New Word St. Hostel

The location is the one good thing. There was nobody available to help, and the hallways reeked of cigarette smoke. The room's closet locks didn't work.

The location and cleaning staff were great, and the hostel was great in many ways. The bathrooms were cleaned thoroughly each morning, and the coffee was good. But the shower drains had their water traps removed, so the bathrooms smelled of sewer gas, which got into the rooms at night. Management blamed residents and wouldn't address it. Putting the water traps back would be the simplest fix, but management didn't seem to understand how serious the problem was. I had to put plastic bags filled with water over the drains to stop the stench. The hostel is on the top floor with no elevator, and many people live there full time. You need a Polish number to get the door code, and there are no staff after hours.

The location is the only real plus, along with the price. The three flights of stairs to get in smelled of piss, there was no reception staff, and the floors were grimy. Beds felt flimsy and uncomfortable. The window panes were broken and patched with black bin bags. With no AC, it was unbearably hot in a room with five or maybe nine other people snoring. If you really need somewhere cheap in Warsaw, you can stay here, but expect to spend the whole time wishing you'd paid a little more for somewhere nicer.

For my next trip, Booking customer support gave me an award after trying hard to help with the whole situation. My experience with the hotel was very different. The owner was difficult to reach, and there was only a phone number. Conversations were hard because she was very emotional and kept interrupting. Even when I had proof, it didn't seem to matter, and she was so persistent that I felt my rights as a guest didn't count. My phone charger burned out because of a low quality extension lead in my room, and the electricity was out for two days. The hotel accepted no responsibility and paid nothing toward the charger. The only compensation they did offer was 55 zlotys, after a man checked into our room in the middle of the night even though it was meant to be for women only. There were also problems with homeless people in the entry. Sometimes they slept there and pissed on the floor. The hotel was next to a very loud street, so getting sleep was really hard. I don't think it's a good choice for a longer stay. I tried to save money, but ended up having to buy a new charger. I'd have been better off paying a little more for somewhere else. I hope this review helps.