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Nomads Hostel is located in Ulan-Ude, a Russian city very near to the Mongolian border. Ulan-Ude is a famous stop on the Trans-Siberian Railway, as it is connecting point from Lake Baikal to the Far East of Russia. Not many hostels seem to be in Ulan-Ude, and most of the tourists go to Nomads Hostel.
The Location
It is conveniently located very near the train station, about five minutes' walking. It is useful, as probably all tourists going to Ulan-Ude are doing the Trans-Siberian and it helps to be near the train station. On the other hand, however, it is a bit further away from the city center, and you need to walk about twenty-five minutes or catch the bus. There is a small supermarket nearby and a few restaurants. The hostel is at the third floor of a building and there is no elevator.
Rooms and Bathrooms
It provides dorm accommodations and private rooms. Dorms are right where the hostel is, while some privates are in the same building but on other floors. The hostel is not well maintained, and beds seem to be quite old. Additionally, the cleaning could be better, especially in the bathrooms. There are lockers that guests can use with their own padlocks.
Common Spaces
Common spaces are almost nonexistent; there is one small area with sofa in front of the reception, but the sofas appear to be very old and dirty. Wi-Fi should be available, but when we visited it was not working, and it seems to be a common problem. The hostel is run by the owner and his assistant; neither speak English and they don’t seem to even try to understand, so communication is hard. Additionally, they don’t provide any recommendation and they are not helpful for any needs customers may have. The vibe is quiet, and it's not easy to meet other travelers as nobody hangs out in the common areas and the hostel doesn’t arrange any tours or activities.
Summary
All in all, this is not a recommended stay. It's not cheap and the furniture is old. Location is great for short stays and early-night trains, but it's a bit far away from the center. The staff are not helpful and English is not spoken.
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