No. 14 Lovel St Hostel & Guesthouse, Australia
Located in the astounding Blue Mountains, Katoomba is home to some of Australia’s must-do hiking trails, lookouts, rock climbing adventures and the coziest hostel and guesthouse, No.14 Lovel St Hostel & Guesthouse! From the jaw-dropping sandstone tablelands to the valleys, rainforests, canyons, wildlife and more, this is an outdoor lovers paradise and No.14 Lovel St. provides the perfect space to recharge and relax a busy day of exploring.
Not outdoorsy? Don’t worry! Katoomba is a humble arts town known for hosting various art exhibits/galleries and cultural festivals such as the Wines Of The West Festival, the Blue Mountains Music Festival, the Blue Mountains Ukulele Festival, and more.
Why We Fell In Love With No.14 Lovel St
When we initially booked a stay at No.14 Lovel, we were unsure of what to expect. As we had mostly stayed in hostels for our previous travelling experiences, we didn’t expect to fall in love with this beautiful hostel and make a new friend with its innkeeper, Annette!
As avid hikers, No.14 Lovel St. was everything we didn’t know we needed. It was the perfect spot to recharge after long days of hiking while also serving as an incredibly cozy space to write and work. This was quite different from most of the hostels we had stayed in before.
It goes without saying that this is not your average hostel. The rooms come at a hostel price point but offer a one-of-a-kind experience for those wanting to unwind and have a more relaxing stay. From the atmosphere to the location, beyond-amazing staff and Annette’s impressive book collection (that she gladly shares with her guests), No.14 Lovel St is truly a home away from home.
The Property
Located a short 7-minute walk from Katoomba Train Station, No.14 Lovel St is almost impossible to miss with its bright yellow colour, bold sign and a lovely garden in the front that welcomes you. Before you even walk in the door, you feel as though you are a guest in a home.
Note: We want to note that the property is not located at 14 Lyne Street, at the corner of Lyne and Lovel (sometimes Google Maps redirects to this location). We thought this was worth mentioning to help with any possible confusion. The hostel is just a short distance past this property on the left-hand side of the street when coming from Katoomba Station.
The acoustics of this hostel are what we could expect from a 1913 building. Sound travels easily throughout the hostel, so guests are asked to be respectful and relatively quiet during their stay. However, this was a welcoming atmosphere for the other guests and us to read, write, and relax.
The office is located in the back of the hostel, so you will need to walk down the hall and through the common space to reach it. Alternatively, you could walk around the veranda and come in through one of the side doors. There is signage to help you find your way.
This was a feature that we surprisingly loved. Rather than seeing a big desk and people checking in every time we returned to No.14 Lovel St, we were able to walk right in as if it were our home. While you are sharing it with other amazing travellers from all around the world, the atmosphere is so warm and welcoming that you will easily forget that you are staying in a hostel.
The Amenities
No.14 Lovel St offers two different types of rooms: private and dorms. As a couple, we booked a private room, and we have one word for it: wow! Of all the hostels we have stayed at, we have never seen one this big and charming. In the room, there was a desk that had a welcome book that included popular things to do, local amenities, resources, and even suggested activities for a rainy day.
There are two hangout/lounge areas. The first one (pictured below) is the smaller of the two but offers free access to a computer, board games, and a gorgeous book collection (our favourite part)! This was our go-to spot unless it was warm enough to work outside. Both the bookshelf (indoors) and the views of nature (outdoors) were perfect for drawing inspiration.
The second one (pictured below) is much bigger and the most popular room as it features ample space and a large dining table. This room offers a great opportunity to mingle and socialize with other guests or have a nice meal.
On the cooler, rainy days, the electric fireplace on the wall creates the perfect ambience to warm up, grab a book (or a laptop), and relax.
There is also a well-sized full kitchen. While we forgot to get a photo of it, we promise you will not be disappointed!
The kitchen itself is quite large and can accommodate multiple cooks in the kitchen, so to speak. Each room has its own bins (one in the fridge and one on the cupboard shelves) to store food in the kitchen. They include every piece of cooking equipment you could ask for. All you have to do is bring food.
In addition, they also provide a complimentary breakfast of your choice of oats/muesli/cornflakes with both soy and regular milk in the mornings. Coffee and tea are available all day. The kitchen is unavailable to guests for one hour a day between 11:00 AM and 12:00 PM for deep cleaning.
Conveniently, a Coles grocery store is a 15-minute walk from No.14 Lovel St, so you are never too far if you need any particular items for your meals.
Another area we spent a great deal of time in was the veranda. This is a superb area for relaxation, eating, working, stretching, or just taking in the environment. There is a larger patio table in the centre of the deck and along the side of the building are smaller tables and chairs for those wanting their own space.
Both areas have rain coverage, so you can always go outside and have some fresh air, no matter the weather. As a bonus, it also faces toward the east, which makes it the best spot to catch a sunrise if you are an early riser! What more could you ask for?
The Staff & Hospitality
The staff at No.14 Lovel St are more like your family when you stay here. Kim, Mandy, Micheal, Annette and Gavin were amazing, kind and welcoming, ensuring we had everything we needed and recommending things to do in and around town.
We are pretty chatty people, so we spent a lot of time getting to know Annette, the innkeeper. Being the lovely woman she is, she was more than willing to take time away from her day to chat with us about travel, life, business, and many other topics of interest. Whether you are a solo traveller or a group, the team here will always make you feel special and welcome without a doubt.
In fact, while the space was incredible, the staff is one of the main reasons why we will come back (along with the hiking). It is rare to receive such quality hospitality that you forget that you are in a hostel and feel more like you’re at home.
The Town
As mentioned above, No.14 Lovel St is in short proximity to the town centre. The town is quaint and charming. It has multiple restaurants, cafes, shops and art exhibits.
If you want to explore the more scenic parts of Katoomba, there are a few options for getting around. They have a local Blue Mountain Explorer Bus that will take you to all the iconic viewpoints in Katoomba. You can also take the local 686 bus, making stops throughout the town and popular sightseeing destinations.
A few places we recommend visiting when staying in Katoomba are:
- Scenic World
- The Three Sisters / Echo Point
- Centennial Glen Reserve (a short train ride away in Blackheath) for hiking and rock climbing
- A day trip to Leura market (located a 30-minute walk away from No.14 Lovel St or a 9-minute bus ride)
- The Blue Mountain Hiking Trails
The town of Katoomba is just what you would expect of a mountain town, and it is worth taking a few days to explore all of its beauties and attractions.
No.14 Lovel St provides you with everything you need to sit back and relax while staying in Katoomba. Practically, as soon as we left, we were already planning our next trip back. Safe to say, we could not get enough of the Blue Mountains, Katoomba, and our new favourite place to stay: the No.14 Lovel St Hostel & Guesthouse!
