Hostel HOMEr - Old Town Square

We chose the hostel for its location, online photos, and good booking.com reviews, and reserved a private bedroom with a bathroom and kitchen for my girlfriend and me. The first surprise was being told on arrival that payment had to be made in person, although I thought I had already paid. Nothing in the booking or emails had mentioned that, so I was understandably annoyed. The first room they showed us was a five-bed dorm, not the private room we had booked. After we objected, a staff member showed us a private room that was okay, but still didn't match what was shown online. The staff member wasn't rude, but didn't make us feel welcome either, even though the receptionist spoke good English. The apartment wasn't particularly clean. My girlfriend also got upset after reading the bed bug reviews, and that honestly spoiled my night. I'd say this could suit travelers on a tight budget who keep their expectations low. If hospitality matters to you, I'd avoid it.

We stayed three nights and had a pretty wild experience. Our room had a wall that stopped about three quarters of the way up, so noise carried everywhere. We heard everything in the bathroom, including other guests vomiting, and found stains on most of the beds. The photos we'd seen didn't match the room we got. The door lock never worked. We struggled with it, as did reception, and as two women from the States we didn't feel comfortable without a proper lock. They wouldn't move us, even after we spoke to the manager. The receptionist was very sweet and tried putting soap on the lock, but it was still incredibly hard to use. We arrived at midnight and only then found out we had to pay cash, so keep that in mind. Maybe a better room would be a different experience, but I wouldn't recommend this place.

There was just one bathroom for everyone on the floor. Our room had five people and the neighboring one had three, possibly with more guests sharing too, so mornings got crowded. Payment was cash only, which hadn't been made clear ahead of time, and we were charged more than the amount shown on Booking. The room also fell short of the Booking photos. A wooden partition that didn't reach the ceiling let in noise from next door, the beds seemed old and very uncomfortable, and there was dirt and dust on the floor. It was hard to relax or sleep. The location is good and the price reasonable, so it might work as a budget option if your standards are really low. This was one of the worst hotels I've stayed in.

I rarely write reviews, but the owner's and cleaning lady's behavior pushed me to. The hostel double-booked, clearly by mistake, but refused to refund me because I had slept on the sofa. They even called the police. I found the behavior aggressive and arrogant, and not suited to hospitality. As soon as checkout time passes, the cleaning lady comes into the room talking loudly and asks whether people are checking out, waking guests who are still asleep. Reception could easily confirm that information. There's no need to wake people or mutter insults in Russian or Polish.