Dougies Backpackers Resort

The atmosphere was really cool as it’s nestled amongst patches of tropical foliage. Felt that there could be MANY improvements made especially in regard to the facilities. In saying that you could still get by and I felt a 5 star review was fitting as the service was impeccable. From the moment of booking till the moment I got dropped off at cairns I felt an abundance of support from the team. Extra note: - the location is okay but you have to factor in distance to get into town. There’s scooters and bikes to rent out but it may come at a cost or be slightly more timely in comparison to living in the centre. - there are many temporary residents which are lovely but may not be as adventurous for the short term travellers looking to mingle with others. In general great place! Thanks for having me:)

Can't say much about the rooms, as I was only there 15 minutes to pick someone up. What I can say, and the reason that I was decided to comment here, when prompted, is that from the moment of my arrival I had a really pleasant warm feeling from the atmosphere of the place, even before the staff stepped out to assist me. Their friendliness and efficiency quickly further complemented that initial feeling. I visit Port Douglas regularly to visit with friends. It is not high on my favourite spots list. However, the picturesque drive up there from my home in Cairns, alone, makes it worth the visit. And now, if I was looking for a place to stay in Port Douglas, Dougies will be my first stop.

Dangerous Driving – Public Safety Risk.. Not sure if it was the owner or an employee, but someone driving one of this company’s four-wheel drive work vehicles is an accident waiting to happen. I had a terrifying near miss when this driver, clearly distracted and looking down at their phone, drove straight through an intersection without even noticing. I had to slam on my brakes and take evasive action to avoid being hit. To make matters worse, I pulled up behind them at the next intersection where they sat for another 30 seconds, still looking down, clearly still on their phone despite the road being clear. If this is how their staff or management drives around in a company vehicle, I’d be extremely cautious dealing with them in any capacity. Absolutely unacceptable and dangerous behaviour on the road.

If you want to book a campsite, don't book here. $50 a night for a site at the back of the hostel which looks more like a dump point than anything else (bucket of stagnant water, trailer full of vegetable waste, lots of rubbish all around, uneven site) not at all a place where you'd want to spend the night. Fortunately, on seeing this, the receptionist agreed to refund our money so we found another camping cheaper and 100 Times better. If the night had been cheaper, maybe it would have been a bit more acceptable, but still...

This has to be the best backpacker in Australia! Service is SO friendly and it really is a tropical paradise. Camping in the their rain forest was awesome. Shared bathroom. Bar great. A must.

Everything was going fine until this guy working there called Jef having very rude behavior. He puts a bad vibes and he yielded at me in the early in morning while I was sleeping. Everyone heard him yielding at me, which was a bit embarrassing. All this because during the night it was raining and in the rush I put my laundry that was drying outside inside on the room that was empty. He was so rude and yield even though I apologies. He was not appreciated in the hostel in general. It’s too bad that they have this guy that really put a bad vibes and disrespect clients there, it really ruined everything.

What a special place! For the price you certainly can’t beat the environment, kindness of the staff, and overall vibe. The manager did all of my bookings for travel/trips and was extremely responsive via email ahead of my trip — concierge service that is quite rare at a backpackers hostel. The communal showers/bathrooms are in great shape and the window A/C unit kept up with the summer heat just fine. I cannot recommend Dougies and their delightful staff enough to any backpacker looking for an unforgettable stay.

We came here for one night and booked the double tent with beds. We felt like in a jungle and found the whole place (pool, bar, kitchen etc.) so nice! So we decided to stay one day more and the manager could make it happen. Also he told us some trip ideas and was super friendly! If you stay normally in hostels, then this experience will definitely worth it! 😊

I've lived and worked in a few different countries, and Dougie's is without a doubt the best backpacker/hostel I've ever been to. As the name suggests, it's a backpacker *resort*. The property is well set up for long term backpackers who are looking to work a season in Port Douglas. The grounds are beautiful, the staff is very friendly and accommodating, and the bar is the cheapest in town! I've stayed three times, starting in 2014, and my longest stay was for six and a half months. There are two main types of accommodations, dorm rooms and tents. The dorm rooms have nice wood framed bunk beds, a storage cabinet for each bed containing a lockable cubby to securely store passports/camera/cash etc, plenty of power outlets, and the most important things: air conditioning! The rooms are very comfortable. Outside in the camp ground, you can rent "stylie" tents. These tents are furnished and powered, and have two single beds in them, a large fan, and a bedside table in between the two beds. If you're travelling with a friend, this is a good option where the two of you can have your own space. The kitchen onsite is well stocked with pots and pans, and is cleaned twice a day. Next to the kitchen is the bar area with a nice nine foot pool table, dart board, and lots of seating for lounging around on days off. The bar itself is probably the focal point of the property, like most backpackers, and also serves food. There is a cafe on site which makes pastas, curries, chicken wings, and pizzas which are available at the bar during all opening hours. In the mornings the cafe has breakfast sandwiches, quiches, and really good coffee, and gourmet burgers and fries are served until the afternoon. There is also a little shop next to reception that sells basic necessities like detergent, bug spray, and toiletries, as well as eggs, bacon, cheese, bread, milk, juice, ramen noodles, and chips and candies. You really don't have to leave the property if you don't want to! What really makes Dougie's special is the people. I think they do most of their business on referrals and word of mouth (I was enthusiastically referred by a friend who had stayed there years before and couldn't say enough great things about the place). So many of the residents there are returnees or long term and you really get to know a lot of people really well, rather than having a constant influx of people staying for a few days. Dougie's does nightly stays as well, but most of the beds are taken up by long term guests. If you're looking to come to Port Douglas, Dougie's is the place to be!

Welcomed with a warming smile at reception, the staff at Dougies do a great job of helping you settle in quickly to this great little backpackers hostel. The rooms at Dougies are of a good size and for one the air con and fan both worked. The storage space is easily enough and the miniature safe an added bonus. In the main area there is a great size kitchen with enough room for 6 or more people to be cooking at one time and if you choose a BBQ is outside for all to use. All cooking equipment is provided and Dougies also provide the basics in cutlery to each person that stays. 6 large fridges provide sufficient space to store food that you can get from the Coles only a 15 minute walk away. For those times you do wish to cook a little cafe onsite is ready to provide you with a great bit to eat. Dougies brings you a great little bar at good prices to while away the afternoon and evening playing pool, making new friends or reading your book on one of the many sofa's. Above the bar computers are on hand to keep in touch with family and friends in far away places or making plans for the next stage of your trip. For the rainy days Dougies also has a small cinema room under cover adjacent to the bar. A small pool and some sun lounges allow you to enjoy the Queensland sun in the quiet surroundings of Dougies. In all Dougies is a great little place and for the price provides all that you need. I had some great evenings making new friends at the bar and through the help of the staff at Dougies they helped us have some amazing trips in and around Port Douglas.