Joachimstaler Straße 1-3, Berlin S-Bahn/U-Bahn/train Zoologischer Garten Tel (030) 2977810 Websitewww.aohostels.com
BUG Review
A&O Hostel am Zoo is a big hostel with good facilities that include two bars, Internet access and TV lounge. But there is no kitchen. It is a nice new place with en suite facilities in most rooms. It has a central location right beside Zoo station, but it's not such a good neighbourhood to stay in.
Price Dorm bed €10-23 Single room €30 Twin room €34-50
Prices include breakfast Prices are in local currency and are inclusive of all taxes.
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Reception Open 24 hours
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The location is about the only thing going for this place. Having said that, i remember the trains running every few minutes just outside my window, so maybe the location isn't even good. I thought some (not all) of the reception staff were quite rude, and it was almost like it was a hassle for them to even book you in. I agree with an earlier post from a girl from Melbourne, who said that the communal area has an atmosphere slightly better than an airport waiting lounge, it is so lifeless. A lonely piano stands in the corner begging to be played, but it just doesn't fit, its kind of like a begger amongst a bunch of rich thieves. I love music and art, but no art adorns the walls, just commercial posters and things for you to buy, the closest thing is the three or four fake plants scattered around the foyer. The place lacks love and creativity, two things backpackers are renowned for. The rooms are advertised as 10 euro per night, but don't be surprised if you have to pay between 15 and 20 if you don't book in advance. You have to pay for sheets and anything else that isn't a bed to sleep in. If you look around everything is for sale and nothing it seems is for free (not even a smile!!) There is also no kitchen, which means that the money you might save on accommodation will be spent on food. If you are an artist, lover, or a dreamer, forget this place, because it will completely drain your energy. If you are a capitalist and like the bling bling, you might just love it.
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(Review ID: 3220)
Definately a safe bet, August 28, 2005
Reviewer:
Karina
( karinaims@hotmail.com)
from Stavanger, Norway
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Spent two nights there in July, and I had a great time! Had no problems with the staff or checking in, and the room I had was relatively clean. The Hostel is only 50 meters from the Zoo train station which makes it close to everything:) They didnt have good lockers though, our own lock wouldnt fit into the hole in the door, which med them pretty useless.... Anyways, the place is still recommended!
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(Review ID: 3221)
Good times, June 28, 2005
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Anonymous
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reading some of the previous reviews perhaps my stay here was a lucky one. no issues. no lines at the reception area or issues with the staff or reservation (used hostelworld.com). staff was cool. the space does fill up fast from what i saw. the rooms were big and clean enough, though as mentioned in another post, you have to have your own sheets or rent. my memory is hazy but i think the room had lockers but you need your own lock. bathrooms clean enough. both bars were open when i was there. had a blast hanging there at night. good place to start or finish if you are going elsewhere. met plenty of cool people. one of the few hostel bars in europe i got to hang with a bunch of people not from the US, Canada, Australia, or UK. there did seem to be a lot of young german kids using it as a base to go out for the weekend. one night my buddy and i got free drinks for the 3 hours we were there. this included many beers and jaegerbomb shots we were ordering for ourselves and other people in the bar. like i said maybe i was lucky. bunch of internet machines. did one of the walking tours advertised there and it was great. our tour guide, Ida, was one smart cutie. this place is fine for the backpacker. as said on other posts it's right next to the train station so what would you really expect from a hostel located so close? also i believe there were some people dealing with lost luggage from the luggage room when i was there. but as the backpackers know u aren't guaranteed any security if you choose to leave your bag in one at any hostel. if u don't feel comfortable w/the luggage room the good thing is since you are so close to the train station u could leave your bag in a train locker. if you don't have bad luck this place should be good enough. **side note: a Euraid rail office is at the Zoo station. they can be very helpful reserving seats if you are taking rail throughout europe and are using a eurail pass**
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(Review ID: 3222)
Dont stay here!, May 31, 2005
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Anonymous
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Don't bother with this sh*tty hostel. We made an Online booking with them, clearly stating that we wouldn't arrive until 11pm. When we arrived they had closed down the front desk for a while to do a shift change (what the ??). The receptionist even yelled at one poor girl who didn't see the sign and was waiting to be served. So we had a drink at the bar first and the girl working there was just as rude. When we got to the front desk the receptionist told us they'd given our room away because we didn't arrive by 6pm. We showed her our reservation confirmation that showed our arrival time of 11pm and she admitted the room shouldn't have been given away but said that its not her fault because she's not the one who gave it away. Even better, they were fully booked so there was nothing she could do for us. By now it was midnight, we were exhausted from travel and in a foreign city - I don't imagine they get much repeat business or word of mouth recommendations with "service" like that. Definately stay somewhere else!
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(Review ID: 3223)
A safe bet of a Hostel, May 18, 2005
Reviewer:
gardimus@hotmail.com
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I stayed here for 3 nights in late March of 2005. For a hostel that cost only 10 Euros, I found it to be very clean and welcoming. The staff was some of the most friendly I've met(and rather attractive) while travelling. The beds were stardard and I had no complaints in regards to the large dorm room. The hostel had a great atmosphere, although I was disapointed that the PS2 was not working on playstation night. Its a great place to meet people. My only complaints perhaps is that the location is a bit too touristy for my liking and the internet was pricey there.In general, you can't go wrong and I found it to be one of the best Hostels I stayed in when price is factored in.
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(Review ID: 3224)
Not worth saving a few euros, March 29, 2005
Reviewer:
Damien
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I stayed in the budget dorms here, to save a few euros when money was tight, but regretted the decision to move here from a more expensive hostel on the east side of berlin. The only good thing about the location is that it is right next to zooligischer garten station which allows you to get away from the dull neighbourhood as quickly as possible. The bad thing about this location is that the trains run right on the other side of the thin walls.The accomadation is the cheapest going and the services are accordingly sparse. The common room falls just short of achieving the atmosphere of an airport waiting lounge, it has space and facilities but something is just wrong. Their much self-appraised backpackers bar was never even open, the other bar was more like a train station's platform cafeteria, just a hole in the wall where you could purchase goods. I must say though that the staff here very helpful and friendly. When i told them i had previously stayed in Mitte and was wondering if there was anything to do here they offered me sincere condolences for having moved.The room was large stuffy and noisy, with just one shower for the 16 or so beds. Many of the guests here were not backpackers and even a little scary. This is a result of advertising the cheap rooms in the busy international train station downstairs. I definitely do not recommend this place, no matter how skint you have become.
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(Review ID: 3225)
Cheap and nasty, March 29, 2005
Reviewer:
Sarah
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Me and my partener stayed in the 10 euro budget room, which ment sleeping with 15 others in a decent sized room but very hot and unclean and stuffy, it was also full of old men that snored and twitched at night time which made the room creepy. we only stayed there to sleep, but we did make good friends with one of the bar staff who was realy friendly and fun. The area around the hostel is very commercail and not much fun, its pretty impersonal as far s things go, id reccomend staying in the east of berlin instead.
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(Review ID: 3226)
it was okay, March 12, 2005
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Anonymous
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The location of the hostel right next to the train station and the underground was great. However, the bed was the most uncomfortable I've ever slept in (and usually i can sleep on anything), and the staff wasn't especially friendly. I've heard that if you stay in a double the conditions are much cleaner and the staff is nicer to you, so maybe that would improve things. I've stayed in the Circus in berlin and it was much, much better.
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(Review ID: 3227)
Great location, August 3, 2004
Reviewer:
Tawcan
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The hostel is located next to the train station so it's a bit noisy. The dorm room was pretty big and then beds were quite comfortable. The dorm is very cheap, the downsides are that you have to rent sheets and breakfast is extra.
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(Review ID: 3228)
Its like eating ice-cream on a cold day, July 22, 2004
Reviewer:
quirk
( quirkp_uk@yahoo.co.uk)
from England
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I like this place, even though the rooms are full of peoples empty drinks bottles (I thought about collecting them all up myself to get the deposit back, but I could never find the room free. I would have made a killing) and the reception is choas at times. You can't fault the loaction, security seems to be tight where the rooms are concerned, its got two bars and a terrace and they serve reasonable priced beer. One thing it can't understand is why you have to que to check out when they don't take a deposit off you and all you have to hand back is a card. Shouldn't they just have a box labelled "swipe cards here please", it would save a lot of time.
