Tel Aviv is not a cheap city to visit so finding a great room at a great price is the best way to ensure you have a great time! During our visit to Tel Aviv, Israel, we took a room in The Spot Hostel for three nights. This is our full Spot Hostel review.
The Spot Hostel Review
Contents
Location
The Spot Hotsel is based in the Old Port of Tel Aviv, at the Northern end of town. It is just three minutes from the promenade that runs the length of the Tel Aviv’s coast. In the other direction, you are in the Ha-Banim Garden, a very pleasant park through which the Yarkon River runs. It is not the most central location, but getting from here to the centre of Tel Aviv is easily done by wandering down the boardwalk, or catching a bus down the main Ben Yehuda Street.
Under Construction
At the time of our visit, the hostel was only partly open. Much of the hostel, and most of the rooms were finished but the full roster of activities was still to be launched. There were also rooms that were still being decorated/furnished. In my opinion, there are a few kinks that will need to be smoothed out and I have tried to highlight these, but bear in mind that overall, we had a great stay.
A Look Around The Spot Hostel Tel Aviv
The aesthetic of The Spot Hostel is a nod to the surrounding area. As this used to be a port, they have created the illusion of shipping containers within the hostel. At first I thought that our room had been constructed within one, but soon realised that is was just the design.
Our Bedroom
As we were travelling in a group of three, we originally looked at staying in one of the Spot Hostel’s gallery rooms that sleep 3. Happily, however, we ended up booking two separate mini rooms which was infinitely preferable. These mini rooms fit one or two people in snugly, with just enough space to feel comfortable. Hooks on the wall and huge under bed drawers ensure your bags, bits and pieces won’t be in the way.
Overall I liked the room but there were a couple of issues that developed at bedtime. When our light was switched off it was immediately obvious that light was pouring in from windows at the top of the wall. During the day this provided a little natural light but as darkness fell, the bright white signs that indicated our room numbers sent white light cascading into the rooms.
We asked reception about this and they informed us that it was a known issue and they were trying to solve it. Hopefully, by the time you visit, they will have sorted this out.
Our Bed
The bed was quite a large double but unfortunately the cover didn’t quite cover it and us. This ended up with duvet wars halfway through the night. We thought about asking for a second duvet but never got round to it. We loved that there was a good number of plugs around the room with some next to the bed which was very handy.
Our Bathroom
The bathroom was also mini, but it didn’t feel too bad as long as there was only one of us in there at a time. They have made good use of the space and actually, the shower feels reasonably roomy. It took a while for the water to warm up, but once it got going the shower was pretty good. If you are fussy about your shower products bring your own as the soap provided was basic.
Other Bedrooms
The Spot Hostel offer a variety of rooms. We stayed in a mini room but there are also;
- Double rooms – These have lots more space around the bed and a window to the outside world.
- Gallery rooms – These sleep three people on two levels. There is a sofa bed on one floor and a double bed on a mezzanine above.
- Pods – Teeny little solo rooms that have a TV and storage. Guests use a shared bathroom.
- Dorm rooms – Bunk beds with built in lockers and a plug for everyone. The beds are designed in chic black metal. Dorms are for 4 – 12 people. Guests use a shared bathroom.
- Tents – The tents were not up and running when we visited but it is a rather novel idea. I wonder how noisy they are. The picture on their website makes it look like these will be inside but this will become clearer once they are available.
I think it’s worth mentioning that I popped into the communal bathrooms and they were spotlessly clean.
Reception
Reception is in the main area at the front of the building as you enter. It was a nice communal space and clearly has a lot of potential. It’s a great social spot with all the activities.
Checking in took a while, and there always seemed to be a queue at reception. I don’t know if the system was slow, or if they were too much in demand, but they may need to speed this up to allow for the larger capacity when all the rooms are finished.
Check out all our travels in Israel
- Patio – Just outside is a nice sun-trap patio. It’s a bit shady in the evening but with the lovely Israeli heat, that can be a relief.
- Games Room – On the edge of reception, is the games room. There was a pool table and table football. So far, so normal, but in the corner was an awesome old Street Fighter arcade game. We had lots of fun punching the buttons, completely at a loss for how to get our characters to do their power moves. I remember playing this as a child, but time erodes all things!
- Helpful Things – Just inside the first corridor was a collection of vending machines. These didn’t just sell sweets and fizzy drinks, but lots of the useful things that travellers forget. You could get a toothbrush, ear plugs, phone cable etc.
- Laundry Room – A large number of coin operated washing machines. It’s perfect when you are on a budget!
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Dining
There is a bar setup in the reception area. This is also used for the breakfast buffet.
Breakfast
For a hostel breakfast, The Spot Hostel’s offering wasn’t half bad. Along with the normal cereal and milk there was a lovely big bowl of hummus and other yummy Israeli options. There was labneh and olives, and even mini shaksukas one morning. I was sad not to have pitta to mop up all that delicious hummus. Instead there was bread. We missed having a toaster as the bread wasn’t quite strong enough to scoop it up without the being toasted. Personally, I was not a fan of having canned tuna out for breakfast, as the strong smell pervaded. I am not sure someone with a hangover would cope well with it.
Information
Having read this Spot Hostel review, if you are thinking about booking a room, here is some info you might like to know.
- The best way to book is directly through the Spot Hostel website.
- There is free, fast WiFi throughout the hostel.
- Although their motto is “Never Go to Sleep” we had no issues with excessive noise, which was a relief.
- They have an activity programme, including running tours, pub crawls and live music sessions.
Final thoughts for our Spot Hostel Review
Despite the few niggles that we have mentioned here, our impression of the Spot Hostel was a very positive one. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and think it is a very clean, very friendly and rather trendy option. As such, we would be more than happy to recommend it to fellow flashpackers and those on a tighter budget too.
We hope this full and honest Spot Hostel review helps you make your mind up about your Tel Aviv accommodation. If so, let us know!
Rosie xx
