Oldtown Hostel Otter

Location location location. Best location to all walkable distance for sightseeing. Staffs were friendly, especially the man at the reception. Free simply breakfast with 24/7 self service beverages. Toilet/shower separate from the bedroom, so you can do hygiene without bothering others. Free towel, free hand soap and shampoo available. Free lockpad and huge locker. Inside the locker, there is a electric plug, so you can charge your electric devices inside the locker. Where everything is safe!! which is really thoughtful. And I love the idea. The only down side is the street is loud in the dark but you can also get a free earplugs from the bar. Book directly to the company website for a free tee shirt (it's a great souvenir!)

Best hostel i have ever stayed in my life. Make your reservation from their own website so you can get free tshirt 😉 It was very clean and organized hostel. I stayed in room for three people it was small but it is same all around the world. They have a big table in kitchen so you can socialize there easily. Also they give free breakfas (oatmeal,milk, bread and marmalades) also tea and coffee avaiable 24 hours by free. I really spent good time there, if i come bacl one that, for sure i will stay here again!

I stayed at this hostel for three nights in October in a six-person mixed dorm, and overall, I had a great experience. The location is unbeatable—right in the heart of Zurich’s Old Town and only a 16-minute walk from the main train station. Personally, the hostel itself was clean and cozy. The beds were comfortable and came with warm bedding, and I really appreciated the privacy curtains on each bunk. Each guest also gets a lockable cubby with a key, which is great if you don’t have your own lock. I arrived in Zurich a bit before check-in time, and it was a nice bonus to be able to store my luggage for FREE(something not every hostel offers). The showers were clean and while the kitchen doesn’t have pots and pans, it does have appliances and a fridge where you can label and store your food. They also provide a very handy guidebook filled with recommendations for food spots, day trips, transit passes, free bike rentals, and local tours. What really stood out to me, though, was the staff. They were warm, friendly, and always happy to help. Shoutout to Thomas and Visalia for making my stay even better. I’d absolutely recommend this hostel to anyone visiting Zurich. It’s got a great vibe, a prime location, and all the essentials you need for a comfortable stay.

I absolutely loved my stay here. The staff were incredibly friendly and always ready with great recommendations for things to do nearby. The beds were super comfortable, the rooms spotless, and each floor had its own bathrooms and showers complete with body wash and shampoo which was especially convenient on the women’s-only floor. The building has an elevator, which is a huge plus when you’re carrying luggage. Breakfast is included every morning, and there’s free coffee and tea available all day. I also appreciated the lockers in both the common area and the rooms; the in-room lockers even come with their own key. Overall, the attention to detail and the warm, welcoming atmosphere made my stay exceptional. I’d highly recommend booking this hostel if you’re visiting Zurich!

Nice location and staff. The rooms were clean but a bit old. No privacy curtains unfortunately but it was a very nice lady’s only dorm.

We booked a 4-night stay at Oldtown Hostel Otter from June 21 to 25, 2025, through Booking.com. However, upon check-in, we were extremely disappointed to find that the room provided was significantly different from what was shown in the listing at the time of booking. There was neither an air conditioner nor enough fans in the room. The room lacked proper ventilation, which made it very uncomfortable, especially due to the hot weather. It was quite suffocating and clearly not suitable to accommodate 6 people, as advertised. Additionally, the washroom door was placed right next to my bed, causing discomfort as every guest had to pass by frequently to use it. Most importantly, the room lacked basic cleanliness and had a noticeable odor, making our stay unpleasant. I approached the reception immediately and requested a room change or an upgrade, but my request was denied without any consideration. With no other accommodation options available at the time, I was left with no choice but to cancel the booking based on their suggestion. I was also told I would need to contact Booking.com for a refund. I understand the booking was under a no-cancellation policy, but I believe comfort, hygiene, and honesty in listing should be a minimum standard, regardless of cost. If a room does not meet the basic expectations of cleanliness or is inaccurately represented, guests should be offered an alternative or at least partial compensation.

Pros: • The staff was friendly and cool. Cons: • There was no soap in the dispensers. • There’s no sink inside the toilet area, so you have to go to another section to wash your hands, which is really inconvenient. • When you check in, your bed isn’t made — you have to put on the sheets, duvet cover, and pillowcase yourself, and you’re expected to return them to the laundry area when you leave. • My bed was right next to the toilet, and there was even a sink inside the room. • There’s no proper ventilation system in the rooms. We stayed in a 6-bed room with terrible odor and couldn’t open the window because it was too cold.

I want to commend the dark haired lady who works behind reception, she was warm and did everything that she could to help and make my stay as amazing as possible! The hostel is in a great location, the amenity’s are really ample compared to other hostels I have visited. The atmosphere is warm and the stay was very affordable, I have nothing bad to say. Thank you again.