The Hostelz.com Review
This is a large and prominent hostel that is located directly inside Jaffa Gate. It is an excellent location. The hostel has two floors, the first of which is the second story of the building. The roof of the hostel also offers additional rooms, as well as the option to rent a mattress or tent on the roof itself and sleep under the Jerusalem stars. It is a simple yet quite large hostel, considering it is inside the Old City. Each floor is comprised of a large common area, which includes several seating areas, a communal kitchen and fridge, and a TV. On the first floor there is internet access which is available for 10 sheckles/hour, as well as a public bookshelf and a dining table. The dorm-style rooms all open onto this main room.
The rooms house about 6-8 each, and many have bathrooms in the room. Communal bathrooms are also available. The showers in the bathrooms are typical of the middle east – a showerhead mounted on the wall without a basin or a tub.
The atmosphere is home-like, and the building has an aura of age. Some of the furniture is run-down and well worn, but nothing is dirty. The atmosphere is delightfully consistent with the adjacent buildings – the beginning of the suq. There are stained glass windows and light fixtures.
The outstanding feature of this hostel is its view. Because of its prime location, every window in the hostel has a stunning view of either the wall of the Old City and the street below, or the rooftops of the Old City. Seemingly every room opens onto a balcony. The best area, by far, is the roof, where there are separate rooms with an incredible panoramic view of the entire Old City as well as the Mount of Olives, Mount Scopus, etc. Every landmark is visible!
This is an average quality hostel in a stellar location. The downside of being directly inside Jaffa gate is that the morning traffic and din of the street can be heard with the windows open. Higher rooms are better both in terms of view and in terms of the noise. On the other hand, for for price, one can't go too far wrong.
The rooms house about 6-8 each, and many have bathrooms in the room. Communal bathrooms are also available. The showers in the bathrooms are typical of the middle east – a showerhead mounted on the wall without a basin or a tub.
The atmosphere is home-like, and the building has an aura of age. Some of the furniture is run-down and well worn, but nothing is dirty. The atmosphere is delightfully consistent with the adjacent buildings – the beginning of the suq. There are stained glass windows and light fixtures.
The outstanding feature of this hostel is its view. Because of its prime location, every window in the hostel has a stunning view of either the wall of the Old City and the street below, or the rooftops of the Old City. Seemingly every room opens onto a balcony. The best area, by far, is the roof, where there are separate rooms with an incredible panoramic view of the entire Old City as well as the Mount of Olives, Mount Scopus, etc. Every landmark is visible!
This is an average quality hostel in a stellar location. The downside of being directly inside Jaffa gate is that the morning traffic and din of the street can be heard with the windows open. Higher rooms are better both in terms of view and in terms of the noise. On the other hand, for for price, one can't go too far wrong.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
January 2005
Their Description
Petra Hostel Details
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Petra Hostel Reviews from the WebHostelz.com Guest Reviews
Good position The hostel is in a good position to see the most important places in Jerusalem. The rooms are not so bad, very basic; the cleaning of the room is not every day. The breakfast is good and you can take tea or coffee free all day long and there's also internet free for the guest. — Nina , Italy (2012-05-11) Terrible!!! I am a soldier who was at this hostel in 2011 when my friends and i were in Jerusalem at the vacation. We didn't expect much, being a soldier, i am accustomed to lower standards in accommodation, but this was the lowest point in all my history of any arrangements, whatsoever. Seriously, folks, dont go ever even near this hostel!! — Kristijan , Croatia (2012-04-24) One of the worst hostels around it is cheap and well located. But the beds are terrible and staff seem useless, and tried to trick us with the price too. The breakfast is terrible especially for a 20 shekel price tag and the showers are shocking. I was told it was bad before going, but it surprised me how terrible it was. Don't go. If you do, it's quite easy to stay for more nights than you paid as the staff have no idea who has paid and which bed they're in. — Michael , British (2012-01-15) (Almost) perfect Best price, great location, beautiful view of the Old City (especially sunrise and sunset), friendly staff, breakfast and wireless internet included. No curfew, and it is one of the few Old City hostels that do not forbid alcohol on the premises. Now for the dirty: There was a serious mosquito infestation, and possibly bedbugs as well. The furniture in the common areas are very dirty and dusty. I'd recommend staying there, just be sure to put on bug repellent before bed! And if you use the money changers right outside, make sure they give you the correct rate and count how much they give you. — Anonymous , United States (2011-08-13) I would'nt recommend that place.Too dirty. I stayed one week. I used to stay in cheap places and to travel a lot. The place is well situated but really too dirty. The room wasn't done properly, hair in the sinks, cockroach, and other bugs -- no hygiene at all. The breakfast! Nescafé, water not enough hot, I saw that the food was prepared by a young girl in a dirty kitchen without elementary hygiene precaution the evening before. No curtains at the window, door lock deficient, I couldnt find a place in another hotel so I stayed there. I can not recommend that place — nathalie , French (2010-10-22) Terrible! how do people like it? Why on earth do people like this place?? I stayed for a few days and while some of the guys behind the desk are ok, the guy who seems to run the place is incredibly rude and unfriendly. The en-suite bathroom was filthy, with the drain clogged by the accumulated hair of many many guests. There were bedbugs. Oh, and my bed had only half a frame -- they had nailed a piece of plywood on to the frame, which was very uncomfortable. Hostels like this shouldn't exist, and I winced seeing an elderly couple take the room as i was preparing to leave. The owners obviously don't give a damn about the comfort of their guests, and thus charge big money and deliver so little. It's the type of place that would close very quickly if it didnt have so much passing trade. Truly awful. — Anonymous (2010-09-18) Great! i love the place to bits! its been along time since iv been,and iv been there many times, ill go back one day and yip its going to be there, just go there. iv only lovely thoughts of the petra, good people, funny people, and daft people. — robert weightman , england (2010-07-16) Wonderful Place I have stayed more than fifty times at least at this hostel though not for many years now. It remains an iconic hostel amongst those who lived and traveled in the holy land in the eighties and nineties. I am so glad to have stumbled on this website and to see that Petra is still open for business. Always clean, friendly, and affordable and a great location. I will definitely be staying here again later this year when I return to jerusalem. — Mick Roberts , England (2010-06-24) Price too high I was looking forward to going there, phones the hostel one day in advanced to ask if there was room, and the price. When i arrived it was more then twice as high (70 NIS). The guy running the place was asleep on the sofa, and did not even get up. I went to the new hostel just further down david street. — Anonymous , Denmark (2010-06-11) I dont like it really. The atmosphere is not really good. You can find nice people, the tourist are nice, but the working staff are not really very nice. The beds are clean, but the rest of the hostel is not. Really dirty. For the christian people is not really very nice, because what I have seen there is that the muslims try to convert you there. They have problems if jewish people come to visit you, you can see it in the attitude. Go and check, you will see! — Maria José , Chile (2009-09-14) Good This hostel is perfect for a low budget adventure. It provides the basic essentials -- bed, bathroom, shower, and a heater in the winter. I loved it! — Ian , American (2008-10-19) Not the cleanest place in town They don't seem to take care of the place very well. They charge 50 shekels to do a load of wash (5 kg load). Four of us stayed in a six-bed room. The bunk beds were literally falling apart and the management didn't care at all when we reported it. So why did I give it three stars? Friends, you can't beat the location. You can't beat the price. You can't beat the atmosphere. Sitting out on the balcony watching the scenes below was fabulous. Everything within walking distance including the beautiful Y.M.C.A. which has a nice restaurant open seven days a week. So for sight-seeing, atmosphere, convenience, and cost, it can't be beat. So rough it for a few days. — James , U.S.A. (2007-12-18) Rundown but dirt cheap Mark Twain stayed here once, they haven't remodeled since, but it might have been cleaned once or twice. That said its inhabited by a bunch of hippy bums who are very funny and surprisingly very religious. The bathrooms are disgusting, and it doesn't seem to be the safest place. I'd give it one star, but it's dirt cheap and has a great location just inside the gate. — Ben , USA (2007-06-02) I always much enjoyed The Petra (often I was a rooftop-sleeper). If the money is solid I may come to visit again in some future. — Carel Heldring , Dutch (2007-05-08) nice location near the jaffa gate and the old city. nice staff. good prices. the showers and toilets are disgustin', but hey the prices are ok for that. i met many nice backpackers there. had a good time. snorers all night! — sh / germany (2007-03-05)