Nomad Hostel Karakoy

Be careful with your card details. I cancelled, but the hostel charged me for the whole trip, over €110, instead of just the first night as its cancellation rules say. Now they’re ignoring my messages. This place doesn’t follow its own cancellation policy.

DON’T BOOK HERE, I GOT SCAMMED! I cancelled after seeing the really bad reviews, including reports of bed bugs. The policy said a late cancellation meant paying for one night, but they took the full amount from my account a day beforehand. They still haven’t returned my money. DON’T BOOK.

Great location, but the rest was awful. Staff put me in the wrong bed, then an angry Arabic guy yelled at me at 2am. The air conditioner was broken and dripped noisily onto the floor all night, leaving most of the room flooded each morning. I tried contacting staff. They might reply, but they ultimately ignored what I asked them to do. There were bed bugs too. I love getting itchy and having to wash everything thoroughly once I’m home. Great stay.

The owner was friendly and the location is great, but the room was tiny, basically a bed and four closets with no space left. There was noise from the neighborhood both day and night. The upper bunk had no guardrail, and the loose wooden shelf above my head looked like it could fall at any moment. I thought it was a safety risk, so I left the hostel immediately. The owner wouldn’t refund me because the deadline had passed, but I couldn’t stay somewhere I felt unsafe. Check-in didn’t require a passport, which also seemed like a safety issue. I’m really disappointed and wouldn’t recommend it to anyone visiting Istanbul. I booked another hostel that was cheaper, much more spacious, and made me feel safer.