Baraka 24 Hostel Rome

This was a nightmare, and I felt unsafe all night. The apartment is tiny, damaged, and dirty, with too few lockers and no locks on the rooms or bathrooms. I had to keep checking my bags and ended up sleeping in the same room as the staff member, who snored loudly. When I said I couldn't sleep, he rudely told me I could leave and find somewhere else or sleep on the street. In the morning he switched on the light and made a lot of noise, waking me up. I thought the five-star reviews were fake or manipulated, and when I tried to leave a review on Booking, I couldn't because he had blocked me there. It seems like a way to avoid bad reviews and attract unsuspecting guests. This feels like a scam and a big risk that could ruin your trip. I picked this place because it was cheap and expected a regular hostel. It isn't one. It felt more like a stopover house in an apartment, with people who seemed to be struggling there. At 11 pm, the man managing it wouldn't answer the door even though I rang several times. Another resident of the building eventually let me in; otherwise, I might have had to sleep outside. Once inside, the manager opened the apartment door with a very unfriendly expression and said I shouldn't ring the bell, although he could see me doing it. He said he'd texted to ask what time I was arriving. The place didn't look like the pictures, and I felt misled by the reviews. The location is near Termini and the center, but the area also felt unsafe at night. Women should avoid staying here. They asked for an ID card to give me a key for entering and leaving the building because the manager isn't there all the time. I plan to report this to Booking. I don't understand how a place like this is allowed there.

A terrible experience, full of trouble.

This was the worst hostel I've stayed in. The bathrooms were filthy and smelly, and the bedding looked unwashed, with stains, someone else's hair, and a strong odor. I also suspect there were bedbugs. There wasn't a proper blanket, just a throw. Neither the room nor the lockers could be locked, so I was constantly worried about my belongings. Even though we'd given our check-in time, we waited outside for half an hour for the owner to bring the keys. At check-in, we were also told to pay a 20-euro deposit in cash. If you care about keeping your things safe and avoiding dirty conditions, don't book this place. I'd rather pay more and feel secure.

The name really fits: shabby, dirty, and with awful, smelly bathrooms. You need to be very adaptable here, especially since the price is far too high for this kind of hostel. Its one good point is being close to the train station.