ApartHostel Helvetia

The location is great, and the staff were very friendly and helpful, but the room descriptions and photos didn't match what I found. The facilities are very old and need repairs. The Wi-Fi didn't work for three of my four days. My double bed was two beds pushed together, and there was just one pillow, smaller than its pillowcase. I also got one shampoo sachet for the whole stay. Calling the amenities free feels like an overstatement, and there was more like that.

Someone had been in our room while we were out for a walk. We'd left the window slightly open, and it was shut when we got back. We also didn't realize the bathroom, shower, and kitchen were shared. The offers were hard to understand because everything was in Polish. When I asked them to message me in English, they said they could only send it in Polish, French, German, or Spanish.

The receptionists were really nice and kind, which is why I gave one star. We booked by mistake and stayed for two days, but when we told them a day ahead that we wanted to cancel the third day, they wouldn't cancel it. I guess that's because of the manager. They could have sold the room to someone else if they'd helped us cancel.

Angelina Hladysh made the stay for me. She welcomed me politely, helped carry a bag to my room, and even brought me coffee and apple juice. We had a lovely conversation, and she checked that I was comfortable. She was always smiling, helpful with local tips, and seemed to care about guests having a good stay. The hostel was clean and well maintained, with a great atmosphere, and her kindness and positive energy were a big part of that. Whether you're traveling alone or in a group, you're in good hands with Angelina. I highly recommend it and will definitely be back!