White Hostel

I only spent one night at this hostel, but the owner shared food with me for lunch and dinner and sat at the table with the guests. He doesn't say much, but he's extremely generous and a fantastic cook. I ate divinely. The manager is very sweet and affable, and always available. The hostel itself is lovely, clean, quiet and relaxing, about 100 meters from the sea. There's a terrace with a beautiful panoramic view of the seafront promenade. It's on the third floor, so it’s often windy. The rooms and living room are very nice, with soft carpeting, and the price is very reasonable. The working cameras made me feel protected from potential theft. At check-in, you're asked to take off your shoes and put them in a shoe rack to keep the hostel clean. I've seen lots of negative reviews about the seven-story building, calling it horrible and dilapidated and complaining about the stairs to the third floor. I agree about the building and stairs, but those issues are only along the stairs, not inside the hostel or its rooms. I don't see why people criticize the hostel and owner for them. Should the owner be responsible because whoever built the building decades ago was unprofessional? Think carefully before you write.

The boss at the hostel is great, and Joseph is the funniest person I know. It's a peaceful place with a nice view, close to everything and surrounded by lots of shops. You can enjoy the beautiful city for a great price.

I followed Booking.com's instructions and checked into White Hostel so I could take photos and videos of the reported bed bug hazard. Before my stay, I'd seen recent reviews warning about a severe infestation. I contacted Booking.com right away to cancel and find somewhere safe, but they refused and told me to check in and document the issue to prove it. I did exactly what they asked, but after I sent the evidence, they stopped replying and left me stranded in an unsafe, infested building. The conditions I saw and documented were horrific, unsanitary and, in my view, a severe biological hazard. It seems impossible that the place is legally licensed to operate. I had to flee, lose my money, and pay out of pocket at the last minute for another hostel. White Hostel is a dangerous health hazard and should be shut down. Booking.com forced me into a dangerous situation to collect evidence for them, then abandoned me and kept my money. Avoid the hostel, and don't trust Booking.com to protect your safety.

The location might be close to the sea, but don't let that fool you. The building itself is nearly abandoned, dark and dirty. Inside, the whole place was dusty and smelly, with beer cans and water bottles everywhere, piles of dirty clothes in every corner, and a bed duvet and door across the hallway. The guy who “works” there was extremely unfriendly. They hadn't told us the place was under renovation. If that's the case, they shouldn't be renting it out at all. We ended up not sleeping there, even though it was 4AM. If there were a -5-star rating, I'd give it to this hostel.