The Hostelz.com Review
Emile Youth Hostel is Gibraltar's only humble accommodation, although the price may not seem so humble. While this hostel beats any other place nearby in terms of price, don't expect anything more than a hostel.
The Location
Located in the center of Gibraltar, Emile Youth Hostel is right across the street from the main shopping square. With Gibraltar being so small, you can get anywhere with about fifteen minutes' walk.
The hostel is not too difficult to find. Once you cross the border into Gibraltar, just keep walking along the path until you reach the airport runway. Once you cross the runway you'll find yourself on the main road, Winston Churchill Avenue. Continue walking down this road until it forks three ways -- here you will need to take the middle road (don't follow the traffic turning right). Continue up this middle road and continue walking until you pass a bridge. Once you pass the bridge, you will find Emile Youth Hostel on your right-hand side, right across from Pizza Hut.
Rooms and Bathrooms
This hostel has a total of forty-two beds to offer, most of them in co-ed dorm rooms. Linens come free, but towels are not available. The rooms are spacious and well-kept, but quite modest. The bathrooms are shared among all the guests. In the main building there is one male toilet and one female toilet. The shower rooms are also separated by gender; however, the showers themselves are communal. So don't be expecting any privacy while you're showering.
Common Spaces
The main common spaces are an outdoor patio and a dining room/cafe. There is a kitchen, but it is off-limits to guests. Feel free to purchase breakfast from the cafe -- prices are relatively cheap compared to the rest of Gibraltar. The outdoor patio consists of a table, large umbrella, and a few chairs where you can sit and soak in the fresh Mediterranean air.
Summary
Gibraltar is a unique place with a unique blend of English and Spanish identity and culture. Be warned though -- things are quite expensive, which is why this hostel may not have prices as cheap as you'd like them. If you're looking to save some money, Emile Youth Hostel is your smartest (and only) option in Gibraltar. The place is family-run and the owners are quite friendly -- that's a plus!
The Location
Located in the center of Gibraltar, Emile Youth Hostel is right across the street from the main shopping square. With Gibraltar being so small, you can get anywhere with about fifteen minutes' walk.
The hostel is not too difficult to find. Once you cross the border into Gibraltar, just keep walking along the path until you reach the airport runway. Once you cross the runway you'll find yourself on the main road, Winston Churchill Avenue. Continue walking down this road until it forks three ways -- here you will need to take the middle road (don't follow the traffic turning right). Continue up this middle road and continue walking until you pass a bridge. Once you pass the bridge, you will find Emile Youth Hostel on your right-hand side, right across from Pizza Hut.
Rooms and Bathrooms
This hostel has a total of forty-two beds to offer, most of them in co-ed dorm rooms. Linens come free, but towels are not available. The rooms are spacious and well-kept, but quite modest. The bathrooms are shared among all the guests. In the main building there is one male toilet and one female toilet. The shower rooms are also separated by gender; however, the showers themselves are communal. So don't be expecting any privacy while you're showering.
Common Spaces
The main common spaces are an outdoor patio and a dining room/cafe. There is a kitchen, but it is off-limits to guests. Feel free to purchase breakfast from the cafe -- prices are relatively cheap compared to the rest of Gibraltar. The outdoor patio consists of a table, large umbrella, and a few chairs where you can sit and soak in the fresh Mediterranean air.
Summary
Gibraltar is a unique place with a unique blend of English and Spanish identity and culture. Be warned though -- things are quite expensive, which is why this hostel may not have prices as cheap as you'd like them. If you're looking to save some money, Emile Youth Hostel is your smartest (and only) option in Gibraltar. The place is family-run and the owners are quite friendly -- that's a plus!
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
September 2011
Their Description
Emile Youth Hostel Details
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Hostelz.com Guest Reviews
Great friendly hostel Great friendly hostel situated in centre of town. Basic hostel but very clean. there is also free wi-fi included. loved my stay. — Anonymous , English (2011-06-21) Only budget option in Gibraltar We stayed here as this was the cheapest option in Gibraltar. On arrival, had to wait outside and call the bell several times to be let in. To be honest it was not clean, breakfast room had flies buzzing around, tv blaring from lounge until early hours, and staff were very unhelpful (he seemed more interested in taking one girl who was staying there on a date than being present to help everyone else!). Location is good though, opposite main square and shopping street. We weren't expecting 5 star service like a big hotel but for £17 a night I have stayed in much better hostels. Ok if you just want a bed for the night but if you can afford a couple more pounds for a decent place, its worth it. — Anonymous , UK (2011-03-30) Worst Hostel Experience! I stayed at Emile during the off season (early March) and had the worst hostel experience of my life here. I had a poor reception with unfriendly staff. Breakfast advertised on the website was not served. I stayed in a private room and the communal shower/bath had no hot water in the showers or sinks in the toilet stalls. There were no hand washing soap or rubbish bins anywhere in the building either. When asking about the lack of hot water for showers, the staff blamed me for not going over, across the courtyard to ask about it, despite the fact that is was before office hours and I had no way of knowing if anyone was there. The response of the staff, the blaming, the lack of hot water, and no food when advertised leads me to recommend staying else where. I met other backpackers in the city that day and they found a hotel room with a full breakfast for just 2 pounds more. To say the least, I was ripped off and denied the chance to speak to a manager! — Anonymous , American (2011-03-18) Loved it The hostel is one of the best i have stayed. I can Defiantly say that it is not dirty and it is for sure very clean! I loved it! Staff are very lovely people and will help you with anything you need. Food is also very good as they have just opened a Cafeteria in the hostel. Gibraltar is a cool place to go. night life very good! I recommend anyone to go and stay at this Hostel. Try it! — Anonymous (2010-11-05) Exceeded my expectation! I stayed in this hostel for 8 nights. First of all, I must admit I do like luxurious holidays, so I don't normally stay in hostels. In fact, this was my first time. I was on little budget and had to consider either canceling my entire hols or staying in a hostel, so that was how I ended up there. Not a shiny place obviously, but what could we expect for £17 per night (?), However, the rooms and communal areas have been kept clean and tidy, bathrooms and toilets are thoroughly cleaned more times a day, which is the most important aspect. They even have a small pool to relax if you wish. The staff is really lovely and helpful and make your stay enjoyable. Excellent location, right in the centre. I can highly recommend this place if you are on a tight budget (Gibraltar is very expensive even for a Londoner!). — Annamaria , UK (2010-09-22) Great Like any other place in the World, you get what you pay for. GBZ is an expensive place in general, so 15 punds per night is very reasonable for a bed, basic breakfast and a friendly staff in a VERY central and VERY cool place to go out at night. — Christian S , Danish (2010-01-23) Better than I expected I decided to check it out despite what I'd read. Hotel has got excellent location (hundred meters from main square, very easy to find), no lockout anymore. The staff was nice and polite enough. Price was as stated -- 15 punds. Leaving luggage etc could be easily arranged. No problems with utilization of showers. Room -- a typical dorm room with enough space. Breakfast -- small but ok. No particular complaints or disappointments. Right place to stay if you do backpacking in Gibraltar. — Martins , Latvia (2009-03-26) First Class Basic First class. I stayed at this hostel in July 2004, and I vowed to return again one day -- and I did again in July 2008, I stayed here again and had my wife with me the second time round. I think the Emile hostel was super, a lot of hot water available, comfortable bedrooms and dorms. Only one bad point, it certainly wouldn't be recommended though for families because when we were there, there were families with screaming babies. Overall, we had a pleasant stay. Highly recommended for cheaper accommodation. — David Dawson , British. (2008-09-17) You get what you pay for. When I go traveling, I don't go to sleep, or to hang around in the common room. I can do that at home. I want cheap digs, and the Emile supplies that. If you want luxurious rooms and steak and egg for breakfast, stay in a £100 a night hotel and you'll get them. If you want to spend your money having as much fun as you can have with your clothes on, then bollocks to the five stars, and stay in Emile's. I stayed there in 1985 and am going back in September this year. — If you want to stay in the Hilton, pay for the Hilton. , Pom. (2008-07-17) Nice and friendly hostel Right in the the centre of town, of course with pros and cons. The staff was rather friendly, especially the young guy at the desk, really a good boy. I missed breakfast nearly all the time, one time I was able to be there right in time, hardly able to keep my eyes open. But I received what I paid for. Nice mentality of the owners and really nice visitors around. Also a pub is nearby. The owner of which is also a nice man. Nice visitors, too. I enjoyed the whole stay at Emile's youth hostel. Obviously the place was an old school building, perfectly situated in the middle of Gib. Cool. I want to come back. The hotels in Gib are much more expensive and Emile is right next to the big market place, where in summertime concerts are held, too. Cool Gibraltar, cool places to be. I miss the monkeys. — Andre , Germany (2007-09-12) This is probably your only budget option in Gibraltar, and for 15 pounds a night it is adequate. The beds have warm duvets for the winter. Trash cans would have been nice in the rooms and the bathrooms. There was plenty of hot water and the showers were free. The staff prepare your toast and coffee and bring it to you in the dining area, and if you want to do a tour of the Rock (highly recommended), just ask the hostel owner. They also let you store your things there while you look around on your check-out date. The lock-out from 12 to 4:30 was a pain, but overall a solid hostel. — Jeanne (2007-03-02) I stayed at this place several times -- summer of 1999 and 2002 as well as March 2004. It was the same everytime. A decent location by the main square at the end of the main pedrestrian street. The hostel itself, however, is quite expensive 15 pounds ($30+ USD) and is probably more now. The atmosphere is kind of dingy as well as the rooms. There is only one common area which is the dining room. It's okay (not great though) for meeting people. The staff is pretty average. One thing that kind of irked me is that you have to pay for the shower, and it requires a token (which you purchase) and only allows you five minutes of running water. There are other places (hotels) which are also in good locations and are much better for only a few more pounds. — David (2006-09-14) I didn't like Gibraltar as a whole so that may influence my review! I thought this hostel was ridiculously overpriced, the toilets were dirty and smelly and the "breakfast" was awful. However you don't have a lot of choice, as this seems to be the only hostel on the island! Staff were helpful and it is quite central. Bedrooms were reasonably clean. — Lauren (2005-09-27) This is an abomination of an accommodation in a nation of frustration. The rooms were attrocious, the staff obnoxious and the city platitudinous! Never go here!!! They smell and their attitude stinks! It's also very expensive. — Jack Haas (2004-08-06) Good friendly hostel, right in centre of town. — Andy (2004-06-17)