Bahaus Hostel

The comfortable beds, the hostel’s decor, and the view from the terrace were all good, and being right by the Blue Mosque made sightseeing easy. But the rest of our stay was disappointing. The owner kept giving us odd looks, which made things uncomfortable, and it felt like making money mattered more than making guests feel welcome. Our room stayed dirty throughout the visit. In the 10-bed dorm, toilet paper was often missing, the bathroom smelled, and the general cleanliness was poor. There was even a light fitting hanging out of the ceiling next to one of the beds. The staff were friendly, but often seemed stressed and unsure about what was happening, so the place felt disorganized. The guy who checked us in around 2pm said he finished work at 6pm. When we came back around 10/11pm, he was still there, looking exhausted and sleep deprived. We told the owner, and he just laughed it off. That didn’t feel right. We paid €7 per kilo for laundry and handed our clothes over in a reusable bag. The bag never came back, and one of our T-shirts was missing too. There are lots of tourist-trap restaurants around the hostel, so any savings from the lower price can disappear when you eat nearby.

The comedy night was the part of my stay at Bahaus Hostel that really stuck with me. It was hilarious and well organized, and gave us a fun way to meet other travelers. We spent the night laughing together. The hostel also has clean rooms, a very social atmosphere, and a great location. I had an incredible stay and will definitely come back. Highly recommend it.

I’m frustrated that I spent money here. I’m not fussy, I just want a clean bed and bathroom, a little privacy from a curtain, and somewhere to sleep. For roughly the same price, travelers should stay elsewhere. Istanbul probably has worse places, but there’s no reason to choose this one. A hostel can be basic and still be nice. The place was dirty and poorly kept. It looked like nobody was checking or cleaning the rooms and bathrooms. The toilets had plastic wrap as part of a self-cleaning system, but it was broken when we arrived. Pee built up on the seats, so people were using the bathrooms in the hall instead. When I arrived, staff moved me to a bed without a curtain and didn’t tell me, leaving me with no privacy. They used small, loose sheets instead of fitted ones, so they wouldn’t stay on the mattresses. Everyone in my room was mostly sleeping right on the uncovered surface. My old mattress was brown with stains all over it. The sheets seemed pointless when I was lying on the same unwashed surface as the last 500 people. Staff didn’t care or try to help. It felt like management knew the place was old and gross and put no effort into it. They also don’t accept cards and keep asking for cash for things. I’ve never left a bad rating for somewhere I stayed before, but this place earned one. I’m convinced it’s buying reviews because the high ratings don’t seem believable.

The room was in great condition, and everyone on staff was warm and kind. If you’re visiting Istanbul, come stay here and enjoy it. I’d recommend this hostel 100 percent, it’s the best in the city.