I don’t know how well Hostel City Center compares to the other hostels in Chisinau, Moldova but I do know it’s cheap, clean, and stylish. Although I only spent one night there, I’m very impressed.
I’m going to be staying Chisinau for a month and I’ve rented an apartment. However, I knew I would be arriving late so I decided to spend the first night in a hostel. I chose Hostel City Center because it has excellent reviews and also happens to be one of the cheapest hostels in Chisinau. It was a good decision and I’m happy with my choice.
What I Like Best About Hostel City Center
One of the first things I noticed was how clean and stylish the hostel is. As soon as I entered the reception area and took a look around me I was impressed.
As far as the staff goes, everyone I met was very friendly and spoke excellent English so there were no problems with communication.
Although I didn’t need to use it myself, it was good to see the hostel has a kitchen. Years ago, when I first started using hostels, I thought all hostels had a kitchen for guests to prepare their own food. During my travels, I’ve discovered this is not so. Many do not. A lot of people who use hostels want to travel cheap. When you are buying and cooking your own food, you can do that. If you have to eat out it pushes the costs up. The combination of a cheap bed for the night and access to a kitchen makes Hotel City Center a good option for anyone who is travelling Moldova on a budget.
The facilities are very good—full stop. Nice showers, clean toilets, and the opportunity to enjoy a cold beer after a long day of travel.
Guests at Hostel City Center also have access to a locker. Again, this is something I like. The lockers are inside the dormitories. I like that too. Some hostels don’t provide any lockers at all, while others provide lockers that are out in the hall or situated in another area of the building. I like to have all of my stuff near at hand and, at Hostel City Center, I did.
The other good thing about the lockers at Hostel City Center is they are nice and big. The locker near my bed was large enough hold both my backpacks with room to spare.
All the beds at Hostel City Center are fitted with curtains. That’s good as well because it allows you to have some privacy. Each sleeping area also has a small shelf and a handy power point that’s ideal for charging your phone. There’s a small striplight as well; so you’ve pretty much everything you are likely to need.
Location
Hostel City Center is only around 350 meters from the city center so, if you want to go and explore, the location couldn’t be better [MAP] and the Nativity of Christ Cathedral and Triumphal Arch are only a short walk away.
The hostel is actually situated, more or less, inside a shopping center. So if you don’t want to leave via the elevator and then step into the street you can go through a door and step into the Sun City Shopping Centre instead. You’ll be on the top floor, right next to a cafe.
Like the rest of Chisinau, the shopping centre doesn’t get particularly busy, but it nice and clean and has a modern look. The other good thing is, if you need a local SIM card for your phone you’ll be able to buy one from the MoldCell shop on the bottom floor.
Other Things to Know
All the dormitories have air-conditioning and the Wi-Fi is good. Some dormitories contain six beds, others contain just four. Neither option is likely to make the average hostel user feel crowded. There are no mixed-sex options. Hostel City Center has dormitories just for men and dormitories only for women.
The hostel also has twin rooms and family rooms but those cost a little more and won’t be the best bet for budget travellers looking for a cheap place to sleep in Chisinau. However, for couples or families, they will still be a cheaper option than a hotel.
My Opinion of the City Center Hostel
If you’ve read this far, you probably already get the message—I like this hostel a lot. It has a nice atmosphere and I felt very comfortable there.
If you are looking for a cheap place to sleep in Chisinau, Moldova Hostel City Center is a very good choice. Some cheap hostels offer a very poor guest experience. That’s not the case with Hostel City Center. Everything about the place is absolutely first-rate. Anyone who stays there gets a lot of bang for the buck. I recommend Hostel City Center 100% and, if I ever return to Chisinau, I’d be happy to stay there again.
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