Joker Hostel

The Joker Hostel is the upstairs, downmarket sister hostel of the Kadetus Hostel which is on the floor below. Be aware that there is no signage for the Joker Hostel. You must look for the Kadetus Hostel sign. The hostel is about five minutes from the main square but on the other side of the square from the train and bus stations.

The hostel is on the second floor of an apartment building with a twenty-four-hour reception in the hostel on the floor below. The hostel offers bike hire and links to tours to Auschwitz and the Salt Mine. There is free internet use (one computer) and laundry downstairs for 5zl a load. Small lockers for valuable items are located outside dorms and keys given to every guest.

A kitchen has only a microwave and a fridge but guests can use the Kadetus kitchen. The hostel provides guests with tea, coffee, cheese, butter, milk, yoghurt, bread, and assorted flavoured soft cheeses available all day.

Dorms for five, seven, and eight are available. The dorm beds are very basic and the mattresses could rightly be called thin. The linen provided, while clean, can be a bit scratchy for those who are a bit sensitive. Some of the pillows are too enormous to be used comfortably.

The bathroom situation could do with some improvement. The bathroom has only one shower available and this room also contains the toilet and the washbasin. This can lead to a lengthy wait in the morning when many of the guests need to use the facilities at the same time. There is an extra toilet on the floor and one room has its own shower and washbasin.

The paint and furniture in the dorms and common rooms is looking a bit tired, but this would only bother the most finicky traveller. While some facilities could be improved, you would be hard pressed to find more for the very reasonable price we paid.

— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
August 2006