Is the location of Urban Hostel in Minsk convenient?

Yes, the location is actually pretty good, considering the city's size. You can walk to many places in the center within 30 minutes.

Can I store my luggage at the hostel?

Unfortunately, the hostel doesn't offer a lot of storage space, but you can try to store your luggage in your room.

How far is the nearest metro station from the hostel?

The nearest metro station, 'Nemiga', is about 700 meters away, which is a 10-minute walk.

Can I get a taxi from the hostel?

Yes, it's a good idea to call a taxi if you have a lot of luggage or if you're not comfortable walking in the winter.

What's the value for money at Urban Hostel in Minsk?

Overall, I think the hostel is a good value for money, but it could use some renovations to bring it up to par.

Can I get help with my luggage from the staff?

The staff is friendly and willing to help, but they might not be able to assist with heavy luggage.

Are there any restaurants or cafes near the hostel?

Yes, there are plenty of restaurants and cafes within walking distance of the hostel.

Can I get a refund if I'm not satisfied with the hostel?

The hostel has a decent return policy, but it's best to check with them directly for specifics.

How do I get to the hostel from the airport?

You can take a taxi or public transportation from the airport to the hostel.

Are there any amenities at the hostel?

The hostel has a decent selection of amenities, including a common room and a kitchen.

Can I book a private room at the hostel?

Yes, the hostel offers private rooms, but they might not be available during peak season.

Urban Hostel in Minsk Review: Great Location, But Some Quirks

Hello!

I decided to stay at a hostel in Minsk during my last trip. I was only planning to stay there for the night and store some unnecessary items for the day, so I opted not to pay extra for a closet and shower, and chose a hostel instead.

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Location

For a small city, the location might not be the best, but I'm from St. Petersburg, and I think Urban Hostel in Minsk is actually quite well-placed and right in the center. The address is 3 Architect Zamorsky Street. The nearest metro station is 'Nemiga', about 700 meters away. However, the sidewalk can be narrow in some areas, especially during the winter, and it might be challenging to walk with luggage. Maybe it's a good idea to call a taxi.

Trinity Suburb at night I think the location is quite good for myself. I walked to many places in the center within 30 minutes. The metro is a 10-minute walk away. In the surrounding area, there's the Trinity Suburb - one of the main attractions in Minsk.

Trinity Suburb There's also the Grand Opera House right across the street. I was planning to go there, but unfortunately, there weren't any performances that interested me during my stay. However, it's super convenient to return to after late shows.

Entrance to the hostel Booking with a Russian Card

In Belarus, Russian cards don't work except for the 'Mir' payment system. I booked a room on the hostel's official website; they require a prepayment for the first night, which I paid with a Russian 'Mir' card. You pay for the rest of your stay at the reception desk, which can be done with either a card or cash (in Belarusian rubles). In general, if you have a 'Mir' card, you can travel in Belarus without any issues. This is due to Russia being disconnected from SWIFT, while Belarus is not.

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Room Numbers and Prices

Urban Hostel positions itself as the largest hostel in Belarus. I'm not sure how many rooms they have, but there are 11 different types. For example, they have a family room with 1 double bed and 1 bunk bed, 15 square meters. You can even bring your pets. There are 3 such rooms, costing 165 Belarusian rubles per night in the winter, regardless of the number of people.

For me, it was essential to have a female-only room. There are 3 different options: 8, 6, and 4-person rooms. The fewer people, the more expensive it is. However, the difference isn't significant enough to compromise on comfort, and I chose the smallest room. I'll tell you more about it below in a separate section.

A spot in a 6-person room costs 47 Belarusian rubles in January. An 8-person room costs 44. A loft double for two people costs 129 rubles. Currently, the exchange rate is around 26 Russian rubles per 1 Belarusian ruble. So, the loft double costs approximately 3,500 rubles. In my opinion, it's overpriced, even considering the location.

I'd like to point out that for any additional amenities in most rooms, you'll need to pay extra. Want slippers? That's extra. Want towels? That's extra too (although there's a deposit that'll be returned when you check out). Want a lock for your personal storage? That's extra. The only things that come free are earplugs, and in some rooms, water.

Common Areas

The hostel is big, spanning multiple floors.

StaircaseThere are areas for relaxation - you can sit at a table if you want. There's a kitchen. There's a small gym. There are plenty of tiny nooks where you can sit and get some work done. I barely took any photos because there were people everywhere.

Relaxation area on the windowsillI also want to note that you have to take off your shoes right in your room or at the entrance to your room. That means your neighbors can walk around in their outdoor shoes, and you'll only avoid it if you personally agree with them not to do it. So, you'll be walking in your shower clogs right up to the bathroom on the dirty floor. \xa0

Bathroom

There are plenty of bathrooms, and they're all different. On the floor where I stayed, there were two separate rooms that had everything, and one shared bathroom with several cubicles and a shower area. The shared bathroom freaked me out - it's co-ed, and I'm not used to that. So, I waited in line for the full bathroom instead.

Here's what the combined bathroom looks like behind a separate door:

The shower is behind a curtain. The caulk isn't super fresh, but everything works. The showerhead isn't broken, and it's easy to regulate. There's a water heater, so the water is always hot, and it's easy to adjust. Behind the curtain, there's a shelf where you can put your stuff for the shower.

There's a towel rack, and it was nice to hang up some fresh clothes from the street and put on something warm afterwards.

The toilet is clean. Trash was taken out on time, and there was always toilet paper.

The sink is small. There was soap, a hand dryer, and a convenient shelf for your stuff.

One thing that stood out to me was that the hair dryer was only located in the shared bathroom, not in the individual rooms. Overall, the bathrooms were in good condition, which is a rare find in hostels. Here, everything was fine. In the mornings, around 9 am, and evenings, also around 9 pm, there might be queues. I tried to get back to the hostel by 7 pm, and I could use the bathroom without waiting, unless I had to wait before bed.

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Women's Four-Bedroom Room

The cost was 45 rubles on weekdays and 48 rubles from Friday to Saturday. I'm not sure if this was a non-refundable rate, but they do offer a discount option.

I couldn't give an exact square footage of the room, as it's listed on their website from 10 to 14 square meters. There are two rooms like this in the hostel, so they're a bit different in size. The space was uncomfortable, especially when you're not familiar with the other guests. Even setting up your luggage would be a hassle.

The weak point was already at the entrance - the door. They use magnetic cards for entry, but the locks don't work well. You either have to slam the door shut to close it or risk the door closing on its own over time, especially if someone opens the door to the adjacent room, and you'll get a draft. This happened to me on the second night. I was sleeping, and at some point, I realized someone was in the room. It was around 1 am. I thought someone had checked in late. But in the morning, I found out the door was closed. The door had opened due to the draft, and someone had entered - maybe the cleaner.

There's a hook and a shoe rack at the entrance.

There's a small desk with a trash can, a table, and a rail with hooks right at the entrance. There were two chairs, but the second one was hidden by the window.

The room was tiny, and it was hard to move around. Even with two people, it would be a challenge to get ready. The window was constantly open. If you close it, it gets too hot. If you leave it ajar, it gets cold. On the first night, I had a roommate, and I just dressed warmer. On the second night, I was alone, and I closed it, leaving a small gap.

I didn't notice when booking that the beds didn't have curtains. This is a major minus for me. I like hostels for the quiet atmosphere. You can just pull the curtains, and you're invisible. Here, there's just a flimsy partition, and if someone turns on the light in the room, you won't be able to hide.

The white bedding was a plus - it was clean. The mattress and pillow were comfortable for me.

I was happy with its length, but I'm not very tall. Unfortunately, there aren't many places to put your stuff. I hung up everything I might need at night and in the morning so I wouldn't have to open and close the bed box.

There's a socket, a light, and these pockets by the headboard. I didn't use the pockets - it's easy to forget things in them. A full shelf would be more functional.

That's how I spent the evening, charging my electronics:

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Sound Proofing

Oh, this is a major minus. You can hear everything in the corridor and from your neighbors. At 9 pm, many people start coming back to their rooms, and it's like a nightmare. I'm basically back in a student dorm and it's 8 am on a Monday, when the whole block of 12 people is getting ready for class. Of course, it was quieter then, but even so, Urban Hostel is louder. Everyone starts slamming their doors in their rooms. Some people just think it's normal to talk loudly and laugh out loud. That's where earplugs come in - I always carry them with me. In the women's rooms, nobody usually snores, but sometimes they do, so I've got earplugs and an eye mask as a standard safety net in any hostel.

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Cleanliness

I mentioned the bathrooms - they're clean. I got up at 7 am one morning, and the cleaner was washing the common areas. As for my room, it's in a decent state, but it's hard to keep it spotless when you're staying there. I don't get too picky about it, but I did find some dust and hair around.

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Final Verdict

This is a normal hostel. I've seen better and worse. I couldn't give it a high rating, but it's a solid three out of five from me. If I were to come back to Minsk with my husband, I'd prefer to stay in a hotel or rent a flat instead, but if I'm solo again, I'd be happy to come back to Urban Hostel. Considering the price, quality, and location, it's a good value for money.

I uploaded a video of my room to YouTube, so if the website won't open for you, you can check it out there.

You might be interested in my other hostel reviews:

Nora, Южно-Сахалинск

Rus-Arena, Чебоксары

Hot Place, Владивосток

Good Luck, Ставрополь

Kirovsk.Red, Kirovsk, Murmansk Oblast