The Hostelz.com Review
This hostel seems like a dream come true. It's a short easy walk from the train station after a long train trip from Oslo. It's easy to find, just turn right when you walk out of the station, then take your first left and you should be able to see the hostel about 100 meters up the road. When you enter you'll find crisp clean white linen on comfy beds waiting for you like a dream after too many nights on night trains and other less than perfect sleeping places. The dorms are located in an apartment style building out the back of the café. There's a common area and kitchen surrounded by the dorm rooms. There is free internet and it's a short walk to the centre of town.
After a long train trip you might want to use the laundry and give yourself and your gear a good wash. But this is where the bubble bursts. The laundry cycle takes so long that unless you have a day to waste you might as well forget it. Paying 20nok gets you a 2 hour wash then another 20nok gets you about 1.5 hours drying time, of which you could need up to three dry cycles. So for a load of laundry have at least 6 hours spare.
While you wait for your laundry to dry you might like to take a shower, but hopefully you're not expecting a hot shower. Or even a warm one. The hot water doesn't last and takes hours to re heat. To revive yourself from your stone cold shower you might like to cook up a hearty meal in the kitchen. A great idea as long as you have your own plates, bowls, and cutlery as not a scrap of useful kitchen equipment is provided for some very odd reason. Oh, and make sure whatever you buy can be cooked in the microwave as that's all there is to cook with.
All in all this place seems like a nice surprise until you look too closely then it's just annoying. Don't avoid this place just be warned of its downfalls.
After a long train trip you might want to use the laundry and give yourself and your gear a good wash. But this is where the bubble bursts. The laundry cycle takes so long that unless you have a day to waste you might as well forget it. Paying 20nok gets you a 2 hour wash then another 20nok gets you about 1.5 hours drying time, of which you could need up to three dry cycles. So for a load of laundry have at least 6 hours spare.
While you wait for your laundry to dry you might like to take a shower, but hopefully you're not expecting a hot shower. Or even a warm one. The hot water doesn't last and takes hours to re heat. To revive yourself from your stone cold shower you might like to cook up a hearty meal in the kitchen. A great idea as long as you have your own plates, bowls, and cutlery as not a scrap of useful kitchen equipment is provided for some very odd reason. Oh, and make sure whatever you buy can be cooked in the microwave as that's all there is to cook with.
All in all this place seems like a nice surprise until you look too closely then it's just annoying. Don't avoid this place just be warned of its downfalls.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
October 2005
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Jacobs Apartments AS Hostel Reviews from the WebHostelz.com Guest Reviews
Small, difficult to find but a good location once there. Two minute walk from railway station. Friendly staff, close to cable car and short walk to centre of town. Would recommend to friends. — Tony , English (2008-11-18) Average Overall, a good hostel. Large dorms (fourteen to sixteen people), and not a lot of space for bags, jackets. Nice modern toilets and showers, but not enough for the number of people staying there. Floors of the toilets tended to be wet from unknown sources. Free internet, small self-catering kitchen. Close to train station and city centre, keeping everything within walking distance. — Jen & Karen , Canadian (2007-08-25) Jacobs is a fun and friendly hostel/hotel. The dorm bit is called Dorm.no and this is the bit you might be booking. The combination of single hotel rooms, apartments and dorms combined with a strong local contingent makes evenings in the garden or bar an exciting mix.
The dorms and communal areas, including the kitchen, are kept spotlessly clean and there is always clean linen once you have paid the one off fee.
During my visit it was quite quiet as it was the end of the season and I suspect that if the hostel were full there would be a wait for one of the three showers in the morning.
The kitchen is nicely laid out but could be better equipped, there is no oven or grill for example.
Possibly the only thing worthy of serious criticism is security. Although the back gate and dorm entrance are protected by key codes these doors tend to be left open during the day. The staff tell me that theft is rare to non-exisitant and seem very relaxed about it. Use the lockers provided for your passport and MP3 player and should not have problems.
At night all the doors are secured so no worries there either.
Highly recommended! AH 15/9/06 — Andy Hall (2006-09-15) Excellent hostel. I'm not sure who wrote the "Hostelz.com" review posted here, but it seems almost as if they're talking about a different place. It's true that the laundry cycle can take a while, but that's normal for any European washer (they're much more efficient), and that there are only microwaves and water boilers to cook with. However, the showers are modern and spotless with unlimited hot water, the beds are extremely comfortable and come with clean white linen, and the kitchen is fully equipped with all the utensils, plates, mugs, and glasses you could possibly need. And need I remind anyone that free Internet is a rare and beautiful commodity in Norway? All in all, a great hostel at an excellent price. — Lillian (2005-10-26) This really was a great place to stay. Because food is incredibly expensive, the kitchen was a great plus. Also, the free Internet can't be beat. Everything was spotless, including the bowls and mugs that you could use from the kitchen. The beds are also incredibly comfortable. I actually missed my train one morning because I slept through my alarm. The only possible downsides are the pushbutton showers only give bursts for like 10 seconds, so you have to hold the button while taking a shower. Also, the common room was a bit chilly because everyone was walking in and out and Bergen is cold outside. Besides that, I can't complain about anything. I would definitely stay there again. — Anonymous (2005-10-19)