Haka House Franz Josef

The rooms are nice, though doors slam loudly. The kitchen and showers are pretty tired but still functional and definitely need a revamp. Fair play to the English guy who seemed to be trying to make things better. You know what to expect from a Haka House. The layout is nice but soulless, and earplugs cost 5$. Still, you're only likely to be here for about 3 nights max, so it's fine.

The room suited what we needed, with comfortable beds and towels provided. There was good parking and plenty of stuff nearby. But there were no free tea bags or coffee sachets in the room or downstairs, and the coffee machine in the kitchen cost extra. The kitchen needed a proper deep clean, especially in the morning, and needed a lot more cutlery. Most of the hobs were broken, and some sounded like they might explode when people used them. A lighter would help with the ones that wouldn't spark. The vending machine had been rinsed out when we were there, with nothing but energy drinks. The bathrooms were fine, but there weren't many upstairs, just 1 toilet and 1 shower cubicle. The sauna was only open 6-9pm, and there wasn't a shower nearby for cooling off before going back in.

The beds were comfy, the WiFi worked well, and the dry sauna was a lovely extra. Jess handled a long check-in queue really efficiently, and she was funny and super nice. We booked all four beds in a four-bedroom dorm with friends, but the room felt extremely cramped. There also seemed to be far too few showers and toilets for the number of rooms and beds. We cooked in the kitchen, too, and the tea towels were no use for drying dishes. They just pushed water around, so we ended up stacking wet plates away.

There was plenty of space to relax outside the room, especially in the comfortable living room, dining area, and kitchen. The rooms were warm, clean, tidy, and comfortable, with enough room and handy extra storage for bags and a locker. Staff were very attentive. Great value and a good location. I'd definitely stay again if I were in the area.