a&o Hamburg City

The dark-skinned male staff member, who seemed to be Indian, had a very poor attitude during check-in. He demanded city tax, and when I offered cash, he refused, insisting on card payment only. It was only €1.3, and the person behind me in line had to pay for me with their card. The Indian-looking staff member even gave me a disdainful look.

I wasn't too keen on the two single beds pushed together without a curtain, especially if it's two strangers of different genders sharing – that would be pretty awkward. The location is fairly convenient, and the price is decent.

AO is a German hostel chain, and its reviews have always been a mixed bag. I paid around 500 RMB for one night. The cleanliness was decent, much better than I expected. I didn't see any of the stains that people mentioned online. For service, the front desk was quite enthusiastic. Since there are many people in the hostel, there's a security guard in the lobby, so I felt pretty safe inside. However, the area outside the hotel is a different story; the safety in Hamburg's Berliner Tor district is just okay. The facilities were a mixed bag. The shower pressure was incredibly strong, and there was plenty of hot water, which made for a very comfortable shower. The bed wasn't bad either. But the window insulation was absolutely zero! I've stayed in many hotels in Germany, and this was the first time I slept so poorly. Late at night, I don't know if there were cars drag racing on the street or what, but I was woken up 4-5 times by vehicles going back and forth outside. There was absolutely no difference in sound insulation whether the window was closed or open. The heating in the room was also almost useless. I woke up freezing at 3 AM! 😡

Good value for money and very conveniently located. Plenty of street parking is usually available in the surrounding area. It's a short 15-minute walk to the East Side Gallery, where you can see the 'Fraternal Kiss' mural. The property has three buildings, so make sure to ask the front desk which one your room is in before you head up, to save yourself an unnecessary walk.