, Noah's Backpackers has perhaps one of the best views in town. Furthermore, not only can you see the beach from your "beach-view" room or the open roof-top deck, but the surf and sand are only a few steps away from the hostel's front steps. It's no wonder that on any given night, hoards of backpackers flock to Noah's for an ocean-side night's sleep.
You gotta love Noah's. Call me biased (which, of course, I am...I just so happen to work there), but this is a pretty great hostel. Big and open, the place has that wonderful authentic Australian beach-culture feel any tourist coming to Australia is clearly pursuing. Plus, on any given night, the hostel is guaranteed to be full of friendly faces, all with very exotic and interesting accents, I might add. Lots of Australians even tend to frequent this establishment; now that's saying something. Note: Special shout-out to those who work there...top-notch group of people ;).
The rooms themselves are simple, yet very clean. Nothing great, but you shouldn't be expecting The Ritz anyway. As someone who has spent a few nights in the hostel myself, I can honestly say the beds are comfy and the carpet doesn't smell. When it comes to hostels, these two things are very key. I suppose the only downside to the hostel is the lack of air-conditioning. During the summer months when temperatures rise (and trust me, they do), the rooms can get a bit stuffy. Luckily there are fans and open windows for that. Oh yeah, and the Pacific Ocean.
Choices range from the most populated 8-Bed Dorms ($24/pp/night), to private Beach-View Doubles equipped with television and mini-fridge (still a fairly cheap $60/per room/night). A large kitchen, dining area, and laundry room are also readily available for all hostel-goers. Blankets and sheets are provided for free, and towels are available to buy at reception. Body boards also available for free! For those of you internet nuts (it's ok; I'm one of them), you can easily access the lobby's broadband computers by purchasing an internet card--$5 for 90 minutes--at reception.
In terms of socializing, there are always, always, always people either on the rooftop deck, in the reception area, or in the tv lounge watching some sort of sports game or movie. Also, make sure to head next door to The Shack, the hostel's resident bar/restaurant, which always has something going on. Monday is "Quiz Night," Tuesday always means a visit from the famous "Bondi Rescue" cast (a.k.a. hot lifeguards), etc. Every night at The Shack means good eats as well, starting at only $6.50 for a meal. Yum.
Last but not least, the hostel is, again, in Bondi Beach. If you're into the whole surf and sand, people-watching scene, this is the place for you. Close enough to the city that you won't feel at all cut-off, but far enough that you forget you're in the midst of a large metropolis, Bondi Beach is, well, perfect. As the Aussies say themselves, it's "sweet as."