Seven

We came back in January 2022 because the location worked for us, even after a bad stay in May 2021. Back then, the bedding was dirty, the room dusty and untidy, and when we arrived after booking through Booking.com, they said we should have called and acted as if they had nothing to do with the booking. We asked for fresh bedding, and the cleaner spent 20 minutes looking for a sheet. The shower and toilet were shared despite a promise of a private bathroom. The so-called “Lux” was about 6 square meters, faced trash bins, had loose doors, and was unbelievably noisy. We had to buy disposable slippers even though they said slippers were provided. The rooms weren’t cleaned as advertised. There was no hot water in May or January, the shower was falling apart, part of the ceiling hung down, wires dangled, and the whole hostel was in disrepair. At night it was cold, with feather pillows and blankets only 5mm thick. I was given a little vodka, which apparently the whole neighborhood raves about. When we complained in May, we were told, “You live in Ukraine, who knows what the law is, nothing's done here, I'm the guard, I'm the administrator, nothing better will happen.” We didn’t even bother complaining in January. If you move on the bed faster than a snail, you can feel the floor through the mattress. It’s impossible to rest there, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. The January booking was by phone, as requested. He called three times beforehand to check everything was okay, but when we arrived he asked, “Who are you? Did you book?” even though we’d introduced ourselves. He then seemed to think we’d booked two beds in a shared room, when we’d reserved a double. I went to check the suite, which cost the same as the junior suite, and pulled on the door in the middle of the night only to find they were staying there. We ended up in a junior suite for 1,500 rubles for three nights. We’d arrived at 2:00 AM, but, well, that’s the hotel business. Within 30 minutes of checking in, they came by seven times asking how long we were staying, what we’d paid, how many days we’d be there, and similar questions. They asked the same things twice the next day, then planned to check us out at 11 AM the day after, forgetting we’d paid for three nights. If I could, I’d give it zero stars.

We only ended up here because our hostel had no running water. This was my first hostel stay, and my last, so I don’t have much to compare it with; maybe I’m being too critical. The receptionist was friendly and helpful, the bed linen was clean, and I didn’t see dust in the room. We had a family room away from the main room, but there were plenty of downsides. The area had lots of homeless people and drunk people at all hours, and approaching the hostel at night felt scary. We came across guests with cockroaches both in the dining area and in our room. The shower was rusty, dirty and overdue for replacement, and the hand soap was watered down. The loose door handle made opening the door feel frightening, and the room hanger was broken and taped up in two places.

The staff were friendly, and I was happy with my stay. The clean, dust-free bed linen and working air conditioning were nice, and coffee beans start at 10 UAH. Smoking is the one downside, since you have to go outside. I’d rate it 4 out of 5: there’s no smoking area, and the second restroom needs work on its stall and walls.

For 450 UAH we got a suite, a double that was ideal for a couple, and check-in was easy. The room was small but the bed was cozy, with a double bunk and a single bunk above it. There was a TV, a clothes cabinet, an air conditioner, a bar stool and a coat rack. The TV gave a little sense of comfort, but the thin walls let in noise. The bathroom beside the room had no sink, and its old shower was shared by everyone, with only the rain setting working. Better plumbing would have earned five stars from me.