Vertigo

Even though Vertigo opened just two months before we arrived there, it felt like it has been there for years -- warm, welcoming, and like home. It's a hostel where the owners and staff are friendly and nice, giving you the feeling you're staying with friends, not in a foreign country in a strange city.

Every room is unique and has a warm touch of colours. All have a bathroom and toilet as well as a lot of space to drop your backpack and move around. Dorms come from two to six beds. Dorms, private rooms, and bathrooms are kept very clean. You'll have chairs and a table in each room. Wi-fi is all over the house. It also is a hotel with private rooms, so couples or travelers who like to have privacy can find the right room to relax and sleep.

The kitchen is basic (no stove but a water kettle and microwave, plus two fridges). Internet is provided for a charge, but there is free Wi-fi. Also, the place boasts laundry facilities, bar (offering coffee, tea, or hot chocolate; beers; wine; and non-alcoholic drinks), breakfast (for a small fee), satellite TV, and a beautiful backyard area to chill out and have a drink.

There are no lockers in rooms or the hostel, but they keep your backpacks in a secure room after check-out for free. There's also a great common room. It is not even a five-minute walk from the train station. There is no lockout or curfew and the reception is open twenty-four hours. In short, this is a place you don't want to leave.

Across the street is an international phone place, a little pizza shop, and a cheap barber shop. The port is close to walk to (seven minutes). A big plus is the short distance to the train station, so you don't need public transport to get there.

The booking system is a bit confusing once you are there. If you stay more nights, you might have to change rooms during the day. But your belongings will be kept safe in a secure room while you are out for sightseeing or else.

— Exklusive Hostelz.com Übersicht
August 2007