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Old Town Hostel West Wing is one of those big hostels people either love or hate. It is spread over six buildings with varying degrees of comfort. Old Town Hostel West Wing, while being a part of that complex, is in its own building with a swimming pool in the garden. The pool is shared by the guests from Old Town Hostel proper and in turn West Wing guests share the common area and the kitchen of the former. An important feature to point out here is that this is an all-in party hostel. The protective guests should be aware of both the upsides and also the downsides this entails.
The Location
Old Town Hostel West Wing is located within the walled Old Town of Kotor, a city at the southern tip of the convoluted Bay of Kotor in Montenegro, which is one of the youngest countries in the world. The location of the hostel is excellent, as it's literally inside the main attraction of Kotor. There are plenty of restaurants, cafes, and bars nearby. You can also climb the fortress that snakes up the mountain on one side of the city. Other than that, the partnering tour company can arrange tours to other destinations further away.
Rooms and Bathrooms
Rooms and bathrooms in the Old Town Hostel West Wing are quite new with keycard locks on the each dorm door, as well as on the main entrance. One bathroom with shower and toilet can be found on each floor. They are kept reasonably clean. In the dorms, there are private lockers of a decent size for each guest. Guests should bring their own padlocks or alternatively they can be obtained from the hostel for a fee.
Common Spaces
Common spaces in the Old Town Hostel are certainly a mixed bag. Let us start from the best -- the pool in the garden; this small-but-not-too-small pool is an excellent perk of the West Wing and it's a great place to relax, enjoy the sun, or cool down in the refreshing water. The pool is well taken care of and the water quality is tested regularly. Alas, the same attention is not shown for the rest of the common areas. The common room where guests can hang out during the day and at night until 11 p.m. is usually a dank, stale mess in the mornings. Every night it is the go-to place for drinking games, or simply for drinking and socializing. After all, this is a party hostel. In this common room, there is a small kitchen area with a very small fridge that is immensely inadequate for all those guests. It is almost always full to the brim of guests' drinks.
The worst part of the common areas, however, is without a doubt the other kitchen. It is also found in another building and is dirty, smelly, stuffy, and a totally unappetizing place; or in other words fit for neither cooking nor eating. Even the alleyway and stairs going up to this second kitchen is often full of garbage and cigarette butts.
Summary
All in all, Old Town Hostel West Wing is in a better condition than its older sister hostel. The modern rooms are relatively clean and the pool is certainly a huge bonus. As far as we know, this is the only hostel in Kotor with its own pool. Moreover, the never-ending energy and perpetual drinking and partying can be very attractive for those who seek such entertainment. For those who do not seek it though, and who value their calm and quiet sleep time, this hostel may not be the best choice.
Photos taken by the Hostelz.com reviewer — Genuine photos you can trust.
Existenziel
Hostelz.com Staff Reviewer
Published on Nov 21, 2018
Location and Contact
Location
• From the Airport Tivat • Taxi to old city Kotor 15,00 (depends on the hour and day of the week). Possible pickup please inquire through mail. • From Kotor Bus Station • 5 mins walk. Please consult the map, but its very simple. From station head towards the sea, then turn right and walk towards old city. Coming to old city walls, turn right again, pass big yellow building, enter through only gate in wall available, and then head down the street some 100 m until you hit the Old Town Hostel West Wing sign. • From main gate • Enter the gate, and then turn right at first possible street. Follow that path (during which u will pass one small square, at which end you will turn semi left at only place possible � just follow where street leads you) until you hit only cathedral square in Kotor. Pass cathedrall from right, and when you face wall, go right. Then just go straight (you will pass another small so called �Sallad square�) until you hit our sign �Old town hostel Kotor�