Reviews of Admiral Hostel

13 October 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: one of the two best places to stay in the city from what I heard from a few local people who know the traveler scene. The staff here really helped to set me up with a trip to Olkhon Island on short notice. I also got a lot of good tips on the local area and options for things to do around town.

Disliked: A little tricky to find if you don't have the directions on hand while looking. Partly my fault that I had written them down and not printed them. But it might be nice to have the Cyrilic spellings of the streets to help match to street signs once you've overshot a tad and need to get oriented. Even still I've had harder hostels to find. And this one can partly be attributed to me anyway.

20 September 2011 Darren would recommend this property

Liked: The staff were very helpful, and knew the area well. The double room is spacious and comfortable, with cable tv and good WiFi access. They allowed us to check in very early after arriving on the train.

Disliked: Although not really their fault, they couldn't turn the heating on (it comes on for the whole building in October) so it was really very cold. Also, the hot water supply was unreliable (available half of 1 day out of 3 days stay) so we couldn't wash ourselves or our clothes. They didn't mention this to us, we just had to keep trying the taps, and then eventually confront them. It's a shame because otherwise we would hardly mention this, but being able to shower properly after 4 nights in one train and another 3 nights ahead of us, we felt they ought to have mentioned when the supply failed, rather than wait for us to confront them about it.

17 September 2011 sheila would recommend this property

Liked: The Admiral doesn't look much from outside but once you enter through the steel door it is a homey comfortable environment. The landlady, Olana was very helpful and friendly - a really approachable Russian who offered us coffee and a computer even though we got her out of bed to let us in at 6.00am. A refuge from the mad world outside

Disliked: It was down a rundown and shabby lane and the building was not pretty, however this is often the case in Siberia. There is only one bathroom which means you have to wait your turn.

09 September 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: The location

Disliked: Not much communial space for such a large amount of travellers.

31 August 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: nice stuff, airporttaxiservice was very helpful, very clean & carrying

Disliked: We liked everything.

29 August 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Staff were really friendly, chatty and helpful. Kitchen is awesome, and generally nice communal atmosphere to the place.

Disliked: n/a

30 May 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: great location, absolutely fantastic staff (alexander)!

Disliked: nothing

24 January 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: The large and spacious rooms were nice. Very well-equipped kitchen. Leonid was very nice and helpful in trip suggestions and arranging transportation.

Disliked: There is only 1 bathroom which might be a problem in the busy summer months. I was there in winter and only 1 of 3 guests so this really wasn't an issue. It's a really nice and quite large (by Russian standards) bathroom, but there is only one in a hostel that is apparently quite busy in the summer.

24 January 2011 sam would recommend this property

Liked: excellent hostel, welcoming and cosy. the couple running the hostel were very nice, and both very helpful. would definately recommend

Disliked: nothing

21 January 2011 Lucinda would recommend this property

Liked: We cant recommend this hostel highly enough - friendly English speaking staff, warm, comfortable beds, good location, hot showers - they let us leave our bags here for free while we went to Lake Baikal, and even gave us the keys to take away for two days so we could get in when we came back. Free fast internet, tea and coffee and bread, and the owner's Mum even made us some kind of delicious pork burgers as we were checking emails one day. The Lonely Planet says that the hostel is unmanned - this shouldn't be the case so long as you either book online or phone ahead.

Disliked: Nothing - no towels, but that's really nit-picking, as we didn't even ask for them since we brought our own

01 November 2010 Thomas would recommend this property

Liked: Very good place ! Thanks a lot !

Disliked: Thomas left no negative feedback.

23 October 2010 Joan would recommend this property

Liked: The staff was very helpful and friendly and they speak good english.

Disliked: The matress of the double room was lumpy. It is time to change it

12 October 2010 Carl would recommend this property

Liked: The host was very welcoming staying up till gone three in the morning to greet us. In the middle of the night it is a little unerving to find but in the daylight you appreciate the location! Very friendly and everybody you meet is doing the same as you so great for ideas and tips!

Disliked: Only the one bathroom but never had to wait to long to use it.

10 September 2010 SEUNG IK would recommend this property

Liked: Absolutely cleaness, reaseonable price, nice location and friendly host. Actually, I didn't bring my own laptop so it was hard to reach internet(i could hardly find internet cafe in downtown of Irkutsk) but fortunately there was a host's laptop and I could use it as mine. Thanks a lot.

Disliked: One thing what I was sorry is that there is no sign outside of the hostel. Traveler should remind the name of street.

03 August 2010 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Excellent location, near the city centre, easily reached by public transport

Disliked: One (not very clean) bathroom for about 10 people

04 July 2010 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Large, well kitted out kitchen including table to eat at. Owners laptop with Wifi available. Small TV with sofa for use. We had originally booked 2 dorm beds, but when we arrived as the hostel was quiet, he gave us the private double-bed room for no extra charge. Nice! Good map in the kitchen that is orientated to reflect reality - so you can find your way around easily. Near the square with 24 hour supermarket. Friendly and helpful owner - lots of freebies in the kitchen to use.

Disliked: Just make sure that you pre-book a bed here with an accurate arrival time as the owner is not always there. It's not really a place you can just turn up to on a whim.

13 May 2010 Abigail would recommend this property

Liked: Great location, near the train station and two minutes to the town centre, in a quiet residential street. Very friendly owner Leonid was able to give us lots of advice, a free map, some great stories and really interesting trip options. Small hostel, one dorm of 6 and a large private double, with a fabulous kitchen, really felt like I was at home.

Disliked: Abigail left no negative feedback.

06 April 2010 Daws would recommend this property

Liked: Helpful host, clean and safe. Well situated. Free internet and wi-fi which isn't listed. Will happily store bags. Really a bedroom in an apartment, but lovely. Well recommended.

Disliked: Daws left no negative feedback.

24 January 2010 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Great hostel and we happened to have it all to ourselves.Perfect location and great facilities- would def recommend!Thanks admiral!

Disliked: Customer left no negative feedback.

09 November 2009 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: should have internet to play

Disliked: Customer left no negative feedback.

25 October 2009 LUKE would recommend this property

Liked: Very nice hostel, perfectly situated, and extremely friendly and helpful staff

Disliked: LUKE left no negative feedback.

20 October 2009

Liked: I was the only person staying at this hostel (I stayed in October 2009), and when I say the only person, I mean I was the only person, no staff stayed at the hostel, they left soon after I arrived and returned to greet new guests the next morning after I had let the new guests into the hostel via the security door.It is very clean, it's a place to stay, it's got a clean kitchen andbathroom, but it isn't much more than that. I didn't sleep great as it'squite a boisterous neighbourhood and felt quite uneasy with the localsrunning around outside until the early hours. I'd happily recommend thishostel for a summer stay though.

Disliked: Customer left no negative feedback.

21 September 2009 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Close from the center of the city, clean and cosy

Disliked: Customer left no negative feedback.

07 September 2009 Ellen would recommend this property

Liked: three room private apartment. We rented the twinroom, the bed was really old but everything else was fine. Free coffee en tea in the kitchen.

Disliked: Ellen left no negative feedback.

04 August 2009 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Very easy to find - the directions are precise.A warm welcome in excellent English.Security is fine as you can get into the hostel through 2 locked doors, to which you are given electronic keys.5 minute walk to the city centre.

Disliked: Customer left no negative feedback.