Castello Maggiore

As I was leaving, another guest accused me of taking her envelope. I was stunned, but let her go through everything I owned, even my pockets, while I yelled in English and Turkish out of frustration. She later found her money in the place she'd left it, returned in tears, and apologized. What made this especially upsetting was that no hostel staff were there to step in or witness the harassment. I felt exposed and unprotected. A place that leaves guests alone to face aggressive accusations like this doesn't feel safe. Stay away if you care about your privacy and safety.

It was the cheapest central hostel I could find at short notice, and for one night it was okay. Still, I didn't sleep well. It's noisy, so light sleepers should bring earplugs and an eye mask. Towels aren't provided or available to rent, so pack your own. The map makes it look close to the train station, but it's actually a 20-minute walk. You get what you pay for.

The owner seemed like a nice guy, but I wouldn't recommend the place. Six people sleep in a room of about 14 square meters, and the air conditioning is very loud. It pulls in air from the balcony, where the owner smokes every half hour. The toilets, showers, and everything else were in poor condition. For the money, I could have found somewhere much better. They also don't tell you about the extra 10€ charge until you arrive.

The staff were great, friendly and kind. The location is handy for the train station, buses, and trams, though you can hear the cars. I actually enjoyed that sound as a kind of white noise. The rooms were spacious and clean-ish. Bathrooms and kitchen are tiny but usable, and passable for cleanliness, though they could be better.