European Hostel

The place felt poorly maintained and below an acceptable standard for a hostel. There were holes in the ceiling, mold and dirt, and the kitchen was unclean. Written notices said food would be thrown away every 24 hours. I don’t expect a hostel to be luxurious, but I do expect it to be clean and functional. Some areas had fresh paint, but the rooms still smelled of mold. I’d seen earlier reviews mentioning stained bedding and bed bugs and hoped those were isolated cases. I found stained bedding too, and after my second night I was itching. I’m seeking medical advice about that. The bedding rules made the stay uncomfortable. I was given one thin blanket, told not to use my own bedding, and couldn’t get another blanket despite the cold nights. There was also a booking problem because the third-party site hadn’t disclosed the hostel’s age rule, which I later learned was 18 to 30. I’m 32 and wouldn’t have booked if I’d known. The owner reacted in a hostile way, threatened to cancel my stay and keep the payment, and kept arguing at length before eventually letting me stay. I asked for a refund so I could leave, but he refused. Later that day, I knocked on the office door for the Wi-Fi password. The owner answered abruptly that he was in a meeting, though it looked like a personal call. He also said I should already know where the password was, even though our earlier conversation had been about the booking issue. At checkout, I was bracing for more yelling or an attempt to keep my deposit. To my surprise, he was calm, seemed nice, and returned the full deposit.

It’s a clean, quiet hostel in a handy central spot, and the price is good for what you get. The rooms and shared spaces are kept up well, and the manager is welcoming and helpful. Transit is close by, so getting around is easy.

The room was tiny, with just a bed and a window, even though the listing image showed more. There was no table or picture on the wall. The blanket was really just a thin sheet, and we weren’t given towels. The shared bathroom was dirty, worse than any ordinary public bathroom. We could hear noise from upstairs and outside, including people talking, showering, and walking. The hallway smelled strongly of urine and dampness whenever we opened our door. The area outside felt dangerous at night, with many homeless people around. The check-in was a mess too. The stated hours were 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and we confirmed we’d arrive before 10, but the staff member kept pressuring us in an uncomfortable tone. We arrived at 9:30 p.m., and the Indian man wouldn’t let us check in because we weren’t yet 21, even though Expedia listed the minimum check-in age as 18. He threatened to put our names on a city blacklist, call the police, and refuse a refund. After taking many photos of our IDs, he gave us a room but warned that police would walk around asking us questions because we were on the first floor. He also said he’d leave at 10 p.m., so nobody would be there to help after that. We were crying when we checked out after two nights, then booked another hotel for the rest of the trip. We tried Expedia customer service. They could only ask the property manager for a refund, and we thought he wouldn’t agree. He denied the complaints about his attitude to Expedia and said he had explained the laws politely. That wasn’t how it felt to us, given the yelling and threats. He wouldn’t refund us, so we decided to dispute the charge with our bank. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone, even someone traveling on a tight budget. Spend $30-40 more for better service and options.

The owner wouldn’t let me use my own blanket, but all I was given was a thin sheet. It was freezing at night, and I only used my small throw blanket so I wouldn’t get sick. I wanted to extend my stay, but in the morning I was kicked out. They said I’d used my own blanket and pillow, though I’d only been told not to use a blanket. I didn’t see what my pillow or a small throw had to do with that. The owner rudely said he could lose his license if I kept using them. I said I understood and wouldn’t use them again, but he still refused to let me stay and put me out on the street. I’ve never been anywhere worse. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. You could be left without shelter and possibly lose your belongings. The owner was an absolute tyrant.