Hostel Staromiejski

For such a low price, the standard is very good, and the location right by the market square is ideal. Our room was lovely and cozy, with a fridge, microwave, kettle, cutlery, and tableware. The reservation had gone missing, but staff sorted it out and we got the room we wanted. We did have to arrange a time by phone for someone to come open the door and hand over the keys.

The location is fantastic, but the hostel is so rundown and cluttered that I left wishing I hadn’t spent 50 złoty. I booked a room for two business days, tempted by the location and somewhat by the price, without expecting much. Still, after one night I was so fed up that I left. The place looked long overdue for renovation, and that might have been tolerable if the heating weren’t practically nonexistent in a cold spell. It was also very noisy at night. Dampness was everywhere in the room, and the communal showers were filthy with no hot water. Then there was the refrigerator: I don’t know who else had stayed there or where they were from, but at 5 a.m., when I went to get the dinner and breakfast I’d prepared the day before, I found an empty box and all my food eaten. I went to work at 6 a.m., came back, packed quickly, and regretted the money, just to avoid the hassle. It’s a shame such a great location is so cluttered up by this place. Tear it down and build something a bit more expensive but of any standard. No thanks.

The central location is perfect, right by Gniezno’s main square. Staff are friendly, the rooms are spacious, and the internet is very good, though it sometimes drops. There are two shared bathrooms with toilets. The hallway has a microwave, coffee maker, electric kettle, and refrigerator. The kettle was full of limescale inside, and yes, citric acid exists. The building feels like it dates from the Edward Gierek era and clearly hasn’t been renovated recently. The rooms are very cold, and even in summer it was chilly. One outlet wasn’t working, and the owner didn’t fix it after I reported it. Staromiejski Hostel is right in the center of Gniezno, in the market square, so perhaps it could use some refreshing as a showcase for the first capital of Poland. It may not be the Hilton, Sheraton, or Adlon, but it needs some renovation. Best regards.

The location is great, the bathrooms are okay, and guests have useful things like a fridge, kettle, and dishes. Noise is the big downside. You can hear it from outside because the hostel is right in the Old Town, and sounds from other rooms carry clearly too. Some rooms are separated only by locked doors instead of full walls.