Lindas Beauty

The rooms were clean, the beds comfy, and the wifi was fast. Linda's Backpacker was a nice place to stay. It isn’t staffed all the time, so contact Linda well ahead by WhatsApp, text, or call to arrange when to pick up your key and drop off your luggage. The number on the building was wrong for us, which was a pain. The number she gave us to use after that was +41 78 255 59 22. The street below can get pretty loud on weekends, so I’d bring headphones. That seems to be the case just about anywhere in old town on a weekend.

I’ve stayed in hostels all over the world, and this place was an absolute disgrace. I wandered in lost and was met by tenants who turned out to be staff. I’d just come off a long flight and had a connecting flight at 3am the next morning. I only wanted a few hours of sleep before going back to the airport. Instead, she kept coming in, turning on the lights, and demanding city tax, even though I’d just arrived and hadn’t had a chance to change currency. There was no hospitality or common sense. The wifi was slow and terrible, and there were no charging ports beside the bed. Linda, if you’re reading this, try to actually run a hostel business. Simply put, avoid.

The location is nice, and at least the bedsheets and shared toilet were clean. But nothing else was acceptable, and I’d say don’t stay here, especially with family. There was nobody at the entrance. After a while someone came to welcome us, but they didn’t speak any English. We somehow got inside, where half-naked guys were walking around on the floor. The atmosphere of the rooms and building didn’t feel safe. I was disappointed. I wouldn’t expect a place like this in the middle of Zurich center.

I paid for a two-person booking, then weeks later the owner said it only came with a single bed and demanded another CHF 50 per day off the books. They pushed me to cancel even though the reservation was non-refundable, so they could keep the payment and maybe return it in cash. This place feels like a scam. The owner also seemed a bit racist, stressing that this wasn't Africa. At least people there are honest about what they offer and own their mistakes. Don't book.