Loft Host

The hostel is clean, well maintained, in good condition, and stocked with towels, tissues, two fridges, a microwave, salt, and toothpicks. But I had serious concerns about both service and safety. The lockers in the rooms don’t properly secure: the part meant to hold a lock is too small or turns with the knob, so anyone can open them. (See video.) At night, Dimitri would enter the female dorm to open a window and “let in some fresh air.” He knocked but came in without waiting for an answer. That felt creepy. I asked to extend my stay by five days. The Russian receptionist with brown hair and a neck tattoo, Dimitri, dismissively told me I could stay only one more night. The hostel seemed quite empty, but when I asked why I couldn’t extend longer, he gave no reason, put in his earphones, and wouldn’t continue the conversation or help. I checked Booking.com and was immediately able to book all five extra nights, at a lower rate than I’d paid before. I would’ve gladly extended directly at the same rate, but his unwillingness to help cost the business a direct booking and a third-party commission. During those nights, it turned out just three beds in the six-bed dorm were booked. How many other customers might he have turned away without their checking Booking.com first and leaving? Poor staffing choices can really hurt a business. His lack of manners and clear, polite communication pushes customers away and costs the hostel owner money.

Check-in and checkout were very quick, and the price was great. The place is right in central Yerevan. My room had enough space and was fairly clean, and the bedding was very clean. The beds were reasonably comfortable, though worn, and most things in the room looked worn or stained. 3.5/5.

The staff were kind and helpful, and even sorted out some last-minute printing for us, which we really appreciated. The location made a great base for exploring Yerevan: right in the center, with pretty much everything worth seeing within walking distance. It was a convenient, pleasant stay.

The location is great, but the hostel room smelled bad. Some of the other guests seemed like older, shady people staying long term, and the host came across as unfriendly.