Yak Olympic Hostel

The location is great, and the bathrooms were clean. Being on the 16th floor also kept things very quiet. But the room was far too hot: the big glass front faced what looked like an office, and the AC only blew warm air. There were too many beds squeezed in, plus several long-term residents, some of whom seemed pretty erratic. The staff were all polite and kind. The kitchen is tiny. Have your Uber driver call ahead for directions.

The views are great and the price is good, but this feels more like somewhere to sleep than a traditional hostel. There are long-term residents, and I didn't find it especially friendly. It's inside the tall apartment block behind the businesses. Go in, take the elevator to the 16th floor, turn left, and look for apartment 36.

I used to stay here for about a week each month for nearly half a year, but I've changed my mind and I'm really disappointed. The location downtown is lovely, on the 16th floor with a view of Olimpiyski, but that's about all I can praise now. I checked out today after a major argument at the hostel. People raised the same issues again, and the administrator told us to leave if we didn't like it. Some people left after that, including me. I really don't recommend staying here. The place is dirty, and cleaning only happens once every two days. The rooms smell. The washing machine smells so badly that the clothes and then the rooms pick up the odor. Someone left clothes in it from morning until the next evening. I opened the machine to remind people, but nobody knew whose they were, and when I came back it had been closed again. Clothes have to dry in the rooms because there’s no separate drying area. Residents asked the admin and owner to clean the machine with detergent on an empty hot cycle as the instructions say. He said it was our problem, and that anyone who wanted it could buy the cleaner and pay for an extra wash. The beds are extremely uncomfortable. My back hurt after one night. I’m only 49 kg and had to bring an extra blanket to put over the mattress springs, which helped a little. I can imagine it being worse for someone weighing 75-80 kg or more. The shower also hasn't been working for weeks. People were coughing because windows were opened at night and again in the morning. Outside temperatures can be 7-12 degrees with a cold wind before dawn, so more people ended up sick. Check the pictures too.

We booked a private room with two beds, but the heater wouldn't work, and nobody fixed the problem during our three days there. October might not feel cold to everyone, but it did to us. The room also smelled awful when the window was shut, and airing it out in October was miserable. The photos don't show the place as it really is. For example, there's a pile of shoes right at the entrance. So, thanks Yak Olimpik.