1st Floor Hostel redux

Two months ago I was in Berlin and one of the places I stayed at was 1st Floor Hostel. It was little changed from my first stay years ago; but that 'little' was immediately noticeable. And an improvement.

First one, the hyper zany '80s color scheme isn't popping outta the walls anymore and, for another, the Reception/Lobby has been rearranged to feel more streamlined and tranquil. They still serve coffee, alcoholic drinks, and breakfast (3 euros); there are sidewalk tables to enjoy the air - or smoke - whilst people-watching. And, every backpacker will appreciate this, the hostel is but steps away from the eastern station Ostkreuz S-Bahn, which, itself, has finally been refurbished with escalators.

My stay and sleep were enjoyable as before (the spartan beds are thick & comfortable and the quiet neighborhood, priceless) and the guy at Reception even vaguely remembered me!

www.1stfloorhostelberlin.de

Snorers should not book shared rooms

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I feel your pain...

A very similar experience was suffered at a London hostel near Borough tube station. The offender made it impossible for anyone to simply be in the same room as him. His snores sounded like he was being literally and violently choked to death. I wish he was. Don't front! If YOU were there, you would have wished it too. Reception moved him around several times to quell guests' complaints but they never obliged the jackass to book a private room nor did they compensate guests who'd lost nightly sleep because of him. It made for a miserable stay. If you've passed a night at a hostel with an unbearable roommate, then, hey, don't be shy about commenting! Would like to know what you thought of it.

NEW RULE (Lodging):

If you know you have a snoring problem (or chronically masturbate or fart or talk in your sleep), then do the rest of us a favor and do not book yourself into a shared room. Spend the extra money on a private room -- or, better still, stay home until the doctor has fixed you. 

RULES OF LODGINGS

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NEW RULE:

If you have to make your own bed in a hostel I've discovered that placing the flat sheet on first followed by the fitted sheet with the elastic ends tucked at the foot of the mattress resembles a spacious sleeping bag and keeps the bed clothes from getting all tangled around your legs through the night. It's a nice alternative from a blanket, too, as its light and snugs at the top without becoming too warm/heavy before morning.  

Chicago Getaway Hostel

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The Chicago Getaway Hostel in Lincoln Park is a nice, very clean hostel with a friendly and engaging atmosphere and modern decor. Its name is a nod to the city's (old)gangster reputation during the Prohibition era when the baddies needed a getaway car to speed them from the scene of the crime. Various framed prints of the likes of Elliot Ness, Al Capone, John Dillinger is about the only bit of kitsch in the joint. 

Most guests were sociable and the hostel always had a few group events planned beyond the tried-and-true pub crawl (which in this winter weather wasn't so appealing anyway). One evening we went out for a night of down home Chicago Blues at The Kingston Mines. As many times as I've been to/through/around Chicago this was my first time in a Blues bar! Some places can be too engaging and obnoxious - "party hostels" - but such was not the case here; plenty of comfortable seating and lighting for conversations and quiet reading. 

blues performance at The Kingston Mines

Unlike so many of the hostels in which I've stayed Front Desk didn't "welcome" one with a stale rundown of endless house rules either. You presented identification (fyi, no Chicago residents allowed as guests), paid your bill upfront, and received your card key with assigned bed (linen & towel included). My only complaint is the dorm room had poor lighting and lack of personal reading lamps which made it hard not to disturb others after dark.

FREE breakfast was continental style and included lots of fresh whole oranges and bananas and, more uniquely, milk! The industrial kitchen is well equipped to store guests groceries and there are half a dozen free and FAST computers in the lobby (in addition to WI-FI). Also, there's free luggage storage, pool table, Netflix, hot water showers, a piano, and a brand new additional TV room in the basement. The hostel is roughly four blocks or 15 min walk from the Fullerton Red Line station. Yep, it's the perfect place to get away.  

a guest enjoying the free breakfast

guests mapping out their sightseeing

walking distance from the hostel

 

don't get ripped off!

If you've stayed at the hostel I'd like to know what you thought of it.

RULES OF TRAVEL

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Book directly with hostels is the best thing a budget traveller can do when securing accommodations. I've always gone this route. But I'm old fashioned like that. For example, I still use travel agencies every now and again. The transaction is more personable and, to put it in a sense, I feel more "taken care of" by the travel agent and a telephone call to the Front Desk than I do by a "click here" button.

"Support the amazing people who make your trip unforgettable, not the corporations who drain your travel fund"

As explained on the poster, for every reservation made: 

1. the customary 10% deposit credit card users agree to is a commission which the hostel never receives AND
2. the booking fee is an additional payment for step you could - and would - easily do on your own. In other words, it's bogus.

This PSA came courtesy of Chicago Getaway Hostel. It was posted on several locations throughout the building. 

(Read about my stay at Chicago Getaway)

Metropol Hostel (Berlin)

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In a word: great.
It has taken me way too long to write about this hostel in Kreuzberg. i've stayed here on two separate visits to Berlin - each for extended days - and it is the best value around; low rates, 10% discount on your future stay, free luggage storage and a bar with reasonable rates.

Metropol Hostel is in Kreuzberg right off of the Merrighdam u-bahn stop (subway). Staff are some of the friendliest, coolest, most knowledgeable workers I've come across. They try to get you the cheapest rate for your stay. Reception is open 24/7. 

wi-fi but the signal is so poor and unreliable as to make usage nerve-wrecking

In the Commons are two flat screen TVs, a Foosball table, lots of sofas and tables and about four or five computers (for a fee). There is wi-fi but the signal is so poor and unreliable as to make usage nerve-wrecking. At best it is slow but most often the damn connection is simply "not available". This is the one irritating and infuriating aspect of Metropol. TIP: right across the street is a n all-night Internet cafe and call shop which also sells cold drinks and snacks.

Bed mattresses are comfortable (I believe they charge 3euros for linen; obligatory). And be sure to wake up for the free breakfast! The all-you-can-eat spread includes warm rolls, cold cuts, yogurt, fruit cocktail and sliced tomatoes and cucumbers (staple of Mediterranean breakfasts) along with tea, coffee, cocoa, juice, milk and cold water.

I will be definitely booking here again.

Metropolhostel-berlin.com

The Blue Pepper Hostel (Guadalajara)

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The Blue Pepper is not, I warn you, bedecked in blue decor nor are pepper motifs crowded around the place. As far as I could learn, the name references the common imagery from Huichol peyote experiences. A mural in the court yard depicts such a story in fantastic colors.

Now onto the hostel: Located on a quiet street near Ave Chapultepec, Blue Pepper is nicely equipped with a couple of private rooms and, of course, dorms; a community kitchen and court yard  - with hammock, basketball rim and patio seating for eating (and smoking) - make up the ground floor along with the Commons which has a pool table and flat screen TV. One computer is available for guest use but there is also wi-fi. The drawback to this arrangement is that one cannot enjoy a movie or video game if people are playing pool -- and vice versa! Either way, it oftentimes equals a distraction to the guest using the lone computer. 

the name of the hostel references the common imagery from Huichol peyote experiences

 Another irritant very typical of hostels in Spanish-speaking lands is having to be continually buzzed in and out of the place. Admittedly this is a safety issue but, nonetheless, it is still a nuisance especially as someone wasn't always sitting behind the desk owing to the prevalent laid-back atmosphere. Don't misunderstand: the chill vibe of the hostel and staff is cool. Staff were not unprofessional  at all.

Oh yes: Linen and breakfast are included in your stay. The breakfast even includes eggs (which I don't eat) and often times the Mexican dish chilaquiles.
As I had just slept at Oasis Hostel I received a discount on my initial booking! This offer works both ways for those leaving Blue Pepper for a visit to Vallarta.

A pleasant day at Schlachtensee (BERLIN)

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Pools and lakes are nice places to partake
when it's hot outside and you need a break.

I am apprehensive of the public pools here in Berlin. The reason is loud and clear: too many rowdy Turkish boys. Their uncouth antics and selfishness only molest the otherwise tranquility and would, undoubtedly, piss me off, besides. Some people just can't be let out of the house.

apprehensive of the public pools...too many rowdy Turkish boys

At a loss of where to go - and feeling hot, hot, hot - a couple of the hostel's staff recommended I travel down towards Wannsee and get off at 'Schlachtensee' (see is German for lake). "You'll like it," they said. "It's quiet...it's green...it's easy to find." Well, I grew up along the lakes and I do like bodies of natural water.

Why not?

It was no problem remembering the train stop -- because nearly the entire train emptied there. Sometimes following the crowd is helpful.  Sure enough, it was pleasant and plenty green and, yes, easy to find. Right out of the train station and - baam! - there you are: at the lake. It was a little hard, though, finding a free spot to lay my towel but that proved to be a minor detail. Plus I got to break out my new bathing suit.

a quiet read under the trees

a natural repose, so at ease

a thumbs-up for Schlachtensee

Missed my flight to Spain

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The day started well but didn't end that way. Awoke comfortably early for my flight back to Europe last week. Had time to do little errands like repair my wristwatch band and say good-bye to friends that morning. I even took the bus to the airport instead of a cab. 

The first leg of the flight from Puerto Vallarta to Mexico City was delayed, cutting down the three hour layover to two hours. No skin off my nose, I thought. Once in Mexico City I luxuriated in the layover time...browsing magazine stands, writing in my journal and people-watching. After two hours I went to the boarding gate to fly to Spain! Then I'm told I can't board without my Mexican tourist visa; iin fact, that I can't leave the country without it. Where is it? the airline people asked. I answer that I wasn't given one.

"When I rode the bus through Tijuana no one gave me any form to fill out."
"Then you must go get one now from Immigration," they said. "Hurry the plane is ready to leave."

That was as helpful as it got.

The unfortunate thing about being law abiding in foreign countries is that persons hired in gainful employment don't speak English whereas people on the street do

From here the mis-adventure snowballed. I had to run around the terminal(s) with my bags trying to get this fucking paper stamped. One Immigration desk was nearby but she only handed out the forms. I would have to exit and go to another official for the stamp -- and that office was not nearby. After getting permission from federal police to go out I made my way to this nondescript office where I'm requested to fill out another two forms  --and pay something or another. And the girl's English was atrocious. (The unfortunate thing about being law abiding in foreign countries is that persons hired in gainful employment don't speak English whereas people on the street do. You'd understandably mistake those you meet in nice, respective clean jobs for being educated and worldly but it's likely as not that, yes, they went to the rights schools but only because their parents had the right money. Their advancements come via cronyism and marriages -- just like in the old days. How can you be a college graduate and native North American without learning how to speak English, the most important language in the world?!) 

I didn't pay the fee. Couldn't tell if I was paying for a fine or a process fee and, by this point, my chance of getting on the plane was dashed. Fifteen minutes had passed already. The plane was gone. But what about the next one? I still had hope. As far as Aeromexico was concerned I wanted to change my flight and that - change - required I buy a new ticket -- at three times the price. "It's policy, senor." What about a flight for tomorrow or the day after? "It's policy, senor." Policy! Policy! Policy! Airlines are goddamn robber barons. Thus my return ticket was, as we say in German, kaput.

My luggage felt like baggage

For hours I languished in the airport, scheming a new game plan. But the going costs of flying abroad were astronomical. So...I figured I'd regroup at leisure: I'd take the bus back to Vallarta (because being in Mexico City is a ticking time-bomb) and unpack and resume travel in a week or, heck, maybe a month. Always look on the bright side.... It was an overnight bus ride on ETN, the most expensive coach line (see below post), whose comfort  I hoped would calm me down. It didn't and it wasn't comfortable. More, the apartment I'd just left was suddenly no longer available. Another guy who had earlier offered me to cheaply rent his spare room suddenly had to get his father's permission first. "Could I wait until July?" he wondered. Click. My luggage felt like baggage. The morning was hot! I sat on a park bench and filled a garbage bag full of stuff and sat that bag of goodies (plus the now empty suitcase) on the curb for garbage collection.  
I would make do with whatever fitted into my two carry-on's.  In under ten minutes the suitcase was carried off. 

I went to an out-of-the-way hostel near the edge of town which I imagined would have vacancies. They did. I was the sole guest. I told myself I'd take the weekend to exhale and regroup. It wasn't the first time I found myself stranded; but, thankfully, this time I have money. And I'm resourceful.  
Always look on the bright side of your life...especially when it's so fucking hard to do so.    
  

Blue Sky Hostel (Glasgow)

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I chose Blue Sky on three consecutive weekends due to the weekend price hikes in Edinburgh. Plus I wanted to check out Glasgow. The dorm rates were a simple 10 euros (by the third visit the price had went up to 11 euros). I had no problem making a reservation over the telephone and its location is not so difficult to find from the Buchannon bus station although it would be a bit more helpful to list their proximity to the Mitchell Library. All in all it comprised about a good twenty minute walk.

The facilities are not bad. There is a community kitchen on the ground floor and free wi-fi downstairs -- if your laptop corresponds to a certain bandwidth or something. Mine didn't. The owner knew of this problem from previous American guests but nonetheless was inconsistent in fixing the set-up. That was just one thing that irked me about Blue Sky Hostel.

the owner is a skinny caricature of an '80s punk rocker with foul-mouth and smokes like a chimney! 

I found this place to be terribly familiar; as in informal and crass. Owned and operated by a Canadian (and his dear old mother) - it took me a while to understand why I found their accents so unnerving - the hostel is run more like his personal frat house or school project. A skinny caricature of an '80s punk rocker, the man is loud, foul-mouthed and rarely shuts the hell up; and smokes like a chimney! 

On one of the wall murals was the word "Nigga" distinctly written in marker...and, no, it was not in homage to my book. The owner's reaction was indifferent. "Oh," he shrugged, "these #%@! people write so much #%@! on my #%@! walls, man." Really? I didn't see Canada Sucks scribbled anywhere.

Oh? I should look behind me, eh!

 What's that you say, eh?

 Dontcha know, eh!

65 Berkeley Street
www.blueskyhostel.com
(Same owners of West End Backpackers Hostel on 3 Bank Street)

1st Floor Hostel (Berlin)

Aptly named for its single floor of guest rooms -- on the first floor, in case you hadn't guessed (or what we non-Europeans regard as the second floor) First Floor Hostel is a  quaint, professionally run operation with plenty of comfort and no edgy or hippy pretense. It's noticeable from Ostkreuz U-Bahn train station (the S-Bahn lines also stop here) and requires no more than ten minutes to reach by foot even with heavy luggage in tow. Rates are clearly posted on a sidewalk sign and, at 15 euros (shared room), quite a bargain -- especially since I had the room to myself for the first two nights!

UPDATE: Read about my recent stay

FREE wi-fi access reaches the rooms or you can spread out at a table in the Reception/Commons Area (or the outdoor patio). As for the rooms, beds are sooo cozy and snuggly - I slept sooo good each time I slipped under the cover - and come with a reading lamp and personal wooden locker (key and lock included).

This place is friendly down-to-earth

Reception closes at 10pm and reopens at breakfast. The all-you-can-eat breakfast (rolls, cheese, cereal, salami, coffee, tea, milk, juices) costs a very tiny fee. Wit so many places nowadays boasting 24Hr Service it was a little strange being in one which shut down for the night. But I dug it! Not to mention it made me extra mindful to feel for my key whenever I stood up. For a small hostel it's very big on customer service and booking  (or cancelling) beds was not a bureaucratic pain in the ass. This place is friendly down-to-earth. Per my experience First Floor Hostel is first rate.



www.1stfloorhostelberlin.de

RULES OF LODGINGS

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NEW RULE:

Before checking into any hostel be sure to inquire about the Internet access.

• Are there terminals and/or wi-fi?
• Is the Internet access free of charge?
• Is it on a timer system? (y'know, where the connection taps out after, say, twenty mins or an hour and you have to resign in or get a new code...it's very annoying)
• How much is it to print?

Sarphati Hostel - Amsterdam

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On my second venture to Amsterdam I stayed at the Sarphati Hostel  on the southside (near, conveniently enough, Sarphati Park). The weather was much, much better this time...sunny and warm.

Travelling on the 0600 Eurolines Bus from Frankfurt Am Main, I had no idea where I was going to sleep once I reached Amsterdam so I sent an SMS to a couple of friends to go online and reply back with some addresses. Purely on the suggestion of one of those replies I chose Sarphati Hostel -- because it was the closest to the Amstel bus station where the bus stopped. Hello! And, miraculously, trusting my friend's text msg over the locals' directions, I walked through the park and found the place with relative ease. NOTE: Sarphatipark(street) is only a small section of the principal Ceintuurbaan Street so it might be more helpful to ask walking directions to the latter.

unlike many other hostels, rooms don't require forever to be cleaned; this probably owes entirely to the entirely male staff....

The outside announces HOTEL SARPHATI but, don't worry, it's one and the same. An old hotel cum youth hostel, there are three floors (no elevator makes heavy luggage even heavier), 24Hr reception, Commons Area/kitchenette, and also two computer consoles with free access for those who don't have a laptop. The reception are very helpful and, unlike many other hostels, rooms don't require forever to be cleaned; this probably owes entirely to the entirely male staff....

For the 6-10 bed dorm rooms I had rates were between 15 to 20 euros. Once in your room you'll be pleased to find it's equipped with toilet and shower, closet as well as FREE wi-fi service. Gotta love that! Rooms located at the back of the building have a chill-out porch and, for the ground floor, an outdoor garden. The beds have thick comfortable mattresses, pillow, linen; but minus the ubiquitous step ladder it's not so easy getting in and out of the top bunk. And, yes, smoking is allowed -- just not inside the building.

website
58 Sarphatipark (aka Ceintuurbaan)
1073 CZ Amsterdam

Dover Castle Hostel (London)

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While in London I stayed at Dover Castle Hostel. It was the first one I found and I was able to buy a bed on a walk-in; and they offer good weekly rates…so I stayed. After three weeks in town – I didn’t plan on sticking around that long! – I really wanted to move to another place but was unsuccessful. Couchsurfing is a bust (good luck trying to secure a host in London!); Hostel 369 et al. (there are three of them) is simply a money-maker run by people who couldn’t care less about running a comfortable hostel – and who don’t even answer their own phone line – and St Christopher’s Inn is way too corporate and accepts only guests with bank cards. I’ve already written about them here.

one of the first hostels where I’ve not found a place within to read and write…and very, very stingy lighting

Dover Castle is a nice enough hostel with free wi-fi, comfortable beds, clean facilities, hot showers. The staff is friendly and helpful. Its operation is organized and professional and the building is a mere block away from the Borough tube station (walking across the street in direction of the backside of the nearby church). A lot of French people work here (but they are friendlier than the French people you might encounter in France); and there are even two black men on staff! On the ground floor is a real pub, meaning it’s open to the public, and guests receive one free welcome soft drink.

A big minus to Dover Castle is its tiny Commons Area which also serves as the kitchen. Rather than use a room for T.V. and lounging separate from cooking and eating the hostel prefers to squeeze in as many beds as possible thereby making more money. 

The television is never loud enough to hear but this perhaps owes more to the group of Italian and Spanish guests who insist on having the television on regardless of watching it and downright prefer to shout over it rather than turn down the volume or simply off. Go figure. Dover Castle is one of the first hostels where I’ve not found a place within to read and write…there are no study or dining tables (only two coffee tables) and very, very stingy lighting. The sister hostel, The Cricketer, is one tube station away and is even worse. 

Dover Castle has good weekly rates

For long-term lodgings - it also has good weekly rates - The Cricketer serves the most basic purposes – bed and linen, hot water, lockable doors – of having a cheap place to live while working or looking for work in the City which is good; but the long-term lodgers seem… shall we say, unhappy and unmotivated. I find its atmosphere depressing. Cold and depressing. Who wants to be around that?

Cheers!    

YMCA Hostel Basel (Switzerland)

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When I passed through Switzerland earlier this month I stayed at the YMCA in Basel because my friends were out of town. I like visiting Basel. It's a nice Swiss city that's very much bustling with fine arts cultural stuff, shopping, and borders with Germany and France. It's easy to navigate around town on the tram.

Oddly, it doesn't have the iconic big, red Y on the rooftop

As for the hostel: 
reaching it from the main train station SBB is thankfully easy because it is so damn near. Oddly, it doesn't have the iconic big, red Y on the rooftop...which, I think, is like a beacon to newcomers. Still the YMCA Basel is a straight shot from the back entrance of the train station; entire walk amounts to probably three normal blocks. I booked a bed on a walk-in.
"Do you have a reservation?" asked the boy behind the counter. "No," I replied, "but I have money." He smiled, "Oh I think that will do." I paid for two nights. Another good thing to come of my first night was finding a leather jacket on the street...especially since the weather was nippy.

The hostel is nothing short of modern and looks spanking new. Maybe it is. The place is not decked out with funky colors, garage furniture, kitch knick-knacks nailed to the walls or other backpacker/hippy/earthy rubbish. Instead the modern facilities are clean, bright, sleek, airy...nothing that feels like home or a home basement. And it's quiet. And I liked that. In the commons area/dining hall are plenty of tables and chairs and a working fireplace! Plus there are two fast public computers. Their kitchen is one of the best I've seen. It's big and plenty stocked with eating and cooking utensils along with about four refrigerators, two sinks and a microwave.

the modern facilities are clean, bright, sleek, airy...nothing that feels like a home basement

I took the elevator to my third floor dorm. The personal reading lights were too bright to be personal but everything else - mattress and bedding, individual lockers, radiator - worked fine. Would have had a nice sleep were it not for the two old geezers in the room snoring. I hate people who snore. 


website

Made it to the Barcelonan beach

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On Monday I made it to the beach -- again -- and this time I made my self stay. Apparently I (or my bathing suit) cut quite the figure because everyone wasn't hiding the fact that they were looking at me. Does discretion count for nothing these days! The water was colder than I remembered from three years ago. But that was three years ago and we do tend to re-color our memories. Many people were selling things on the beach but they weren't as bothersome as what I'm familiar in Mexico. Not an irritant at all, actually. Go figure! Anywho, I bought a mojito from this kid who started making them for sell next to my beach towel. Wasn't the best mojito but, hey, it was 3€ and the kid was just making a hustle. Gotta admire that.

Before the beach, though, I took in a back massage at noon and learned that the months of stress were solidifying in my shoulders. I sort of knew that much already but a masseur can only do so much in one session so...I've got to stop thinking of massages as "luxuries" and more as necessities. Because, man, I don't go through Life inactively and maintenance is never a thing to put on the back burner.

On Tuesday I made up my mind to travel to Madrid. I made it up too late and was only able to book a seat on the 4:30 bus. Thing is, it takes about eight hours to get from Barcelona to Madrid via bus. The ride was pretty boring and the landscape is as well. The one cool thing was seeing the bull silhouettes during various points of the trip.

I arrived just past midnight. I was surprised by the lack of facilities on the bus. Why in the hell would you use a bus without a bathroom on an eight-hour treck?! Quite inconsiderate of the company (ALAS), I think. From the bus station I quickly rang two hostels and lucked out with a bed in one. Whew!

Berolina Backpacker (Berlin - Charlottenburg)

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Last year I wrote about my stay here (earlier review). This time around the rates were a little higher, but still very cheap, and included a 10€ key deposit. As usual I booked a dorm room and lucked out with my favorite, Room 104! I like it because it is on the first -- technically second --floor and receives Internet connection.


Unfortunately, though, the free Internet provider the hostel uses is a pain in the ass. Oftentimes the system just keeps looping the user back to a stupid homepage instead of where one wants to go, and it constantly needs re-engagement. Arrgh! It was enough to make a brother move into a slightly more pricey and packed hostel over in Kreuzberg just for the peace of mind of using working wi-fi. 

Also, when I went to check-out the receptionist almost didn't refund my key deposit -- because I didn't have my room receipt. Huh?! It's called a key deposit not a receipt deposit. Damn straight I got back my ten euros. The girl was pleasant and professional about it and returned the money "because" she found the hostel's receipt copy but still.... Can you believe that ¡#@%!? Keep me near the cross....

Berolina Backpacker
Stugggarter Platz 17
Charlottenburg, Berlin
10627
+49 (0)30.3270.9072
facsimile: +49 (0)30.3270.9073
info@berolinabackpacker.de
website

Read more: Don't Go To Canuckistan; ó Rick Steves Blows: Berolina Backpacker (Berlin)

36 Rooms (Berlin - Kreuzberg)

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36 Rooms Hostel is a cute, catchy name but I think the place has way more than thirty six rooms. The hostel is located

in the Kreuzberg section of the city, which has a hip, funky, and heavily Arabic demographic, and is about two long blocks from the Gölitzer Bahnhof metro stop (U1). But it's not hard to find.

The hostel is one of those old buildings with high ceilings, tall doors, and wood everything but the owners have fixed it up nicely with modern fixtures like contemporary lighting, bright white tiling and bathroom ware, and motion sensor lights. Most of the furniture is mix-match, adding a nice eclectic charm to compliment some of the squeaky floor boards and backpacker personalities.

I've stayed here about four times now after first coming last year. It is a really sociable hostel where people laugh and mingle. The owners/managers are the same (nice, funny guys) and so are the rates (14€ 8-bed dorm but the price is jacked up to 18€ on weekends). One very new addition, though, is the house disco underneath run by a group of foreign DJs. The place is a groovy subterranean dive with plenty of basement furniture and about four different natural lairs plus a large dance floor. The walls and ceiling are naked and, well, lower level authentic. Drink prices are reasonable but the cover, at five euros, I think is a tad steep.

One criticism of the hostel is that it obligates guests to rent bed sheets and pillow case (no refund). C'mon, if I can't use my own linen because I'm obviously not sleeping in my own bed, then don't require me to pay extra for something I can't have without the basics. Another is water buildup on the bathroom floors after guests step from the showers. It's really something. I spoke to the manager guy about this unsightly wetness -- someone forgot to install drains -- and they're looking into a couple of workable solutions, so that's a good thing. 

Spreewaldplatz 8

Berlin - Kreuzberg, 10999
info@36rooms.com 

+49 (0) 30 5308 63 98

website

JOURNAL: OCTOBER 13, 2009

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Oct 13

   Am at the airport with hours to spare! My mistake in missing last week's flight was a result of softness. I had a safety net: I had the "extra" money to afford another hotel stay, to say nothing of another flight. Lesson learned. The hard way. I was also wide awake well before the alarm because someone checked into the room in the middle of the night. A while later I re-awoke to her snoring. Jesusfuckingchrist. 
   But am at the airport.
   My four hour layover in Heathrow was not the drag I imagined; far from it. That is the best airport I've been in, and so much changed from my first visit, what, two years ago. Ordered the beef & kidney pudding (with peas and "chips") plus a side of onion rings and ginger beer. Delicious but I did not fancy the taste of kidneys. 

H.I. Portland - Northwest (Portland)

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Absolutely refuses lodgings to non-money card holders. Cash is not accepted. I asked if that also pertained to H.I. members. The man on the phone answered, "Yes. We can't accept you without a credit card. It's our policy."

What good is being a member if you can't enter the lodge?

This is a stupid policy. They should shove it up their asses or, better yet, scrap it. And as for turning away HI members, what good is being a member if you can't enter the lodge? 

It's a pity Portland only offers this and another H.I. hostel. We travellers need more and better options. 


425 NW 18th Ave
503.241.2783
www.nwportlandhostel.com