NosDa Studio Hostel is a really clean and modern hostel conveniently located in Cardiff close to the attractions and bars.
The Location
To get to NosDa from the Cardiff Central train and bus station, cross the bridge over the River Taff, turn rightm and follow along the river until you run straight into the hostel a little before the next bridge and across the river from the Millennium Stadium. Take note that the Megabus drops off somewhere different completely and these directions are useless.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The rooms at this hostel are new, clean, and secure. You need a key card to enter the hostel from the bar area and again to enter some of the hallways and each of the rooms. The rooms themselves are spacious enough -- they have several bunk beds, a few chairs, and a sink and mirror. Not all of the rooms have in room lockers but there is a locker area where you can rent a key and store your valuables for a small deposit. There is also enough floor space to leave your suitcase and still be able to move about the room.
The bathrooms are single sex and located on the hall. They have a couple toilets, two sinks, and maybe three showers each. These bathrooms are actually clean. The shower cubicles have a small attached changing area with a curtain divider. The only major problem we found was that these are push button showers and the water is always so hot, it was impossible to actually get into the shower.
Common Spaces
The common areas in this hostel put many others to shame. There is the usual kitchen, lounge area, and bar but in addition to this there is also a gym you can use for a small fee and an attached nightclub. A basic hostel breakfast is available in the price of the room. There are also vending machines and the lounge area has plenty of comfy seating, Wi-Fi, games, a TV, and books. The bar is open to the general public and serves food in addition to drinks, there's a pool table and a couple of laptops for guest use. There is also an outdoor patio with a BBQ that the staff will occasionally cook out on. This hostel is pretty cool and has a chill atmosphere but it's not the most social. The staff are great and really friendly to a single traveler but fellow travelers mostly keep to themselves.
Summary
NosDa is a nice, new hostel awesomely located in Cardiff. The hostel's fun -- the city, not so much.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
October 2009
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