Hostel Vatra

It’s an okay hotel, and I’d recommend it if you want to walk to the center of Lviv. Just don’t expect anything fancy. I had trouble finding reception, so some signs would help. The receptionist didn’t speak English, but we got by with Google Translate. Payment was cash only. I think I saw washing machines and dryers beside reception, though I’m not sure if guests can use them.

The staff were friendly, but this is really just a place to sleep. Go enjoy Lviv. It’s close to Lviv Opera and Forum Shopping Mall.

The hotel is centrally located, and it has a TV and WiFi. But our room was cold, with one heating panel that only warmed you if you stood right beside it. I’d called ahead to ask, and they assured me it was very warm. The shower drain didn’t work, so water sat there, and the whole room smelled like a cesspool. When we asked to move because it was impossible to stay, they said it was their situation and they couldn’t do anything. There was mold in the shower, and the windowsill was peeling. The bedding didn’t feel fresh. Our child at least had new linens, but ours looked worn, like something left over from our grandmother. The towels were awful and stale too, like they were from the USSR. We didn’t like the place, and were worried about being poisoned by the cesspool gases that seemed to be throughout the hotel.

The location is pretty convenient, but that’s about the only plus. The room was really dirty, with an apple core under the table, and the bathroom tiles looked like they were only being held up by cobwebs. Maybe that’s why nobody cleaned them. There’s no soundproofing, and not even slippers in the room. The Booking photo looks ten years old. Check-in is only from 2 p.m., and arriving earlier costs 300 UAH. This is somewhere to stay for one night at most, and only if you have no other option.