GRONERS Leipzig

The location was perfect for visiting Leipzig Christmas market. I paid extra for a female-only room with two single beds, 20€ compared with 12€(?) for a four-person room with two bunk beds. It was compact, but clean, with a comfortable bed, shower and ensuite toilet, and TV. The staff were friendly, and reception was staffed around the clock. On the day I checked out, leaving my luggage in a locker for the day cost just 1€.

The location beside the Markt and S-bahnhof is fantastic. You can walk straight from the gate into the festivities in the charming old town, and the Sbf is five minutes away on foot for trips to memorials and lookout points around the edges of the city. The kitchen was large and well equipped, with a seating area and lounge. The rooms were clean enough, though the toilet smelled of urine, and curtains on the bunk beds would have added privacy. For the price, we were happy with the facilities. The front desk staff were generally bubbly, friendly, and helpful. Our stay was badly affected by some of the other guests, from people hanging around antisocially to people who seemed outright crazy. Many looked like long-term residents who spent all day in the hostel, dampening our travel plans and seeming annoyed that we were sharing the space and facilities. It felt like we were intruding in someone's shelter just by being there. One person in our six-bed dorm kept turning the heater up to 5 instead of the usual 2. Even after it was turned down at night, he'd get up and turn it back to maximum. We barely slept, sweating in our beds. He also strongly objected to opening a window to air the room, and made passive-aggressive comments. We later learned that the two people who arrived before us had raised the issue and he'd lashed out at them. The room felt like a sauna and smelled of damp socks, while the bathroom smelled of piss. It got so uncomfortable that one roommate started sleeping in the lounge. Four or five large bags of the man's belongings covered half the room, including the communal table and chairs. He also tried to dictate when we went to bed and when we could switch on our bedside lamps. He slept until noon, so everyone else had to tiptoe around while getting ready for the day. In the lounge, we met someone staying for half a year who was convinced a government was after them and warned us to leave before we were targeted too. Another person silently gestured for us to move so they could reach drawers beneath the sofa, as if annoyed we were sitting somewhere we shouldn't be. Since these people seem to be staying semi-permanently, I doubt the atmosphere will change soon. We're glad to be out and able to recover from our lack of sleep. GRONERS could have been a really good value stay, but it also seems to function as a shelter, so we'll choose somewhere else next time. Reply to owner: the person told us they planned to stay until a date more than six months away, which made us suspect that many of the unusual guests were long-term residents. The drawers I mentioned are beneath the sofa at the end of the kitchen. I emailed you separately a few days before posting this review because I didn't want to share identifying details about others publicly. I got no reply, but hope the information helps you look into what happened. Offering shelter to people in need is a nice idea, but we would have appreciated being told before booking so we could make an informed choice if we wanted to avoid being tired or were hoping to meet other travelers.

We left without checking in after reception told us that the shared room we’d been promised wasn’t possible. Before arriving, we’d been warned that dorm beds couldn’t guarantee we’d be together. When we asked to cancel, though, the hotel confirmed in writing that a room for both of us had been arranged. The hotel’s own communication failure caused this, but they offered no compensation or fair solution and stuck to “no exceptions could be made.” After all the detailed messages beforehand, that was deeply disappointing. I hope they improve how they pass along information. After reading the hotel’s reply, I want to add that it avoids the main issue and shifts blame to Booking.com, even though Booking.com understood what happened and stepped in. The booking conditions weren’t the problem. The hotel failed to communicate its own promise, and that still feels unfair and unprofessional.

Everything about this hostel has been lovely and well set up, with a beautiful location and nice rooms. The only disruption was this morning, when a neighbouring business kept moving piles of cardboard boxes out through the passage below my room on a trolley. It clattered over the cobbles every few minutes and was incredibly loud in the quiet courtyard. Apart from that, everything’s been perfect 🥳