Friendly Fun Franks Hostel

Great Hostel, brilliant staff
Just going home from a six-day stay with my girlfriend at Franks. Hostel is perfectly located, close to everything, very clean (staff are always tidying!). Casper is very helpful and very funny! All staff are excellent, as is was quiet, they let us have a ten bed dorm to ourselves as we are a couple, which was great! This is one of the best hostels I've stayed in, would recommend it and would definitely come back. I think Casper is moving on to do some traveling, which is a shame and it will be a lot quieter without him, but I'm sure they will find a suitable replacement. Definitely worth a visit.

Want to sleep? beware
I stayed here on 16 December and had a reservation for the 17th, but canceled (at no refund) after my horrible experience. This place is very highly rated -- I saw these reviews and was completely blindsided. Be warned -- this is a place for partiers, all others are not welcome. First, the hostel is a party hostel -- this would be great, if things were limited to the bar and the public areas. They are not -- the entire hostel was a literal zoo until 7 a.m., with all the behavior one would expect in a zoo. In my dorm room alone, people were drinking, throwing things, singing and yelling, slamming doors, and even having sex. Honestly, I could not believe it! This was all in a fourteen-bed mixed dorm. I had had a long day of traveling and tried to sleep from midnight until 7 a.m., and finally gave up after the most frustrating night I've ever spent at a hostel. It was only as I was leaving, at 7 a.m., after no sleep, that the light went off. One of the "guests" (there were probably twenty-five or so sleeping in the fourteen-bed dorm) yelled at me to "turn the pissing lights off." I'm still at a loss for words. Second, the hostel is filthy -- the bathrooms smell of urine and alcohol (it is, after all, a party hostel). Wear shoes everywhere. The bar is clean -- nothing else is. Third, the operators don't even care. I was bleary-eyed and genuinely upset after my night and complained to the staff as I canceled my reservation for the second night. Their comment? "Well, we can't do anything about partying in rooms." Of course they can! They did not refund my bed for the next night, so I ended up (happily) paying for a second hostel on top of this horrible one. In short, if you're a stag party (most of the "guests" were young Brits in search of getting blazing drunk and copulating), this is the place for you. If you're like me -- you like seeing a city, having a good time and a couple drinks, and then coming back and getting a night of sleep -- then avoid this place. Please.

Good, but overrated
Having read all the reviews and seen all the buzz for this place was expecting quite a bit and maybe that's why i came away disappointed. Friendly greeting and free beer on arrival was great. Found the place to be a bit too loud, bit too chaotic. Room was cramped and was stifling hot. Toilets and bathrooms often smelt and felt unclean. One day i went into the mens room and the next day it was labeled as the womens room -- confusing! Internet crashed several times. Local Latvian girls provided very good service, but got the impression from the male staff (excluding Frank, who was great) that I was an unwanted intrusion when i asked for assistance -- seemed more interested in trying to pull female travelers than doing their jobs.

As much as I didn't want to, I have to give this place five stars for the fact that it is an excellent hostel and would be unfair to Frank to give it anything less. However, the crowd here is appalling, and I feel so sorry for the amazingly friendly staff for what they must have to put up with from the "lads holiday" groups. Don't come here expecting to get any sleep -- the drunken wankers and the mosquitoes that seem to plague the place will see to that. If you do stay here, don't leave any alcohol in the fridge, you will never see it again! I had two bottles of vodka stolen, local stuff brought up from other countries. You can usually trust other backpackers, but when the hostel is full of people on weekend breaks.

Franks is a large hostel in the centre of Old Riga. It can be little hard to find as you need to go in the back door which is not obvious when your round the front. When I was at Franks it was wall to wall boys including large groups on what I would describe as "drinking" holidays from the U.K. and Ireland. I got the impression this was a fairly average week and that this kind of guest was the norm there. If you want a mixed crowd of real backpackers this is not for you. On the up side Franks is very well maintained, clean, and very secure with excellent kitchen, bar, and lounge facilities. And despite the stag party crowd I was able to sleep during the day and night undisturbed. Add this to the brilliant location and the place is perfect for a quick visit. The staff are exclusively young Latvian girls (Frank knows his customers) and all are helpful, friendly, and welcoming. However these are the only Latvians you will meet who will treat you like that. The locals seem to be completely exhausted with english speaking alcohol and sex tourism, which has boomed on the last eighteen months, and will cut you dead in nightclubs and the street if you try to talk to them. They are even grimly unfriendly when working in bars and restaurants.

Hello all at Friendly Fun Franks Frankatorium!! When i went to Riga i didn't know what to expect when we arrived at the hostel but i was pleaseantly supprised. Franks place was excellent, although difficult to get up the stairs after a few beers (alus) but when we did get up there we were greeted with a free beer and by lots of extremely attractive staff! But all in all, friendly service, fit staff, clean and tidy rooms, and good facilities, not to mention the best oppertunity to meet loads of different people from all over the world! Thanks Frank and everyone at the Frankatorium!!

This place is more like a student dormitory than anything else. It is cool if you are in the mood for that but if you are traveling for longer periods of time, like I was, you probably won't get the chance to have a good sleep. The staff were very friendly though, Frank and the other girls are attentive and they care for you. It is very, very clean and you have all you need. It is a bit expensive though and breakfast is not even included. The location is good and you have a great view of the river. If you wanna party every night and be sociable, then this is the place to be! If you are a loner and prefer having your own time and doing things your way, get away from here. All in all it is a cool hostel with great service.

I stayed there last summer (2005) and it was great -- esp for a solo woman. People are friendly and helpful. I bet if i went back, Frank would remember my name. :) Clean.

A wonderful hostel in a wonderful city. It was among the most expensive places in which I have stayed, but it was worth every penny. It has an unbeatable location in the center of the old town, with a marvelous view of the river. It has huge rooms with large beds, more comfortable than my own bed at home; multiple and clean bathrooms and showers; many computers with free Internet; satellite TV; and above all, the atmosphere is friendly, welcoming, and hospitable. The staff are extremely nice and helpful. They are really interested in you, care for you, and even wash your dishes! Every night they go with the guests to another place, and believe me, there are great places in Riga! The only minuses I could think of are the price and the pesky push-the-button-timer-device in the showers. Other than this, Frank's hostel is just perfect.

I would recommend staying at the hostel. The standard is high and the staff are friendly and give a lot of themselves. A great hostel.

I have to say Frank's is beyond imagination. It's wickedly central, the staff are great and they've got UK cable. Come darkness, the staff and Frank will follow you to this night's party venue, which is always a packed club with good music and great crowd. There's a friendly feel among the lodgers and you'll always meet at least three new mates every night. Top notch place this, I know I'll be back.

I would highly recommend staying at this hostel. There is a high standard of security, cleanliness and comfort. The staff are very welcoming, friendly and helpful, giving lots of good advice on things to see and do. Each night they organize an event — whether it be eating at a local restaurant, or partying at the local bars and clubs. There are many good times to be had. The location is perfect, being able to reach everywhere on foot. Whether you are a couple, in a group or travelling alone this is a great place to stay. Thank you, Frank and team, for helping to make my holiday so fantastic.

When I first got here I though "oh my god, what is this place" as it looked like a derelict building from outside. BUT, getting inside and going upstairs it was clean, friendly, secure and Frank is a cool fella. I AM definitely going back to Riga and I am definitely staying here again...awesome time and Frank was the man! Go here, go no where else!!!

An excellent hostel. The girls that worked there were lovely/helpful. Frank gives you all the rundown on Riga and where to go out. Club Essential is a MUST on a Thurs nite. It had the highest ratio of attractive females I have ever come across under one roof (so, maybe not a must for females then??)

This is the best hostel I've ever stayed in! Frank and his staff are so helpful and friendly. We got a free beer on arrival and personal advice on which bars to go to. I borrowed a hairdryer, and they let us do live art and sleep in the lounge. We had the best roommates. It's very newly refurbished, very clean, warm, with excellent bathrooms, kitchen, and Sky TV! Location is great. Bars are within a two-minute walk and the main shopping area's about five minutes away. Stay here and you will not be disappointed; it's great! I can't wait to go back. :o)