Globe Runner Rooms & Dorms

Some residents have lived here long term, and there’s a strange vibe you notice when you arrive. The staff are mixed too, with some helpful and friendly people and some who aren’t. It is clean, though you have to make your own bed. One night my friend from France got drunk, and five long term residents wanted to fight him. It was his last day before going to the front line. Reception didn’t call the police or do anything, so I had to defend him myself. I’d just come back from five months of vacation in Europe and wasn’t in my best shape. Looking back, maybe we could have won the fight, but I only wanted to relax in peace. He ended up okay, but I felt sorry that he had to spend his last day like that. I also felt discriminated against by other guests for speaking Ukrainian. They looked at me with envy and mistrust, and some staff told me they prefer speaking Russian with their friends. I’d stay somewhere else if I were you and actually enjoy Kyiv. Ukraine is beautiful, especially Kyiv, but this place doesn’t represent the city fairly.

It’s 23:27 and loud music is still playing, even though by law it’s allowed only until 10 pm. I called the hotel twice. They assured me the music would stop at 11 pm, if you can call that pounding noise music. After the second call, they turned it down, but I can still feel the beat vibrating through my apartment. It’s especially annoying after last night’s massive attack on Kyiv, when there was no chance to sleep. It’s unacceptable that the property ignores the law and the neighboring buildings. I understand businesses are trying to survive these days and accommodate guests, but if this keeps up, I’ll have no choice but to call the police.

The only possible downside I can think of is that the building has no elevator, though it wasn’t a problem for me. Otherwise, it’s exceptional value for money. The historic old building has a modern feel and design, and the central location in Kiev is lively and convenient. Most landmarks are walkable, and there are two metro stations nearby if you want to explore farther. I think the hostel had opened only a few days before my stay, and I may have been the first guest in this new double room. It had a great mattress and a big shower. The friendly, enthusiastic staff all spoke good English and were always trying to help. I liked the large lounge too, a good place for meetings or quiet work during the day. It feels as much like a relaxed, informal hotel as a hostel.

The beds are really nice for a hostel, with comfortable mattresses and great curtains. But I’m short, and the top bunk was so high that I had a hard time getting up. At night I avoided climbing down in case I needed to, because I didn’t feel safe doing it in the dark. On our side of the hostel, there were only two unisex showers and toilets for many rooms, probably more than 40 people. That felt far too few, and I didn’t like the unisex setup because there was little privacy when needed. You had to get dressed in the wet shower. Both mornings I was there, the showers were disgusting, as if they hadn’t been cleaned in a while. The common room was almost always empty, so it was hard to meet people. The hostel could arrange activities for guests, although maybe the lack of atmosphere was because of covid. There’s no AC, but I knew that in advance and was lucky it wasn’t too hot on those nights. I stayed for the last part of my holiday. The place is quite pricey compared with other hostels, which is fine, but towels and locker locks cost extra rather than being included or provided as a deposit. The lock rental annoyed me especially, since I later found out I could have bought a new one from Eva for what I paid.