Lotus Garden Hostel Izmir

Hey, dear readers I hope my review be fair and visitors can consider all these. Before let I be clear that I came there in February so the weather was cold and chilly. 1. The hostel doesn't have good heating system, just split air conditioning that they turn it on during the the evening. On one incident I wanted to put fire logs into the fireplace or soba, the owner Duygu shouted at me because just I felt cold ... 2. It's really matter where you are from! Because you will face with double standards, I was from the next country, Iran so they didn't greet me well even an smile. But in general they are better with travellers from Europe or west, just my observation. -Duygu, the tall girl was angry, strict -Esen the fat girl was rude too +Asli was kind and smiling and I appreciate her welcoming behaviour. + Bora was a nice and cool guy, though we didn't chat much 3. The hygiene of hotel is not good. They open the door of bedrooms so cats which go and back come sleeps on beds and probably bring bedbugs and lice, so in case I used my sleeping bags 4. The location of hostel is in Basmane, a kind of run-down area but you easily can access metro and kind of close to kultur park or it takes as almost 30 minutes walking distance to Alsancak area. 5. The hostel vibe is like hippie, meditation, yoga atmosphere but inner soul is not that, even close to that. 6. Bathroom and shower things are not that clean, but at least you have hot water. Kitchen was messy and not clean. Duygu was always CV coming to me see me as a escapegoat and lecturing me for something that I have never done!!! Like why did you put garage in the wrong trash bin!! Which I swear I was respecting their policy. 7. Internet is not that good. Plus we had one whole day internet outage. I stayed there 5 days or so, if you don't have any options you could go there, meet so many interesting travellers! Bon voyage and enjoy beautiful Izmir. Poopoo

The hostel is brilliant however after I left I noticed multiple bed bug bites all over my body. I was staying in the larger 8 bed dorm. The hostel is brilliant but I've noticed a few reviews complaining about the bed bugs there. I don't know if it's just the cherry room that's affected. I think the place really needs to sort that out and change all the mattresses in that room. Overall it's a brilliant hostel but the bed bug bites are obviously a massive downer.

Good location near train and metro stations. Located smack next to a market so getting groceries is easy. Staff is friendly and kitchen is well stocked, nice social space too. While beds/linen certainly look and feel clean, i left the hostel with more than a couple bedbug bites all over, and two showers and toilets is a bit of a stretch to share between 4 rooms (6-8 beds EA), with one of the showers feeling like Harry Potter under the stairs cabinet. Otherwise a rather decent hostel.

It’s ok. Bed bugs and roaches were in the house. Staff was amazing, extremely helpful and kind.

Friendly staff with walkable location from the train station, but the cleanliness was horrible. Got bitten by bedbug for the first time in Türkiye. The room was super messy, unpleasant smell filled in it. Only one shower is dark and creepy.

bed bugs: I've stayed one night, the day after (I already left) I realized I had many bed bugs stings (arms & neck): very annoying.

What a cute relaxing hostel, w a great atmosphere. Great central location in the old town of Izmir. Hostel feels safe, a few streets down it can get a little sketchy. Down the main path there’s a ton of fruit/veggie stands and lots of food options at walkable distances. The hostel has refillable filtered water. Full functional kitchen to make meals if you’re on a budget. They offer a breakfast for additional price. I think it’s worth getting, it was yummy. The shower is not bad, just a little tight on space. I stayed at one of the shared rooms. The beds are comfy. They come with curtains for privacy and a little light and a few outlets. They rent out towels for a low fee. If you have cat allergies, beware there’s some cute cats with kittens that are here. The reason I knocked off a star is because I experienced some bug bites from my stay here. So bedding or sofas aren’t the cleanest. I believe they might either be fleas or dust mites, since bed bugs are usually visible and their biting patterns usually come in groups, my bites were scattered randomly. It cost me a ton of $ and inconvenience to do laundry a few times and buy a bug spray and ointments for my bites. I’m glad I didn’t fly straight home after my stay here.

I took a bed bug home with me. Make sure to hot wash your clothes after staying.

GOOD: Friendly staff, an old house with nice furniture and plants, a communal garden space where you can meet people. BAD: Bed bugs - there were bed bugs in our room on the first night and when we told them, they offered to steam the room and we could go back and sleep there the next night. Without other good options, we agreed. The second night was just as bad as the first and I even got one on video. I think they tried, but do not know how to properly deal with the situation. Dank smell

After my 2nd night in the dorm room  I had bedbug bites. I reported to the reception and the staff immediately apologized. In the afternoon , they steamed/sanitized my bed , but I said (twice)  that would be useless ,unless they would sanitize and steam the intery dorm room.  They wouldn't listen! Guess what???? The following day the other roomates had bedbug bites too!!! I was expecting a full refund of my stay ( 50 dollars  for 3 nights in a dorm room, which is very expensive for a hostel in turkey ) BUT IT DIDNT HAPPEN. Not to mention that I spent 20 dollars more for medicine. The last day they didn't even try to offer me a free breakfast for what had happened.  Talking about the hostel itself: old,  dirty, completely lack of maintenance, stinky bathrooms, garden with chickens and cats next to the dormroom window ( which they can also carry bacterias).The hostel definitely need a total renovation. To the hostel owner/manager: Travelers health is as important as business!!

The rooms are all wooden floors so a bit loud to get in at night…

Bedbugs, pour staff

I got a heavy dose of bed bug bites from here. The atmosphere was really nice with lovely staff. The heat in the rooms was unbearably hot with very limited AC available.

In my review I would say i was there when I saw good reviews. But I got bed bugs bite and it was not so good sleep over there though I stayed for 2 nights and it was all ok nice owner and everything. Good location. I would say if you want good bed and decent bathrooms look for other hostels.

It's absolutely dirty. I was bitten so badly by the bugs in the bed. Luckily it was not full that night so I could change to a different bed in 2am!