Melody Hostel

I ended up finding a pleasant little Airbnb because the heat and noise made this place a bad fit for me. I was here in summer 2018, and the attic rooms in the multi-storey building were unbearable in the warm weather. Getting up four flights of stairs with luggage was another problem. At night I couldn't open the window because of the street noise, including beeping from the cash machine downstairs and sounds from the bars. My single room was beside the shared living room, where people gathered and had breakfast in the morning. The atmosphere felt gloomy, and other guests didn't seem interested in talking. It came across more like a family guesthouse than a hostel. I also didn't find it very clean, especially with the carpet, which could be an issue for people with allergies. Maybe it suits people who are out partying and don't need much sleep, but it wasn't for me.

Getting the car parked and reaching the accommodation took us about an hour. The hostel is in a pedestrian area, with signs barring cars and a long explanation in Polish that we couldn't understand. We eventually ignored them, though we felt bad doing it. Street parking didn't seem safe with young, drunk partygoers throwing bottles around. We found a guarded open-air lot for 40 zloty a night, but it was hard to locate. In the end we left the car in a shopping mall parking garage for 100 zloty per night. We'd booked a double room without a bathroom. The room and shared facilities were very clean, and the staff were very friendly, though some bathroom equipment needs repair. There's no air conditioning. It might work well for young people looking to party all night, since it's cheap and right in the nightlife area. For a cultural visit to Poznan, I wouldn't recommend it. We were there on a Friday, and perhaps weekdays are quieter, but it was extremely loud. Two fights broke out below our window and the police broke them up.

The noise from the ground-floor bar, "Crime Story," was the main drawback for us. Dance music played loudly until early morning and got even louder after midnight, so sleeping with the window open was difficult. Maybe the hostel could ask the club to keep its window closed after midnight. Still, we felt at home as soon as we arrived. Melody Hostel is on the third floor of an old building, with no lift, but the stairs weren't a problem for us. Old musical instruments decorate the rooms and lobby, where you can sit whenever you like, and there's free wifi. Our double room had a bathroom and felt up to the standard of a small hotel or B&B. The place was friendly, clean, and tastefully furnished. It's only 50 meters from the Old Square, right in the heart of Poznan. The receptionist was especially kind and gave us lots of tips about nightlife and live music. She also recommended Chatka Babuni, probably the best Polish restaurant I've ever eaten at. Breakfast was fairly simple but had what we needed, including filter coffee and juice. There are plenty of good cafes nearby if you'd rather eat out.

The friendly staff and the central hall's nice decor were the bright spots. Otherwise, the bathroom and bedroom lamp need maintenance, and the bathroom pipes smell bad. There's no elevator to the hostel on the top floor. Breakfast is very basic, and there was no parking despite what the filtered search results showed.