Tartan Lodge - Hostel

Police were outside every night, and the place didn’t feel safe. It’s a dump, avoid it.

I’m writing for someone sent here from hospital because he has no fixed abode. He feels very disheartened. On arrival the staff were helpful and can’t be faulted, and they even got him bottled water from a local shop when he found there was no cold drinking tap water, only hot water in the room. He was promised a room without stairs to climb, but that hasn’t happened. He also described mould on the bed base. I saw other things when I dropped him off that concerned me personally, but I’ll stick to what I can pass on about the place itself.

About 30 minutes’ walk from the city centre. The facilities weren’t very good, and the key card kept failing. Each dorm for eight people has one shared bathroom. Sometimes people staying there seemed sketchy, so I wasn’t comfortable leaving my belongings while going out to see the city. There are lockers under the bunks for valuables, and larger lockers in a separate area, but those cost extra. Update: after my stay, they added a charge of over $200 a week to my account. I contacted them to ask why and showed proof of the extra transaction, but they haven’t responded. Now I have to dispute it with my bank. You get what you pay for. Do not book here, they’ll try to rip you off.

You can walk to the city centre, and beds cost £7-8 pounds, which is fantastic. The beds are comfortable, the staff are very friendly and helpful, and the kitchen is fully equipped. The common room was neat and tidy. There’s no lift or disabled access, though, and the old room cards regularly stop working and need to be reset.