bathrooms need more regular cleaning. Free brekky is great and tea and coffee too. A bit expensive for a private half size room. Good relaxed atmosphere.

Unfortunately I had a bad experience at The Nunnery. I was in a mixed dorm and felt highly uncomfortable and very unsafe due to the behaviour of one individual in the room to the point where my only option was to leave. When I approached staff with the issue, they were disinterested and did not provide any support whatsoever to the point of rudeness. They refused to provide a refund despite the unfortunate situation because it was “not within their refund policy”. I left feeling worse than before. I hope others have a better experience.

Private room on the small side, but great value for the price

Attentive and sympatic staff. Clean room. There's a lot of living people that makes hostel not funny as I expected. At 22h00 everything is calm and quiet.

good and clean. free breakfast

Good place to stay for a couple of nights; Pros; clean, well located, nice service, and cozi. Cons: No free WiFi, need more bathrooms, and the beds disposition was awful.

Noisy . bit blah. The photos on the website are super generous ?

Having stayed in numerous hostels across Australia, the Nunnery is by FAR the best I’ve stayed in! The staff are SO incredible, I’ve never stayed somewhere where they genuinely seem to care as much as these guys do! I intended to stay a couple weeks, ended up staying a month and would do it all over again. Made some amazing friends here too, could not recommend it enough for people wanting to build a base network in Melbourne! The area is awesome too for both day and night life; Fitzroy in general is so cool and quirky! Could genuinely write a whole essay about why you should go, so I’ll end by saying… you’d be making a serious mistake booking a different hostel!

The Hostel advertised a female only six share dorm, which is what we selected and paid a deposit for a month prior. When we checked into our room there were men in the dorm with us and it was an eight share. The man working reception said this was unfortunate, he would call his manager, and the only reason there are men there is because they haven’t checked out yet but they haven’t been booking men into that room because they wanted to make it a female dorm. We expressed our discomfort, but he was apathetic and simply said the place was booked out, and was more interested in chatting up women. And then the next night, three different men moved into our room, which made us uncomfortable and was false advertising on behalf of the hostel. We would not have stayed there if it was advertised as only mixed. The place was gross and old with stains on the carpet. We were all disappointed with the lack of care and capacity of the hostel to take care of this issue.