Haystack Hostel

This was my favourite hostel of the Scotland trip. I stayed five nights at the end of it, and the beds were comfy and spacious enough to sit upright on either bunk. The top one was a little tricky to climb into, but after my first night I was able to switch to a bottom bunk. Staff remade both beds and moved my bed identifier for me. They kept the kitchen clean the whole time, and staff communicated often and helped with my laundry even though they don't offer laundry service. My only complaint is that the women's bathroom stalls felt cramped, and I would've preferred more room. I'd stay here again if I came back to Edinburgh.

The one star is for Helen, who was an absolute sweetheart throughout. The hostel's location is why I booked it, along with the pictures, but my stay was awful. We had no heating for one whole night, and nobody from the team could be reached when we tried to contact them. The next morning, Helen kindly apologized and said they'd fix it immediately. Later, I spoke to the manager of Haystack Hostel, Yann, at reception. He was incredibly rude. Instead of apologizing, he started explaining how a heater works and tried to convince me it had been on. He turned it on while we were talking, but it hadn't been on during the nights we stayed. When I also said the shower pressure was poor, he replied, 'That is how it works normally around here,' which felt extremely backhanded. I told him he was speaking rudely, but he didn't care. He kept trying to prove I'd made up the heating problem and suggested it maybe wasn't 'hot enough for you', even though the temperature was actually the same as outside. They later brought in another heater, and that fixed things for the night. The built-in heater never worked after that conversation. Yann's exact words were, 'Facilities are functional rather than hotel standard and this is reflected in the price you paid.' The heater systems don't work, the showers are pretty useless, and the staff go out of their way to be rude. His attitude made sure I knew I'd booked a cheap place, and it spoiled my experience of living in my favourite city.

I hadn't stayed in a hostel for years, and this place really impressed me. The location is brilliant, only a few minutes' walk from the train station, and the price is good for what you get. I was welcomed warmly, and both my room and the hostel in general were very clean. The showers, toilets and kitchen seemed faultless to me. A must-stay if you're in Edinburgh.

The staff were incredibly kind and helpful from the moment I arrived. The shared rooms are spacious, with lots of storage, and I could leave my suitcase before check-in and after check-out. That let me spend almost two days exploring Edinburgh, and the hostel is perfectly placed for it. Calton Hill is just a five-minute walk away and worth visiting at sunset. The kitchens and showers were great too.