Downtown Forest Hostel & Camping

I'm sitting here writing this and feeling completely relaxed. It's a brilliant hostel on the edge of town. I have a self-contained room with a kitchenette and bathroom, though there are dorms too. It's handy to be able to ask the friendly staff for advice, do laundry, and make my own meals, or head out whenever I want. There are camping spots, pods, and parking for campervans and motorcycles as well. The Old Town is about a 10-minute walk away. The rail and bus stations take around 15 minutes on foot.

I booked a single room for three nights in December but was put in a room with two beds. They were extremely narrow, more like children's beds, and the mattresses were honestly awful. I had back pain every night and hardly slept properly. That was the worst part of my stay. The room was tiny, dated, and sparsely furnished. Curtains let in a lot of outside light at night, and there were no blinds. They were pale greenish beige and didn't block much light. There were shared bathrooms for many rooms, with no separation for men and women. That felt uncomfortable at times, especially when I unexpectedly ran into someone. It didn't always seem very clean, though the cleaning staff were working constantly and doing their best. The rooms were cleaned every day, which was one positive. Staff were okay, neither unfriendly nor particularly welcoming. For the price, I don't think it was good value, especially given the room and how poorly I slept. I wouldn't stay here again.

The location was great, and I thought it was worth the price. Staff were professional. Rooms were very clean, the kitchen was well organized, and the washrooms and showers were okay. Quiet hours run from 23.00 to 8.00 AM.

The dorm area seemed well maintained, but I want to give other women travelers a heads-up. There aren't any female-only dorms, which I knew before booking, but I was still surprised by how male-heavy it was. There seemed to be two or three times as many men as women staying in the dorms. I was often the only woman in the common areas and got a lot of unwanted advances. I don't think that would've happened as much if there had been other women around as a buffer. If that would bother you, keep it in mind.