Chiara Zaia
Google
I HAVE NEVER FELT MORE UNSAFE.
I am a woman solo traveler and stayed at stayokay two nights before heading back home. I chose this facility because it had an elevator and I had two big suitcases and a small one with me. I booked a private two bed room for two and payed 190 in total, including city tax and towels' rent.
First, the elevator didn't go to the luggage deposit if not with an employer key. None offered and I had to ask multiple people before finally finding somebody willing to bring me there. The restaurant food is expensive and almost everything is frozen. Also, I am vegetarian and, despite the menu and multiple advertisement on vegetarian and vegan food, no option were available if not store bought soup, fries or frozen margherita pizza. Almost always I could not find anyone at the reception and at the restaurant as well. The server at the restaurant was always at the phone and didn't even come to take my order.
But, above all, I felt highly unsafe to the point of non sleeping the second night. The first day I had a man entering my room despite it being LOCKED, alleging to be housekeeping. I was in the bathroom and did not hear the knock. Two seconds later he was in and I exited the bathroom wet, since I was washing myself. Quite strange if you ask me for an hostel, were you have to rent your own towels and none ever mentioned room service. The check-out day, the same man was in my room at 10:30 sharp, without even waiting for an answer after the knock. Very safe, especially since the door was locked.
And then we go to the second night.
I stayed working late in the hall. I was in the zone and didn't notice that at 1 A.M. I was te only one left there (i was giving my back to the entrance). I heard the music stop so I noticed the hall was empty and a man, maybe working there, was turning off lights. I proceeded to gather my things and one second later he was behind me. He proceeded to tell me that he had seen me around and I looked fine, what was my name, why I was there, that he worked at the hostel and he was gonna do the early shift there in the morning, so he was sleeping there. Then he asked me which were my plans for the rest of the night. I told him I was going to bed an he answered "can I join you?!".
From there it was a nightmare.
He insistently asked that I stayed up "enjoying" the balcony with him, that we could have fun. When I left and went to the elevator he followed me alleging to go his room since I was going to mine. He was sleeping at the first floor, me at the third. The elevator stopped at his floor and he did not exit but rather started asking for my number. I told him no and that I had a boyfriend. Feeling cornered I suggested I left him my instagram handle. Him: "as long as you bf doesn't know", me "he is going to know", him "you are that loyal?! come on, we can have fun!". Mind you, we are still in the elevator, the doors are now closing since he didn't exit the elevator on his floor, despite my effort in keeping them open. It then stopped at my floor. I already imagined the worse. Luckily for me, a guy was waiting at the floor, this made him stall for a couple of moments and I ran to my room. Not that at the point I felt safe, considering the "housekeeping" guy had entered the room while locked. I heard knocking while trembling in fear. None entered but that was it for me.
I am 30 and have traveled the world, stayed in many hostel, also sharing rooms with men and strangers and something like this never happened. Yes, maybe he was not an hostel employee, but to enter the structure and to use the elevator you need a magnetic key, so either that or a guest. Something like this should have never happened. I didn't say anything at check-out because I was still in shock and honestly, if he was an employee, I did not want to confront him.
Please, make sure this never happens from now on. Implement security and check on your staff.
