Hostel Sport Bucharest — Hotel in Bucharest

This hostel is very unprofessional and put me in a bit of a bind on my first night in Bucharest. I booked this hostel in the popular booking app Hostelworld. Two days before I was to arrive I sent them an email message from the app asking for a lower bunk and telling them that I'll arrive around 10pm. I got no email response but I got a text the next day with the gate code for the hostel. I figured they got my message and texted me the code so I can come in myself late at night.

The night of Friday (Nov 8) I get there at 10:30pm. The lady working the desk immediately tells me that they overbooked and there's no bed available for a man. She offers me the couch in the common room.

I was quite shocked. I've traveled to 30+ countries and stayed at hostels everywhere and this is first time this happened. I understand things go wrong when you travel but this is the first time that a hostel over booked and didn't bother to email me or call me or text me that they messed up my reservation. They waited until I arrived late at night to tell me sorry you we messed up and you gotta either sleep on the couch or basically go elsewhere.

I was very disappointed and when I asked her why she didn't contact me. She said that I came in so late that she thought I wasnt going to show up. I told her that I emailed them about coming in at 10pm. She said she didn't get the email and they everyone usually just uses Whatsapp. I showed her the email address that's in Hostelworld and she's like oh no that's not our email address. I then told her that I got a text with the gate code and why couldn't they text me that they were overbooked. She had no response and just apologized. At this point I felt like I was dealing with a business that has no sense of professionalism.

First, it shouldn't even matter if you arrive late at night. If you made a reservation the hostel/hotel should hold a spot for you on that day. Second, last time I checked email was still a reasonable way to communicate with a business. Just because you prefer a chat app is no reason not to check email. Third, Hostelworld is one of the biggest platforms for booking hostels. How can you just put in the wrong email address or update your company email and never update it in the app.

Lastly, I'll say that when she told me about the overbooking she was actually exasperated and said the next night(Saturday) they actually had another two people that were overbooked. To me this meant that overbooking often happens at this business.

Look, this situation is not her fault. It's probably some stupid booking system that's causing the errors. But in the end this business is not serious about hospitality. They don't communicate well and they apparently have a pattern of overbooking. So book here at your own risk. Or just stay at one of the many other hostels...

Avoid this place at all costs — total scam and disgusting behavior from the host.

I was misled by the obviously fake reviews and decided to check this place out for a night during a brutal 37°C summer day in Bucharest. Thankfully, my intuition kicked in — I’ve dealt with enough shady listings in different countries to know when something’s off. So I insisted on seeing the place before paying. Good call, because this place is an absolute nightmare.

The moment I walked in, I was hit with a foul smell and saw two people snoring in the living room like it was a flop house. I assumed they were early guests like me, but no — one of them was actually the host. I politely asked her if the room had air conditioning, and she snapped back, “Open the window — why do you need AC?” Seriously? It was 37°C outside and they advertise air-conditioned rooms. So I asked again, more directly, “Are you going to turn the AC on?” and she bluntly said, “No, I will not.” That was the final red flag.

Another scam: the online listing says 63 lei, but she demands 70 the second you arrive. She tries to rush the payment before you even get to see what you’re walking into — obviously hoping to trap people in this fly-ridden, smelly hellhole.

When I stepped into the garden to order an Uber to a better hostel, she shouted at me to leave — like I was the problem. Her attitude is vile, her behavior unhinged, and the listing is completely misleading.

This woman has zero business running a hostel. She’s aggressive, dishonest, and clearly manipulative. Trust your gut — I did, and it saved me from getting stuck in this dump. I found a much better hostel nearby with friendly, honest staff and a lower price.

Do NOT book this place. Ignore the fake reviews. You've...

The hostel is very well located, easy to get to many touristic attractions on for or by public transportation. There is a lamp by each bunk bed, a spacious place to keep your things, a bag to keep your bags while you sleep. There is a kitchen you can use to cook and eat, which is very nice. There are toilets and showers enough for everyone, I never needed to wait to take a shower or go to the toilet. Staff was ok, not the nicest in the world, but never rude. There are some outside and indoors common areas you can use. Access via codes to the hostel and room is very convenient and made me feel safe, they give you towels at no extra charge.

The hostel looks a bit old, and not renovated, it's enough to stay, but I wouldn't say it's my favorite hostel. They didn't have anyone in the reception when I arrived, but after I sent a message they were gave me the access codes and instructions on how to do it in the hostel. There are no curtains around the beds, which do not allow for privacy. Shower water took some time to heat, but it was good one you could fill it. When I finally saw the staff lady, I asked a few questions about how the hostel worked, she replied on a way that felt like she had no patience to my questions, which I didn't like, but she was never rude and answered everything. During my stay in early October 2025, there was a cyclone level storm, with intense rains, and one end of the street where the hostel is at was flooded, not allowing me to pass. But luckily I was able to access it from the other side, going around the block. So if you're going in the rainy season, I think it's important to keep this in mind. It's not the hostel's fault, but it's a reality of the...