The hostel is very run down. The floor in our room was totally strange, could hardly walk on it. And the toilets were dirty. But they had nice dayoutprogram to Auswitz. Ok hostel, but just for 1 or 2 nights.
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(Review ID: 2835)
Good place for "private" travelers, September 28, 2004
Reviewer:
brandis77
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I stayed in a double room in the hostel's second building, which had one bathroom that was shared between 2 rooms. The hostel was in a student dormitory, so the rooms were quite plain. I was traveling with my husband, and we had to sleep in 2 separate beds across the room from each other because there were no rooms that had a double bed. The shared bathroom was in a little entryway that both rooms shared, so noisy neighbours coming in late made quite a racket.The hostel was good for my trip, as my husband and I were traveling together and weren't really interested in meeting people or partying much. We hardly saw anyone staying there the whole time we were there (4 days), so I suppose this isnt the place for people traveling alone wanting to meet people.I ended up getting quite sick when I was in Krakow (not related to the hostel or the food!), so I spent a lot of time in bed and going for walks around the hostel. The hostel is in a quiet neighbourhood that is extremely pretty! I felt like I really got a sense of what living in Krakow is like due to the part of town I was staying in. There were lots of local businesses, including delis and drug stores, although there weren't many restaurants. The old town was VERY close; you could walk or take a 5-minute tram ride to get right in the middle of everything.The staff were super nice and helpful! The runner we met at the train station gave us a TON of great advice about things to see and places to eat. We had some great experiences in the city thanks to her advice! The trip to the salt mine arranged through the hostel was quite good also.
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(Review ID: 2836)
my favorite hostel in poland, September 13, 2003
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Anonymous
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I am not really picky about hostels... as long as they are clean and that i can have access to a shower without waiting for 30 minutes im happy. There was nothing amazing about this hostel, but i dont really have any bad comments either. It looks nice inside, the rooms are large and clean, the beds are comfy. I found the staff helpful (but that is in comparison with the staff at another hostel in Warsaw who told me to call tourist information if i had any questions) The activities they offered were a ripoff though... I did the same things on my own for half the price. The price was decent (was in 1999), i dont know what its like now. It was close enough to the city center, i never had to take a bus in Krakow. I would probably go back there if i was in krakow again
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(Review ID: 2837)
Good, August 9, 2003
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Anonymous
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I only stayed here one night and was quite disappointed to have to leave Kracow so soon. This hostel was very comfortable, cheap, had large spacious (and furnished!) rooms, clean toilets and showers. There were a couple of things which I found quite gimmicky though: the free pickup from the train station. As soon as I got off the train I was bombarded by rival hostels offering to convey me to their premises: I chose Strawberry. However, they will not/do not/can not drop you back there when you leave. Also, they quote a price of 25zl ("five and a half euros") but as soon as you arrive at the hostel there's a notice saying "Standard hostel price 40zl/night, any discount offered at train station applies to first night only". That seems quite dishonest to me. Another minor gripe about the hostel is that it's not that easy to meet other travellers here: always a let-down when you're travelling alone. Overall, however, this hostel rates above average in all my hostel experiences!
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(Review ID: 2838)
See above..., May 26, 2003
Reviewer:
Michael Phillips
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The above reviewer did a good job in describing this place. It's a bit like being in a dormitory with a bunch of the kids from high school that you hated... The location is alright, there's a tram to the center. The pick up service from the train station is convenient. You don't want to hang out here...
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(Review ID: 2839)
And you're lucky to get that third star!, July 13, 2002
Reviewer:
Mr B
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saw things this way
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Cleanliness
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Now how you interpret this is really down to what you look for in a good hostel. Let's start with the basics:Are the rooms clean? YesAre the showers hot? YesIs it conveniently located? YesIs it safe? YesWell done so far, Strawberry. However, I honestly would foresake some of the above for the following features:Did I feel welcome? In a kind of medical/correctional way.How was I treated? I'm not a number, I'm a real man.Were the staff helpful? You can walk as we'd rather send the minibus to the station empty if it's all the same with you.And for me, that says it all. If you want somewhere to *stay*, this place is fine. If you want somewhere to *be*, search elsewhere. Overrun by my less-favourite backpacker types, big in size, low in character. What more can I say. Happy hunting!
