AlBarsha 1 Hostel By PHM

Finding the address in Al Barsha was already difficult: there was no clear Pharos Inn sign, and Google Maps led us to a building with no visible lobby or reception. No one was there to help with check-in or keys. After a long journey, I spent two hours trying to find someone to contact, asking cleaners and other guests before getting the caretaker’s number. The caretaker eventually came, but that delay was unacceptable. I had booked and fully prepaid for six nights through Goibibo, expecting a proper hotel room with a private attached toilet. Instead, the caretaker asked for an unexpected 50 AED deposit and showed us a room that looked drastically different from the listing photos. It was dirty and messy, with a strong unpleasant smell. The washroom was unhygienic and poorly kept, and had only hot water. What seemed like shared or extremely basic transient housing wasn’t what I had reserved. It might be reluctantly acceptable to someone alone looking for a cheap option instead of a dorm or bunk-bed hostel, but it didn’t meet the terms or nature of my booking. I immediately asked for a full refund because the accommodation was misrepresented, dirty, and unusable. The caretaker refused. With check-in not working and the advertised service not provided, I had to abandon the booking and lost the full prepaid amount. I then had to find another place quickly at extra expense. This was a deeply stressful experience, and I consider the establishment a scam with no real customer service. Avoid it.

We eventually found the hostel after a long search online, since there was no information on how to locate it. Then we weren’t given the room we had paid for. We’d booked a balcony room that cost more, but the receptionist said he couldn’t put us there and gave us a tiny room that barely fit a bed. It was late and our budget was limited, so finding another hotel wasn’t an option. The administrator wouldn’t help.

The AC setup was awful, with multiple rooms connected to the same unit, so I was stuck with the 20-degree temperature someone else wanted and caught a cold. There was no water for a day, then the pressure was so low the next day that washing properly was impossible. I had to pay for another place just to shower, and got no refund for those days. The corridors smelled terrible, and there was mold in the bathrooms. Awful experience.

I’m still enjoying my stay and almost didn’t want to leave, though I have to so I can see other areas. The staff welcomed me warmly on my first day and have treated me well since. The toilets are always clean, which matters to me because I care about hygiene.