My Complete Castanea Old Town Hostel Stockholm Review
When I solo traveled across Europe for 7 weeks, I almost exclusively stayed in hostels to stay within my budget. However, I discovered that it’s sometimes difficult to determine whether a hostel is actually a good fit because most reviews are little 50-word blurbs. Thus, to help you gain a better idea of what to expect, I’ll be giving you my honest and in-depth Castanea Old Town Hostel Stockholm review based on my 5 days at the hostel!
Disclaimer: All of these thoughts and experiences are my own. I was not paid or compensated in any way to provide this hostel review.
What Is Castanea Old Town Hostel Stockholm?
Before I dive into my Castanea Old Town Hostel Stockholm review, let’s talk about what the hostel is. Castanea Old Town Hostel is a place that offers cheap housing accommodations for people passing through Stockholm, Sweden.
And for anyone unfamiliar with the concept of hostels, they are essentially places where people trying to save money on housing while traveling can go to sleep. Usually, you’re in a room with anywhere from 4 beds to 16 beds, depending on the hostel. But, I have seen hostels that have giant dorm rooms with 24 or even 30 beds!
Now you may be thinking, “Why on earth would I stay in a room with a bunch of strangers!?” The reason is that hostels are cheap and a great place to make friends, especially if you’re solo traveling! Additionally, depending on how nice the hostel is, they may offer additional amenities, such as laundry machines or a communal kitchen, host fun events, and even provide free walking tours.
This is a pretty basic explanation, but as you stay in different hostels, you’ll get a pretty good idea of how to tell a nice hostel from a crap hostel. And for your sake, I hope you don’t have to experience too many of the latter — trust me, it sucks when hostels are worse than you imagined.
Castanea Old Town Hostel Stockholm Review
All right, now it’s time for my actual Castanea Old Town Hostel Stockholm Review! I’ll be detailing all my complaints and the positive parts in the following sections. But, to give you a quick overview and a bit of context, I originally booked my stay at the Castanea Hostel Stockholm via Hostelworld about a week before my arrival date in Stockholm. It was super easy as I just inputted my travel dates, gave my estimated arrival time, and paid the deposit fee.
A couple of days before my arrival, I received an email from the hostel asking again for my arrival time and informing me of the times reception would be open for in-person check-in. Fortunately, my arrival time allowed for in-person check-in, and I was all good to go!
My actual 5-day stay at Castanea Hostel was pretty enjoyable. There were only a couple of issues regarding the showers and “hidden” fees… more details are below. Regardless, I had a fairly positive experience. Thus, I would recommend and have recommended Castanea Hostel to my friends traveling to Stockholm after me! But, for my full breakdown of the hostel and tips for Stockholm…keep reading! 😉
✅ Check rates & availability at Castanea Old Town Hostel on Hostelworld
✅ Check rates & availability at Castanea Hostel Stockholm on Booking.com
Castanea Hostel Complaints
No hostel is perfect, and Castanea Hostel is no exception. Here are my two main complaints for my Castanea Old Town Hostel Stockholm review.
Shower Issues
My biggest complaint about Castanea Hostel was with their showers. Inside the hostel, there is a single shower room shared by all the guests, which isn’t a problem. There are a total of 4 shower stalls and most of the time people shower at varying times of the day. Thus, you can almost always find an available stall.
The first night I was staying there, I went into one of the stalls and even after 15 minutes of letting the water run…the water never became hot or even lukewarm. It was all just ice-cold water and that’s coming from someone who surfs in 56°F (13°C) waters without a wetsuit. No matter which way I turned the nozzle, the water temperature wouldn’t budge. Eventually, I decided to try another stall, and the same thing happened. Thus, I decided to just rinse my body as fast as possible and get out.
On the second day, I tried the third stall, and again there was no warm or hot water. I started to ask people around me, and they said they had the same issue. In fact, a person who had been at the hostel for a week said that it had been broken the whole time he was there, and the staff was informed when the problem first occurred. This meant the showers had been broken for about a week and a half.
Now imagine you visit Stockholm in the fall or winter — most days it’s colder than 45°F outside. All you want is a hot shower when you return from exploring. So in that regard, it really sucked. Likely though, by the time I’m writing this and you’re reading it…the showers are probably fixed. Regardless, the whole shower fiasco was definitely something that negatively impacted the experience.
Unnecessary Extra Fees
My second issue with the Castanea Hostel is more of an issue of fee transparency. When you book a bed in the hostel, the cost doesn’t include everything. What I mean by this is when you arrive at the hostel, you have to pay a fee of $4 – $5 USD for your bed sheets. It doesn’t matter how long you are staying, everyone has to pay to rent their sheets.
The only way to get out of paying this fee is by bringing your own bed sheets… and in all the hostels I’ve stayed at, I’ve never encountered someone who has brought their own bed sheets. And while a small extra $4 – $5 USD (depending on exchange rates) fee isn’t a big deal, it just seems a bit underhanded. Castanea Hostel should just include the cost of renting the sheets in the initial price so people are aware of how much they are actually spending on their stay.
🛏 NOTE: You’re expected to make your own beds at the hostel. This isn’t a complaint for me because it takes literally 2-minutes. However, I’ve discovered that some people get worked up about it, so it’s something to note.
Positives of Castanea Hostel
You might be thinking who would want to stay at this hostel?! The good news is that there are plenty of good features of Castanea Hostel.
1. Central and Safe Location
In my opinion, the best part about staying at this hostel is its convenient location in Gamla Stan, the historic old town of Stockholm. This charming area boasts some of the oldest buildings in the city and is a very colorful place with its narrow cobblestone streets and picturesque architecture. It’s also a main area that caters to tourists. Thus, you’ll able to find plenty of souvenir shops, cafes, bars, and restaurants to indulge in the local food. Essentially, if you stay at Castanea Old Town Hostel, you’ll be right in the heart of all the action. And with it being a few minutes walk from lots of attractions, the hostel is an ideal base for sightseeing.
Speaking about the hostel’s specific location, here’s what you can expect if you arrive via train. First, you’ll have to walk up some steep cobblestone streets. It’s not hard to walk up the streets with a rolling suitcase or heavy backpack, but expect to make a ton of noise with a suitcase. I felt extremely bad about all the noise my carry-on suitcase made on the cobblestone streets…but at least it was midday so everyone was awake already.
Once you arrive outside the hostel building, which is easy to find, there’s a keypad for you to enter the code you’re given via their confirmation emails. Afterward, you’ll go up two sets of staircases and enter another code into the keypad. This code opens the door to the actual hostel.
From there, you’ll be able to check in and receive either the code for your shared dorm room or physical keys for your private room! Thus, with all the codes, Castanea is both the perfect home base as well as quite secure!
2. Efficient Check-in
When I arrived at the hostel, check-in was easy and efficient. I gave the lovely host my passport, paid the remaining balance after my deposit, and paid the extra fee for my sheets. After that, the host gave me a 10-cent tour of the entire hostel, showed me my room, and let me select my bed. All of this took about 7 minutes, and I appreciated that the host even gave me a map of the city to help me find my bearings!
For those arriving outside of the reception’s hours, the check-in process is still super efficient. What happens is you’ll enter the hostel with the codes given to you in the email correspondence. Then, on a chest near the reception, there are piles of sheets and envelopes with the names of guests arriving late on top. Inside your envelope, you’ll find the keys to your private room or the door codes to the shared dorms!
I’m unsure if you pay the remaining balance before check-in or the following day when reception is open again, but they’ll likely let you know.
3. Clean & Tidy
Another bit I appreciated about the hostel is that it was super clean. The previous hostel I had stayed at in London was less than pleasant (became my gold standard for sh*t hostels), and coming to this one was a huge relief. Every day, the rooms are cleaned, and the trash is emptied as soon as check-out time passes. As a result, everything was tidy during my stay, which made a positive difference in my stay.
On top of this, the actual rooms are modern, and the beds are quite comfortable. Each bed has an outlet, light, and a little basket to put your phone, a book, and other small items in. There’s also a little nightstand between each of the bunk beds, which I thought was a nice touch.
If you have any valuables that you want to store during the day, you can leave them in one of the lockers. They aren’t large enough to store a checked suitcase, but you can easily fit what would be your personal item on a plane in it and smaller suitcases. Also, it’s worth noting that the lockers are not numbered. As such, you simply claim one that’s available and near your bed.
🔌 NOTE: For me, the Wifi connection was great throughout the entire hostel. I had no issues attending Zoom meetings and it seemed pretty fast.
4. Nice Common Areas
Castanea Old Town Hostel has two common areas. The central common area is where people generally work on their laptops or chat with one another. Meanwhile, the second common area includes the communal kitchen and a smaller sitting area in the next room. I’m a big fan of the small kitchen as it’s fully equipped with everything you need to make a tasty meal. You just have to buy the main ingredients and clean up after yourself!
💧 NOTE: It is safe to drink the tap water at the hostel
Overall though, neither of the common areas is particularly massive. But, considering Castanea Hostel is a smaller operation, I think the common areas fit the needs of the hostel well! Plus, I liked the warm, bright, and cozy aesthetic of the common area spaces. The friendly ambiance makes you want to do your work or hang out there!
5. Thoughtful Amenities
Lastly, Castanea Old Town Hostel offers guests a lot of great amenities, many of which I took advantage of. For example, they had a washing machine that allowed you to wash your clothes for about ~$3 per load. You just pay at the front desk in the reception, and bring your laundry to them. Then they do the laundry for you and return your clean laundry in a basket to your room.
Another perk of this hostel that was unexpected but so welcomed is that they provide all the essential toiletries in case you need them. Within the shower area, there’s a counter that contains shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotions. I always bring shampoo, conditioners, and facial cleansers in my reusable travel bottles. However, I don’t always bring lotion because there’s often not enough space in my “liquids” bag.
Well, something I discovered is that Stockholm is so cold and dry that the skin around my fingers and toes started to crack. Literally, the skin around my fingers was even bleeding because the skin was so severely cracked. So, when I discovered the super moisturizing lotion that was free to use, I was overjoyed! 😂
As such, Castanea Hostel won major points because I rarely see hostels that provide basic toiletries for free! And it shows that the staff cares for its guests and knows that some travelers may not be prepared for the Nordic weather.
Should You Stay at Castanea Old Town Hostel Stockholm?
To cut to the chase, I highly recommend staying at Castanea Old Town Hostel if you’re looking for cheap housing in a central part of the city! For me, the positives easily outweigh all of the negatives. I had a lovely stay, made a few good friends, and felt both safe and comfortable!
Of course, though, this hostel isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea. For example, one of the rules is that you can’t hang out in the common areas past 11 PM or 23:00. You are totally free to party and be out past 11 PM…you just have to be quieter inside the hostel past 11 PM. So, if you’re someone who likes to chat until the wee hours of the morning or wants a super social hostel, it’s something to consider. But if this isn’t an issue for you, then I 100% recommend staying at Castanea Old Town Hostel in Stockholm!
✅ Check rates & availability at Castanea Old Town Hostel on Hostelworld
✅ Check rates & availability at Castanea Hostel Stockholm on Booking.com
Tips for Staying at Castanea Hostel Stockholm
In the event you decide to stay at the Castanea Hostel in Stockholm, here are a few tips to have a smooth experience!
- Bring your own microfiber towel. I recommend bringing a towel whenever you stay at a hostel to avoid paying to borrow one. This is the super lightweight microfiber towel that I love and recommend.
- Bring your own padlock. As mentioned previously, the hostel provides large lockers for every bed. You will want to bring your own padlock to secure your locker or else you will have to buy one in the city. This is the padlock I like to travel with.
- Bring earplugs. If you want to ensure a good night’s sleep, bring a good pair of earplugs! People were sick, coming in at different hours of the night, and the walls are thin. These are the earplugs I bought, and I always travel with 2 sets in case I lose an earplug somewhere.
- Greet everyone who stays at the hostel. Compared to some hostels, especially party hostels, this one is on the quieter side. I won’t go as far as to say it’s socially dead, but there’s more of a digital nomad vibe. If you want to easily make friends, make sure to introduce yourself to every person who enters your dorm room or that you run into in the common areas 🙂
Castanea Hostel Stockholm: FAQs
On average, a single bed in the dorms costs between $22 – $35 USD. Meanwhile, a private shared room (sleeps 2 or 4) costs between $70 – $120 per night. However, rates change depending on whether you’re staying during the week or the weekend, the season of the year, how many beds are in the room, and whether your booking is refundable or not.
According to their website, check-in is from 2 PM – 6 PM (14:00 – 18:00) and check-out is by 11 AM. That said, when you book a reservation, they email you the most up-to-date check-in times, which may be different.
The staff speaks both English and Swedish. And you’ll be happy to know that English is widely spoken in Stockholm, so you shouldn’t have too many communication problems!
Castanea Old Town is located in Gamla Stan, which I definitely would consider near the city center. But to give you a better gauge, it’s about a 16-minute walk from the Stockholm Central Station!
Since Castanea Hostel is located in Gamla Stan, some of the closer tourist attractions include the Royal Palace and Nobel Prize Museum. That said, you can easily take the metro or walk to further attractions, such as the famous Vasa Museum. Oh, and it’s worth investing in a Stockholm City Pass to save money on visiting several attractions.
If you are traveling on a strict budget or keen on making new friends easily, I recommend staying in the dorms. But, if you’re traveling with at least one other person and have the financial means, a private room is pretty nice! Ultimately, it’s all about preference.
Wrap-Up: Castanea Old Town Hostel Stockholm Review (2024)
My honest review of Castanea Old Town Hostel is that it’s a fantastic hostel for travelers to Stockholm who want cheap housing accommodations that are clean, comfortable, and in the heart of the city. Not to mention, the staff is friendly and the hostel offers thoughtful amenities to help you adjust to the Nordic climate!
But like most places, the hostel isn’t perfect, and sometimes things break. That said, I still happily recommend it and plan on staying there again for my next trip to Stockholm. So, if you want to book your stay at the Castanea Hostel or check availability, you can do so by clicking one of the links below.
✅ Check rates & availability at Castanea Old Town Hostel on Hostelworld
✅ Check rates & availability at Castanea Hostel Stockholm on Booking.com
Regardless of your decision, I hope my probably too in-depth review has helped you learn more about the Castanea Hostel in Stockholm, and I wish you an amazing time traveling through the city!
Read More About the Nordic Region
- 🇫🇮 Passing through Helsinki? Don’t miss out on the opportunity to cross another country off your list with a short trip over to Tallinn, Estonia! Or, learn about the local culture with a delicious Nordic food tour!
- 🇸🇪 Staying in Stockholm for a few days and don’t want to spend time creating an itinerary? Check out my detailed 3-day itinerary in Sweden’s capital. It includes everything from popular attractions, like the sprawling Skansen Museum and crowd-favorite Vasa Museum as well as lesser-known spots.
