Frankfurt Stay & Learn Hostel

Frankfurt Stay & Learn Hostel is lively in the evenings and comfortable in the daytime, with secure rooms, free breakfast, no curfew, and a twenty-four-hour bar. The property is nonsmoking except for balcony in main area. Guests may check in at the bar at any time.

The Location

The Hostel is literally across the street from the Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (main train station), with the entrance to the S-Bahn (subway) directly out the front door. The hostel is located in Frankfurt's red-light district, which is innocuous during the day. The hostel lies between this area and the main road, which hosts the train station, so guests do not have to walk through any of it to reach the hostel.

Rooms and Bathrooms

The six-bed dorms have one bathroom with shower and sink. Each bathroom contains soap dispensers, and each guest is provided with a small towel along with the bed linens. Our dorm had squeaky bunk beds, a desk and small television, and windows facing a courtyard. Sound carries through the courtyard when the windows are open, but the rooms are otherwise well insulated. There are no lockers in the dorms, but guests may rent lockers in the hallway. In addition to the private dorm bathrooms, there are public bathrooms in the hallway. All bathrooms were spotless throughout our stay.

Every room is secured with electronic locks. While the keycard system is a bit complicated, each guest is given instructions on how to operate it when they check in. The room locks are very effective.

Common Spaces

The hostel's common area is set up like a bar/lounge. The bar is open all the time, selling an assortment of hot and cold beverages. There is plenty of seating in this space, but most is at tables, making socializing a bit regulated. There is additional space on the balcony overlooking the main road and courtyard leading into the red-light district. This is the only area where smoking is permitted in the hostel, but the smoke can carry into the common area.

Although free wireless internet is available in the common area and could be accessed in some dorms, the signal was spotty at best during our stay. The hostel also hosts a computer lab with plenty of terminals that is never crowded.

The reception lounge hosts free breakfast every morning and free pasta on Saturday nights. Pasta night provides a filling meal and opportunity to socialize, making the lounge-type structure of the main room very appropriate. The selection of music playing in the main room is eclectic and fun, but is loud and can overpower conversation. Instruments on the wall are available for playing if guests are interested. With the open bar, guests do not need to leave the hostel to party, and the lounge fills up in the evenings. Still, rooms are well insulated, making it loud in the hallway and reception area but quiet in bed.

The small kitchen behind the bar is used by staff for Pasta Night and breakfast -- there is no kitchen available to guests. The breakfast buffet is plentiful, but the food is standard -- muesli, milk, tea, and bread. Kitchen staff are on-hand to bus tables and keep the buffet stocked.

Summary

Frankfurt Stay & Learn Hostel is a very convenient and comfortable stay and extremely easy to find and use as a starting point for exploring the city. With plenty of opportunities to socialize and get a free meal, this hostel is a good choice for both the traveler with a strong itinerary and the guest who doesn't want to venture out to find nightlife.

— Informe exclusivo de Hostelz.com
March 2009