Locarno Hostel

I should have read the comments before booking through booking.com. The whole thing felt strange, from the 'manager' to the owner insisting on cash. I had to go back and forth with him for about 15 minutes before he finally accepted my credit card after I insisted. A place should at least feel clean and safe, and this one didn't. Looking back, I should have gone somewhere else and written off the booking. It wasn't worth even half of what they charged.

The worst part was finding bed bugs and cockroaches in the bed on our second night. We now have to wash all our luggage and clothes before going home. When we confronted the man and asked for a refund, he got angry and said the bugs must have come from somewhere else. We asked to speak with his boss, but he didn't call anyone. The bathroom smelled, had dirty underwear in it, and the room itself was tiny, with a dirty bed. Everything looked old, and we could hear other people talking. In the middle of the night, the creepy guy, who we think might be homeless, wandered around knocking on bedroom doors and laughing. That was scary. At the entrance there was no sign, and it looked awful. A creepy man greeted us and said card payment wasn't possible, so we had to get cash, even though booking said we could pay by card. Don't stay here. It isn't worth it.

We only stayed two nights, and I think this is a decent spot for a short visit. It's clean and tidy, and the room was okay, though not very large. It had what we needed. The main square is quite close. There's a kitchen in the hostel, but we didn't use it.

I felt uneasy about my belongings and our safety, especially my partner's, though nothing was stolen and we left with all our limbs intact. The place had a strange feel, smelled of cat, and the toothless receptionist/host was creepy and unhelpful. The porch window was smashed. Payment was limited to e-transfer or cash, with no credit or debit cards. Outside, the area seemed full of drug users and shady people. There were more than 20 policemen gathered on bicycles at a street corner, presumably keeping an eye on the area. Good luck to them. Avoid this place.