Golden Square

I stayed for 10 days this April 26. The hostel is right on main toli bi street, with buses going in all directions. Panfilov is a three-minute walk away, Arbat street is about seven minutes away, and Green Bazaar is a 15-minute walk.

The location was brilliant, and being able to leave our luggage helped a lot with our late flight. We loved the comfy beds, the good kitchen and bathroom facilities, and the curtains, lights, and plug sockets in each bed. Checkout at 2pm was amazing. We arrived without a booking, but the staff were fantastic and helped fit us in.

The location is great, and the staff were friendly. Kitchen facilities looked adequate, so it's fine if all you need is a bed. But there's no real social space or atmosphere, and it doesn't feel like a backpacker hostel. The toilets smelled, while the showers were small and offered little privacy. The bed cabin has a curtain, but it's cramped for anyone tall. I'm 187cm and had to lie diagonally, still touching both ends. The AC was shockingly loud and didn't cool much, and road noise was noticeable.

The location is the only good thing about this place. On check-in the beds weren't clean, and the bathrooms and toilets were constantly dirty. My mattress felt like a hammock and definitely needs replacing. Most guests seemed to be local delivery workers rather than tourists, so there was no atmosphere or respect for others. Phones went off at odd hours and lights were left on. I wouldn't recommend it.