Sunrise Hostel & Rooms

The place was chaotic, dirty, and felt unsafe. One night it was so crowded that the volunteers slept on the kitchen floor, and guests kept coming out of their rooms with complaints. The volunteers seemed underpaid and unsure of what they were doing. On arrival, the girl showing me around kept pointing out broken things, including doors. My tiny room felt like a coffin and had no air conditioning, in Palermo in August. The power went out several times, which I soon learned was normal. The bathrooms were unusable, so I ended up washing at the nearby train station. At first I wasn’t given a key, a locker, or even a blanket. I got a blanket after asking, but saw people sleeping wrapped in beach towels. Most of the sockets didn’t work either. From the moment I walked in, it felt like a horror film. This was easily the worst place I’ve ever stayed, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.

I had the best experience I could’ve hoped for in Palermo, staying three nights at this really good hostel. It’s clean, easy to use, and has a well equipped kitchen and good people. Piazza Santana is next door, a great spot for a drink or food at night. The beach bus stop is right outside, and the train station is a four minute walk away, with trains to other beaches.

I woke up covered in bites, possibly from bedbugs or other parasites. I reported it, but they refused to refund me. I checked older reviews and found that other guests had reported the same thing even a year earlier. It seems to be a known, ongoing problem that they don’t care about.

For what I paid, I’m really satisfied. It’s right in the center, and the staff are very friendly.