Wild Zebra Backpackers

The backpackers is in a fantastic location, and the toilets and bathrooms on the fourth floor were really clean. I’d never stayed in a backpackers before, so wasn’t sure what to expect. It was busy and lively, with all sorts of people regularly gathered at the front door drinking and smoking. There were four of us in a four-room dorm. The owner made a mistake and put us in a room that other guests were already using, so we had a key to their room. When we walked in, their car keys, luggage, IDs, and other personal belongings were there. It felt really intrusive, knowing they wouldn’t have expected anyone to enter. We went back to reception and told the owner. He said they were meant to check out that morning and started putting their things in a trolley to clear the room for us. But they weren’t supposed to have checked out. The older owner had simply put them in the wrong room. I felt so bad for those guests. I’d hate someone being given access to my belongings.

I spent a month here and kept wanting to leave, though finding a decent place to live was really difficult. The hostel was crowded all the time, and on Saturdays you could hear music from the nearby bars, so it wasn’t a place for a good night’s sleep. The fridge was always full. The kitchen was big and there was room for your stuff, but I really didn’t like the place. Don’t spend too much money on it.

You can make lots of friends here, so you never feel alone, and it’s possible to stay long term. The kitchen is a mess because people don’t wash their stuff. We asked for a room for two but got one with four beds, so we used the extra beds as a closet. Bathrooms were okay, just a little dirty. The washing and drying machines are a bit expensive, but it’s handy to have them. It isn’t cheap, and the free WiFi is only 3 GB a week. It’s not a bad place, but they should improve the kitchen cleaning and offer proper free WiFi for the price.

The location is perfect, the WiFi works well, and the kitchen is large and inviting. A nice staff member kept it well cleaned. But the place felt like it was only selling beds, with no atmosphere, hospitality, or information about the city. The reception staff we met didn’t seem to care and weren’t welcoming or helpful. Bathrooms and showers could have been cleaner.