Hostel Orange

I’ve stayed in hostels across 56 countries, and this was my worst experience. There was thick dust and old crisp packets under the bed, so I couldn’t tell when the place had last been cleaned. The mattress was awful, and a regular guest assaulted me. I ended up moving to another hostel run by the same company. That one was clean, but the mattress was even worse and my back hurt badly in the morning. Problems kept piling up. On the day I left, five women arrived to check in, but something went wrong and they had to find somewhere else. It’s a real shame because this hostel could be great. I strongly recommend avoiding the orange hostels in Toruń.

For one night, this place was all right, and I wouldn’t have switched to another hostel. I paid very little for a 10-bed room, which was less than half full. The location is right in the centre, with a grocery store in the same building. Checkout is at 12am. The kitchen was clean, with free tea and coffee, and the belongings locker was included, with no need to bring your own key. The hostel was generally clean too. Our room had a shower of its own, and it was always free to use and had a lock. There are a couple of things to know: the sockets aren’t beside every bed, though you can ask for a bed near one. Some of the people living there swore a lot and could be a bit odd, and it didn’t feel very international. If you arrive late, I’d go there first to pick up the key. Once reception closes, you can get in with the magnetic key. Otherwise you’ll need to find a way to call them.

The staff were friendly and helpful, and the shared lounge and kitchen felt cosy despite being dark. They were nicely set up with two sofas. Our room was a different story: small, poorly ventilated, and furnished with three beds and two little wardrobes. There were no hangers in the wardrobes, only a few coat hooks near the door, and not much in the way of decoration.

We had a twin room and it was fine. The location is good, and the staff are friendly. The little kitchenette has a microwave, small oven and fridge, with fresh fruit, tea and coffee provided each day. You do need to ask for the room to be cleaned daily. The toilets were clean, though there was no hand wash. The main downside was the smoking. It’s meant to be a non-smoking hostel, but the staff smoked all day just below the window, so the smoke came into our room.