EK Apartments

We were worn out from the road, and this turned into a mess. We waited an hour for booking confirmation after being told they'd contact us soon. When we arrived, nobody answered our calls. Someone at one of the numbers said they didn't know how to get there or who we should contact. After another half hour, we finally got through, only to be asked whether nobody had warned us there was no shower, as if that was supposed to be fine with us. I don't recommend it.

This is a cheap, central place for people who want to explore Odessa's historic area rather than go to the sea. The Potemkin Stairs, Deribasovskaya Street, Duke Street, and Turkish Park are all just a couple of minutes away. We'd booked a double room with twin beds, but were moved to this room, where one of us had to sleep on the sofa. There wasn't a trash can anywhere, or a single hook in the bathroom. It also smelled of whitewash. The room had just been renovated, though, so I hope those issues have been fixed by now.

We booked this hostel because the photos showed a clean, cozy room with a private bathroom, and the listing promised air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a kitchenette, a hairdryer, toiletries, a 24-hour reception, and a bilingual administrator. What we got was Russian and Russian swearing. A very unkempt maid with a puffy, alcoholic face showed us to a creepy basement. To reach our room, we had to pass through a common room where men were sleeping. Everything was incredibly dirty, with papers and bottles scattered on the shelves. The room that was supposed to have air conditioning was small, musty, windowless, and had no ventilation. The bed was broken and the wallpaper was peeling. The promised private bathroom wasn't there either, it was shared. We chose this hostel specifically because it was one of the few options with its own bathroom. After I complained, they moved us to a better room with a sink and toilet, but there was no closet, hook, hanger, or anything else for our things. That room was a cold, damp, glassed-in annex that didn't look cleaned at all. There was black mold on the walls and on the transparent curtains, which didn't block anything. The streetlight shone right into our eyes through the glass, so it was hard to fall asleep. The linen they brought smelled stale and was badly washed, with holes and stains. When we asked for a change, the maid brought a set without holes, but it was just as awful. The bathroom was filthy and smelled the same. There were marks right on top of the toilet from someone who'd missed, and instead of toilet paper there was a Prostor flyer on the tank. There was no kitchen or hairdryer. The iron was broken, and the only place to iron was practically over the heads of people sleeping in the common room, so you still ended up rumpled. The maid seemed not to clean, just sat around swearing. When I asked for drinking water, she waved at the hose used to water the grapes. Between two and four in the morning, all sorts of creepy-crawlies came out into the courtyard to smoke and talk loudly. They ignored requests to keep it down. In all my travels, I've never stayed anywhere worse or dirtier.

The apartments range from one-room units to large ones for 6-7 people. They're clean and cozy, with everything needed for a comfortable apartment-style stay. There's a reception, and the staff are very friendly. The entrance is through a cozy, clean courtyard, at the start of Ekaterininskaya Street. Deribasovskaya, the Opera Theater, Primorsky Boulevard, and Potemkin Stairs are close by. There are also lots of places to eat and night clubs nearby.