MEININGER Hotel Dresden Zentrum

I appreciated that I was given a lower bunk bed. The shower provided decent-quality soap/shampoo, the mattress was comfortable, and the Wi-Fi worked well. The breakfast is quite basic and, in my opinion, overpriced. There is a Lidl inside the main train station, just a 3-minute walk away, which is open every day (including Sundays) from morning until evening. I recommend going there instead and buying something nice to eat for about a quarter of the price. The hostel charges an additional €4.50 per day for luggage storage, or around €2 for three hours for a small bag. I recommend using the lockers at the main train station instead. They offer several options ranging from €1.50 to €4, depending on the size of your luggage and the storage duration. The lockers only accept coins, but there is a change machine nearby if you only have banknotes. In my opinion, this option is both cheaper and more convenient than the hostel's luggage storage. Before my stay, I asked if it would be possible not to be the only female in the room. On my second night, I returned in the evening to find five men in the room wearing only underwear or towels, and they remained undressed for the entire time they were there. Being the only female in a room with several undressed men was very uncomfortable and did not feel safe. I understand that it was a mixed dormitory and the hostel is not obliged to have another female in the room. However, I find it hard to believe that in such a large, fully booked hostel, they couldn't find a room where I wouldn't be the only female, especially after I specifically asked about this in advance. The first bed I was assigned was in a different room. However, when I arrived, the bed was already occupied. I had to go back to reception and be assigned a new bed in another room. Instead of a quick check-in that should have taken just a few minutes, the process took around 45 minutes because the receptionists were very busy and I had to wait in line twice. The wall around my bed was dirty and even had a used chewing gum stuck to it next to the pillow. I asked both at reception and via messages if the cleaning staff could remove it, as it wasn't pleasant to wake up to a used piece of chewing gum and stains on the wall. Unfortunately, it was never cleaned during my stay. On the morning of check-out, the staff entered the room at 10:40 while I was in the toilet. When they realized I was still there, they left, only to enter again about 10 minutes later while I was still getting ready. I don't understand why the staff doesn't simply wait until the official check-out time before entering rooms that are still occupied. It was very difficult to communicate with the hostel and get information. I asked a few very simple questions, but I had to ask them three times before receiving even a partial response. It felt like I was communicating with an AI chatbot that replied with generic, overly empathetic wording instead of answering my questions directly.The shower and toilet are inside the room, which makes it quite noisy when people return late at night or leave early in the morning. There must be a key card inserted by the door for the electricity to work, which I found quite inconvenient. The lockers are quite small, and it isn't possible to fit a trolley suitcase or a larger backpack inside. The room was extremely hot throughout my stay. The air conditioning didn't cool the room sufficiently, and it wasn't possible to adjust the settings. There was also a strong unpleasant smell in the room. Keeping the windows closed made the smell and heat worse, but opening them wasn't much of a solution either, since the windows only open slightly rather than fully, they didn't provide enough airflow to properly cool or ventilate the room. The trains outside were very noisy when the windows were open.

We travelled as a family: four adults, one child, and a small dog. We booked a six-bed family room. The hotel is incredibly stylish. The rooms are amazingly well-designed. Each bed has ample storage space, its own lamp, and a power outlet. The bunk beds are extremely sturdy, so nothing wobbles, and everyone can sleep peacefully. The separate toilet, shower, and sink make it easy for a whole family to stay in style. The staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating. The rooms are well-air-conditioned, and there are even electric exterior blinds. Our dog received a welcome gift. The guest kitchen is available for everyone to use, even for cooking. We were completely satisfied and will definitely book there again.

Great hostel. It's affordable, well-located, clean, and the staff is incredibly friendly. It also has air conditioning. There's a lobby that's perfect for working on your laptop. There are two pool tables, a foosball table, and a kids' corner. The kitchen is very large and well-equipped with a stove, oven, microwave, kettle, refrigerator, sink, counter, and seating. There's a large dining room. In addition, there's a clean and spacious laundry room where you can wash your clothes in a large washing machine for €4.50 and dry them in the dryer for the same price. The entire hostel is quiet and wheelchair accessible. The rooms have a private toilet, sink, and shower. There are power outlets by each bed and blackout curtains. Two supermarkets, snack bars, and restaurants, as well as the train station, are all within a three-minute walk. The view from the lobby of the station and the trains arriving and departing is lovely. There's seating outside where you can sit and enjoy your morning coffee. My stay was very pleasant.

Hotel located near Dresden's main train station. Perfectly insulated from outside noise. Lovely rooms, spotless bathroom. Good breakfast buffet. The old town is easily accessible on foot.