Hostel ARBAT

Overall we had a good stay. The dorms were clean, the location was convenient, and the price was very reasonable. The only thing worth mentioning is that there is no air conditioning or even fans in the dorms, so it can get pretty hot.

The kitchen situation was... memorable. The hostel is essentially a family home where the owners rent out some of the rooms as dorms, so they also use the kitchen themselves. One evening while we were cooking, the owner sat with us and, although he was friendly, he kept communicating through Google Translate on full volume. He reminded us several times to clean up after ourselves (which we completely intended to do), commented that we were cooking too much food because "Shymkent is too hot and it will spoil," and after we explained it was for the next day, kindly informed us to let it cool before putting it in the fridge—valuable information we'd somehow managed to discover before arriving. He also asked us to hurry because of the steam, despite there being no extractor fan (or even a fan at all), told us to wipe up a tiny spill while we were still cooking, clean the sink plug, and then suggested we start washing up while we were literally still serving our dinner. We'd barely made any mess in the first place, so it all felt a little unnecessary. Having Google Translate constantly listening to our conversations also made things a bit awkward. Every time we tried to chat to each other, the phone would immediately translate everything out loud, so it never really felt like we could relax and enjoy cooking our meal. None of this ruined our stay, and overall we'd still recommend the hostel. It was clean, affordable, and in a good location. Just don't be surprised if cooking dinner turns into a surprisingly interactive experience.

The hostel looks like a large European-style house with a very spacious and beautiful front yard. The location is excellent—very close to Arbat Street and Shymkent Plaza, so most places are within walking distance. There are also shops and supermarkets nearby. The bathroom area is cleaned regularly and well maintained by an elderly lady. The staff is kind and helpful. During checkout, she helped me find the correct bus, and since it was raining heavily, she even reminded me to wear a rain jacket and socks, which was very thoughtful.

The men’s dorm had issues with smoking and drinking, which may feel uncomfortable. The women’s dorm is close to the bathroom, but the toilet was not very clean. The bathroom does not have a proper lock and has glass panels, which can feel unsafe and uncomfortable, especially for solo female travelers. There are very limited charging points—only one socket near one bed, which can be inconvenient, especially if the hostel is full. The washing machine costs 10,000 KZT, and clothes need to be dried at the back of the hostel.

Friendly family athmosphere

立地と価格

シャワーの排水管が常に詰まっていた。なぜかオーナーの女性も女性用客室のシャワーを長時間使用していた。2人のオーナーのいずれかが常にキッチンにおり、他のゲストが少し油を飛び散らせただけで怒られていた。部屋にエアコンはない。8月に宿泊したので扇風機を夜中に扇風機を付けていたが、オーナーに消された。