The Backpackers in Green Point

★★★★★

After a 19 hour trip from Florida to Cape Town it was such a relief to know the hostel we booked provided the comfort and community environment we were looking for. We had 5 days in C.T. and only booked 3 nights for the B.I.G. (planning on moving to a hotel in Camps Bay), but decided to extend our stay at this amazing hostel!

Location: The B.I.G. is tucked away in a small, very safe "neighborhood" of sorts. It's a little drive off the main road, hidden amongst a few residences as well as other guesthouses and backpacker stays. It is a little under a 10 minute drive to the VA Waterfront and right at a 10 minute drive to Long Street (Party Central), and a 15 minute drive to the Table Mountain Cableway or National Park. You can also do a wine tour from here with one of their drivers and fit in Cape of Good Hope, Boulders Beach, views from Hout Bay and at least 2 wine vineyards in Stellenbosch all in 1 day!

Arrival: We arrived later in the evening and were pleased to find a lovely lady waiting for us at the front desk. She wanted to make sure we made it in and to show us around before we were left with a nightwatchman. We were introduced to the "Honor System"/anything you take from the fridge you write down on the paper provided attached to the fridge door. This immediately made us feel welcomed and like we were trusted friends already! 

Room: Our room was spotless and warm (it was cold in September) and our bathroom was tidy and looked brand new. The outside terrace is a winding bungalow between rooms and is very well maintained. Make sure you bring additional charging equipment if you have GoPro, laptops, drone equipment as there are very few outlets in the room. We stayed in a 2 person private room and had the pleasure of residing in a 4 person our last 2 days all to ourselves. The 4 person is more spacious, but put 4 people in there and it's back to normal "hostel" size. The 4 person (upstairs) room did have a larger bathroom so don't be discouraged if you're in there with 4 people.

Kitchen/Communal Areas: The breakfast situation was do-it-yourself style with some assistance by the staff. All the food and drinks were provided, you just needed to help yourself to the toasting, scrambling, and pouring of what you wanted. For lunch we were out and about. Dinner was the most fun because on select nights they had themed community dinners where everyone staying was invited. We had an awesome African style BBQ put on for us and got to eat dinner with up to 15 other travelers! To this day it's one of my most favorite dining experiences abroad. Their is no bar, but it's not necessary. The staff are the best at getting you motivated to go out and see what Cape Town has to offer... plus there's beer and wine in the fridge that's refilled regularly :)

The communal areas are very cozy and hip spots to do any work, make further travel plans, or hang out with your new friends! There is an entire cork board filled with suggested things to do and honestly just by talking with the staff you're better off.

Overall: The B.I.G. hit all the marks! If it's your first hostel ever, don't expect this experience from them all because The B.I.G. really created a unique experience here in Cape Town. Ivor and his staff are the foundation of it all and the style/decor/rooms make it all the more comfortable. They provided us with a bus ride back to the airport to top everything off! I highly recommend to anyone passing through beautiful Cape Town and hope to be back one day!