Travelers' Housing: A Return to Dorm Life

Quick Links:
www.sleepingwiththeenemy.com
www.atn.com.au
www.wtaaustralia.com

A travelers' house can best be compared to a college residence hall. There are fewer people to a room than in some hostels, but you still have to share the bathrooms, kitchen, and living areas. The benefit is that you can find a room for around AUS$90-$120 a week, cheaper than a hostel, and with less committment than a flat might require.

Sleeping With the Enemy and Working Traveller Accommodation are just two organizations that own homes in the Sydney area and rent rooms specifically to travelers. Both aim to provide comfortable, affordable housing, and expect their tenants to be respectful to the property and people around them in return.

To get a feel for what these places are like, I took a tour of one of the WTA properties located in Glebe, about 20 minutes from the center of Sydney by bus. There are aproximately 30 travelers living in the house, with three people to most rooms. Singles are available at a higher price, and doubles are reserved for people who are traveling together.

The house has two kitchens, where everyone has their own plate, bowl, and cup marked with their assigned number (a little institutional, but it forces people to do their own dishes). There are four bathrooms to be shared, and they're cleaned by the staff every day. There's an enclosed patio with a tv and vcr that acts as living room, and a roof deck for getting some sun. Internet access is free, but the two computers are shared with everyone in the house. Clean sheets are given out once a week when you pay your rent, and the Sydney Morning Herald is delivered daily.

There are big bonuses to living in a house like this. You can't help but meet other young people from all over the world, so you'll have a built in social life, if you want it. You have many of the comforts of home available without putting out your own money to get them, and because you are renting from a company and not an individual, you don't have to worry about them running off with your money.

The downside is that for the AUS$90-125 a week you'll pay to share a room with two or three other people in a house like this, you could rent a room in a furnished flat with just a couple of roommates. You may have a few extra expenses in a flat, but you will also have much more privacy. If you're planning to work, then being able to get a good night's sleep on a regular basis will be a feature that's worth a few extra dollars.

Many people love the excitement and energy of living in a large house with dozens of other people. If you enjoyed dorm living, or never got to try it, then a travelers' house could be the perfect fit for you. Just the same as with a hostel though, check out the house and ask questions about costs and policies before you agree to anything.

For example: Are there quiet hours? Is there someone you can contact in an emergency? Is there a fee for lockouts or lost keys? How much notice do you have to give before moving out? Do you have to give them a cash deposit or credit card number?

Don't freak out if the first house you see doesn't excite you. You can find lots of other places online, in backpacker magazines, and by picking up fliers around town. Sydney, and other big cities, have plenty of affordable housing options, and at least one of them will suit your needs.