Ballater Hostel

Location: Ballater Hostel, Bridge Square, Ballater, gb

Star Rating: 9.4 Stars

Property Type: Hostel/Backpacker accommodation

About this Property

Important Information

Policies

Check-in: 05:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Check-out: 10:00 AM

Amenities & Facilities

• Non-smoking rooms
• Family rooms
• Luggage storage
• Non-smoking throughout
• Shared lounge/TV area
• Board games/puzzles
• Shared kitchen
• Staff adhere to local safety protocols
• Guest rooms disinfected between stays
• Physical distancing rules followed
• Hand sanitizer in guest room and key areas
• Cashless payment available
• Fire extinguishers
• First aid kit available
• Smoke alarms
• CCTV outside property
• Access to health care professionals
• 24-hour security
• Key card access
• Free wired internet
• Golfing on site
• Internet access
• Fishing nearby
• Horse riding nearby
• Snow sports gear
• Paddle boating nearby

Rooms Available

• Bed in 8-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room

  Rooms are 6 square yards.

  Max Occupancy: 1 (1 Adults)

  • Shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Toilet paper
  • Trash cans
  • Socket near the bed
  • Lockers
  • Smoke alarm
  • Key card access
  • Reading light

• Bed in 6-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room

  Rooms are 6 square yards.

  Max Occupancy: 1 (1 Adults)

  • Shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Toilet paper
  • Trash cans
  • Socket near the bed
  • Lockers
  • Smoke alarm
  • Key card access
  • Reading light

• Superior Private Room

  The family room provides a safe deposit box, heating, as well as a private bathroom featuring a walk-in shower and a hairdryer. This family room features a flat-screen TV. The unit offers 2 beds.

  Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)

  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • TV
  • Hair dryer
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Toilet paper
  • Trash cans
  • Cots
  • Socket near the bed
  • Smoke alarm
  • Key card access
  • Reading light

• Quadruple Room

  The quadruple room features soundproof walls, a seating area, as well as a private bathroom boasting a shower and a hairdryer. The unit has 4 beds.

  Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)

  • Shower
  • TV
  • Hair dryer
  • Seating Area
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Toilet paper
  • Trash cans
  • Socket near the bed
  • Smoke alarm
  • Key card access
  • Reading light

Guest Reviews

• Graeme (10/5): -
• Helen (10/5): Great place to stay whatever you are travelling to Ballater for. - Excellent location, lovely clean room, plenty towels and blankets if you are cold.
• chelsea (10/5): -
• Steven (9/5): Almost ideal for what we needed. Very friendly staff, bike parking was a good bonus too. - Hostel was immaculate, loads of space and good kitchen facilities. Shower was warm and spacious. Bed was not the comfiest I have slept on.
• Stanislaw (10/5): -
• Altaf (9/5): - The vibe is positive and super friendly staff, on site laundry and bike store The mattress was a bit worn and springy
• Cameron (8/5): -
• joanne (10/5): Helpful and clean and tidy - It was very friendly and very helpful always will to answer questions you may have very clean and tidy
• Iain (9/5): -
• Jean (9/5): - Excellent well-equipped kitchen and dining/rest area.
• Neil (9/5): - Excellent hostel in great location with very helpful and friendly staff. Very good kitchen facilities, dining and communal area. Would definitely stay again. My bed was a little uncomfortable and soft for me.
• Craig (10/5): -
• Shelley (10/5): - Friendly staff! When we stayed, there were several older adults in the mixed dorm room (like 55+) -- one had a CPAP machine which made it challenging to sleep...they probably should have booked a private.
• Tony (10/5): Wonderful - Just the best Its perfect
• Jim (10/5): -
• Chris (8/5): - Very friendly, nice communal kitchen and lounge set-up. Kitchen roomy and well-stocked, and the lounge also spacious and comfy. Location is great, parking nearby. I did not like the bed - it was softer than I like - but it was on wheels and moved about a lot.
• Jacqueline (10/5): Woukd def stay again. - The property was very clean. Location excellent. The kitchen was well stocked with pans for cooking. Tea, coffee and hot chocolate were complimentary. Rooms comfortable and bathrooms clean. Dan, the owner, was interesting and enjoyable to talk with.
• Michelle (8/5): -
• Ian (9/5): -
• brian (10/5): - Had a great stay, me and my son had never stayed in a hostel before but it was great I would highly recommend it
• Martha (10/5): - The place is lovely in all aspects. I really loved it the bed wasn't comfortable. That is the only thing for me. I was in the mix dorm
• Alena (10/5): - Úžasné ubytování, předčilo očekávání. Nemůžu nic vytknout.
• Isobel (8/5): -
• David (10/5): Perfect, I’ll come again. - Kitchen facilities were fantastic and staff really helpful Nd friendly. N/A
• Bernadette (10/5): - The hostel was clean and comfortable. Very good facilities and the hosts were great Had a great night sleep
• Dobson (10/5): -
• Robert (10/5): An excellent hostel, would definately recommend! -
• Simonet (10/5): We will come back - The tenants were really lovely and helpful !
• Stuart (10/5): -
• Arnaud (10/5): -
• Manuel (10/5): - Atenció excel·lent, ubicació, molt net i pràctic
• colin (1/5): Got cancelled after confirming 😠 - Nothing, I never got chance to see it I booked and got confirmation to then be told I couldn’t stay. Messed up my holiday.
• Bernadette (10/5): - I had never stayed in a hostel before. We had booked a private room with bathroom. The room was very clean and comfortable. The communal areas were very comfortable and up to date. I would.stay again
• PATRICK (8/5): - Calme, propre et excellent rapport qualité/ prix
• Chris (10/5): -
• Jonathan (6/5): Comfortable, quiet, central location. - Central location. All good
• Philipp (10/5): Exceptional - Good facilities, clean, lovsly people. Dominique was very uncomplicated and helpful with all questions.
• Carolina (10/5): Great place to stay, enjoy, relax, breath! - Ballater Hostel is an amazing place. Located in the beautiful and tranquil village of Ballater, it's a great place to stay. Dominique is really kind and will give you the best suggestions for trips, hikes, and food. She is always ready to help guests. The beds are comfortable, the space is very clean, and the rooms have plenty of natural light. This place is truly wonderful!
• Sin (10/5): Lovely hostel - The hostel is in the city centre , tucked in a quite street, and near to some nice restaurants and pubs. So you get the best of both worlds! The host is very nice and helpful.
• Phil (9/5): Superb -
• Mark (10/5): Exceptional - Everything you need, clean, comfy beds great en suite and a fully equipped communal room/ kitchen. Great location and owners are very helpful. 2nd stay and will be staying again.
• Ali (8/5): Very good -
• Geddes (10/5): A fantastic hostel, the staff are incredibly friendly. - The property is very central and conventional for the area. A drying room, the loch muick room has a bathroom and separate wet room for showering. The best kitchen area I have personally seen in a hostel. Extremely clean. Lots of information in different languages. An in depth booklet of hikes for a variety of skill sets. Lively town. Good WiFi. Great price for what there is to offer. Would definitely recommend, already have!
• Ray (9/5): Superb -
• Matthews (10/5): Exceptional - Very clean, very friendly, and they had biscuit tea which was excellent. The fact that we didn't stay there longer.
• Dena (10/5): Exceptional -
• Rachel (10/5): Exceptional -
• Jill (9/5): Happy stay - Clean and convenient with friendly staff A little expensive but probably mostly due to the exchange rate with the NZ $
• Alan (8/5): Very good - A great setup & atmosphere. Second time here & didn't hesitate to book again after first time. Very loud snoring all night from other guest on first night.
• Neil (8/5): Great value premium riom - Separate wet room, lots of blankets though didn't need Fan in toilet not working
• Mohammed (7/5): Overall it was good - The cleanliness Expected to have the presence of staff who we never had a chance to meet
• Elly (9/5): Superb -
• Noah (10/5): Exceptional -
• Sarah (10/5): Perfect - The staff is super friendly, the hostel feels warm and cosy, the dormitory room is spacious, with plugs for each bed, lockers and space to hang out jackets and clothes. Ballater is also a super nice village, and the staff of the hostel have a lot of recommendations for where to eat/have a drink/shop. And there is a bike shed!
• Helen (10/5): Spotless, super friendly, awesome - Absolutely spotless. Super friendly staff. Everything you could want facilities wise. It was awesone
• Kamil (9/5): Superb -
• Anna (10/5): Great place to stay for hikers! - Ery nice lady staff at reception! Very good service! Nice chill area and well equipped kitchen and drying room. Good location. Nothing really. The kitchen could be a wee bit bigger as a wee bit crowded, but it was due to everyone having b/ fast at same time. It was well equipped and nice though.
• Chris (9/5): Everything you could need and more in a budget stay. - When it's hostel accommodation the expectation can be low however I was very surprised by the Ballater Hostel. It is located close to the centre of Ballater with plenty of free parking nearby. Hostel staff were very friendly and helpful as well as being on hand during the early morning and evenings. The communal areas of the hostel were well appointed, inviting and comfortable and the kitchen more than adequate for most peoples needs. The place had a modern aesthetic with a homely feel and was spotless throughout. The bunk rooms were not too crowded, the bed comfortable and the washing and showering facilities are very good. If its somewhere to rest easy overnight, this place gives it all and for a very low price. Fantastic. A very minor criticism but the sound proofing could be a little better within the hostel.
• Ian (10/5): A gem of a hostel - Clean , comfortable, very helpful staff and in a great location. Nothing. It's a great place and will definitely use again
• Claire (10/5): Exceptional -
• Christine (8/5): Very good -
• Sarah (10/5): Exceptional -
• Ian (10/5): Exceptional - HILLWALKING
• Colin (9/5): Superb -
• Katie (10/5): Will be back - Lovely location. Very clean, cosy and homely. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Nothing
• Ursula (10/5): Exceptional -
• Strichman (10/5): Exceptional -
• John (10/5): This in its own way is a place which guarantees a good sleep in a subtly homely environment - The warm ethos
• Sarah (10/5): Wonderful - Ease of use and additional amenities in the kitchen etc Someone aggressively banged on our door asking us to be quiet during the night and we weren’t making any noise - simply getting ready for bed - not the owners fault.
• Kim (9/5): Superb - Secure bike lock up area. Great kitchen and lounge area. Lovely owner who was very helpful. Good shower. I would highly recommend staying. I thought the mattress was slightly lumpy.
• Fiona (10/5): Outstanding independent hostel. Will stay here again/recommend - Couldn’t fault this place - incredibly warm welcome, top notch facilities, wonderful night’s sleep in an 8 bed mixed dorm. Not bad for £20!! Nothing
• Dean (7/5): Good -
• Larry (10/5): Exceptional - This is a great independent hostel, warmly welcoming, cozy, and comfortable. We stayed in a six bed dorm, which had an attached toilet and shower, while we attended the Braemar Highland Games. You can trave by bus from Ballater to Braemer but be sure to get the early bus. All was good.
• Glenda (10/5): Quiet and beautiful Hostel & surroundings - Fantastic experience all round. Dominique was so welcoming and had thought of everything for the travellers comfort. Lovely clean and very friendly Hostel.
• Jennifer (9/5): Superb -
• Glenys (8/5): Very good hostel - Good location Very friendly and helpful staff they had a lot of information about the area There was t anything we didn’t like
• Thomas (10/5): Exceptional - Great Nice and accommodating
• Jean (10/5): Perfect Rest - Friendly, generous, exceptionally thoughtful and considerate of travelers needs...right down to hot water bottles! I can not find fault with this place.
• Adventure (10/5): Exceptional - Great place to stay, helpful and friendly staff. Lots to see and do like walking and biking. Shops and cafes are in walking distance. Will be back again
• Bianka (9/5): Superb - Great location, nice staff. Right on the main street which is full of nice shops and pubs. Parking area will test your parking skills 😅 but it’s always great to have a parking space at hostels
• Anna (10/5): Exceptional -
• Fiona (10/5): Exceptional -
• Stephen (9/5): Superb -
• Janice (9/5): Superb -
• Damian (10/5): Exceptional -
• Jonathon (9/5): Relaxing - Lovely hostel I was made very welcom. I'll be back 🙂
• Vera (10/5): Exceptional - Super accommodating for my mum who struggles to walk
• Laura (10/5): Exceptional - This hostel is 100% recommendable! Located right in the centre of the lovely village Ballater. Reachable with the bus from Aberdeen also perfect for those coming with public transport. The hostel itself is very cosy and clean, the common area equipped with everything you need and spacious. The hosts Dominique and Daniel are very warm, welcoming and friendly, that are happy to provide you with any tips you need. We had a great time enjoying the Highland games and the stunning nature that surrounds Ballater!
• Peter (10/5): Exceptional -
• John (10/5): Exceptional - Excellent location in the centre of Ballater. Helpful and knowledgeable owner, giving plenty of help on walks around the area. Affordable price. Nothing, everything exceeded what I expected when booking a hostel.
• Junkai (10/5): Exceptional -
• Emile (10/5): Perfect overnight stay in the Cairngorms - The staff, the presentation of the hostel was exceptional. Every single room and facility was utterly first rate. More than a 'hostel'. Nothing. All good.
• Ethan (9/5): Amazing hostel - unlucky with loud snorer in room. - Amazing location. It was one of the few hostels that felt like it had history and culture around it. Staff were lovely, the common area was awesome. Location is good - great scenery and supermarket and cafes close by. I was unfortunate enough to have a dude who snored like a Harley with motor issues and slept like shit. Not the hostels fault, just the luck of the draw with shared rooms. But that dude, who was there with his girlfriend (who also seemed disturbed by her partners sounds) did absolutely nothing about them. I only realised they weren't strangers in the morning when they left together. It's pretty funny in hindsight but at the time it sucked.
• Carolin (10/5): Exceptional - Daniel and Dominique are so kind and helpful! Thanks a lot!
• Nicholas (9/5): Superb -
• Francis (9/5): A great discovery on The Road To Aberdeen - Stylish approach to hostel life, nice to have 'en-suite' facilities personal to the six beds in the dorm. Good kitchen and dining area, the TV on with the England game just a couple of minutes on the go was a bonus...and we won't mention Southgate's tactics... I said we wouldn't mention Southgate's tactics. On a more serious note and being slightly picky, the kitchen can't really handle more than one or two people working by the oven area at a time.
• Terence (9/5): would stay there again - Ballater is a small village in the National Park. There is great hiking just out your doorstep. Dominque is the receptionist and a wealth of info for hiking. Gave us several ideas with printed out maps she made. The kitchen living area is very warm and homey feeling. The kitchen is well stocked and includes tea, coffee, as well as condiments. There is a coop grocery a few blocks away for getting food next to a green square. Everyone is so friendly Worth mentioning it is short on windows. There are open skylights for light and air though. I really liked the place
• Deborah (10/5): Better than a hotel! - Everything, it was like a home from home! Nothing
• Alan (8/5): Very good -
• Tracy (8/5): Very good -

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