Hostel O2 — Hotel in Almaty

Whenever I go to such place for resting or crashing, what I always wanted to know about the place is the warmth of the people running it. Mostly, you would find owners that are plainly into sucking your money or budget. At Hostel 02, you'll find the host with a big smile in his eyes, wearing a very welcoming positive vibe and that absolutely leaves me the feeling "I'll be alright in this place!" It's a hostel - of course, you dont expect a cozylike hotel. But in here, though it holds the business idea of sharing rooms with strangers, one can totally breathe with much comfort. Guests are initially intro'd to what's expected in the house and from the guest - mutuality. The guests are respectful to each one's privacy and boundary. The facilities are maintained clean - hourly, daily, or as much as needed to be attended. The friendly atmosphere is another happiness here. People smile. My sleep for a couple of days of stay here has been so replenishing - the premise seems so quiet and peaceful outside. No annoying noise at night though it is surrounded by big apt buildings, which is really good.I can fill my gut with tea as much as I want and at any time. It surely spares me from reaching for those nasty soda drinks. The hot shower is not gona frustrate you, it surely warms you. Bedding is so attended with clean sheets (owww , I never worry of anything that would bug me of bites as I lie down) - this is another positive thing about this place.To wrap it up, it is like HOME... so I absolutely LOVE the place. And for sure, you gona love...

The hostel is clean and well equipped, but I recommend that they separate long term guests from one night guests. Almost every night, there was someone with a late bus or flight who packed noisily, slammed lockers, or made a lot of noise with plastic bags, disturbing everyone’s sleep. I also suggest offering four bed dorms even at a slightly higher price because they would provide more comfort and better rest.Because of these issues, I couldn’t sleep well for three out of my seven nights here. The first night was especially unpleasant: at 4 a.m. someone pulled open the curtain of my bed and started arguing with me, claiming I was in their spot. That was really disturbing and made my stay uncomfortable.Aside from that, the beds and facilities were good. The staff were friendly; only one of them, a woman named Yasmin, spoke English, but she was very kind, helpful, and made things easier for me. The others were Russian and didn’t speak English, but they still tried their best to help.If you’re Chinese, you’ll find that about 90% of the guests are also Chinese, so you’ll have plenty of people to chat with. The location is very nice, right in front of a lake, which looks beautiful at night. There’s a 24 hour supermarket across the street and a restaurant next door with tasty food. The bathrooms, toilets, and kitchen were acceptable, and there’s a bus...

This is not just the best and most pleasant hostel in all of Asia — it’s a place where you truly feel safe and at home. There is one remarkable man working here: incredibly polite, respectful, and attentive to every guest. He’s always ready to help and treats everyone as if they were visiting his own house.

At first glance, he looks kind and gentle — and he really is — but his appearance is deceiving in the best way. I found out that he once served in the marine corps and used to train in martial arts. He was even a city-level MMA champion before an injury forced him to stop.

One night, some bad people came around, harassing Chinese tourists outside and trying to break into the hostel. This man stepped out — and everything changed. They immediately began apologizing and backed off. Turns out, the locals in this area know him and stay away. That’s when I realized this is the safest hostel you could ever stay in.

He looked after every guest like family and spoke fluent English. Talking to him was always a pleasure.

A true protector, a true gentleman — and the best hostel...