Baikal Explorer Hostel

  Wendy H. on 31 October 2011 

In Winter The Hostel is moved to a smaller location so we stayed in a small apartment we had a private room with access to bathroom, kitchen, automatic washer and WIFI. Ellina the property owner is really helpful and friendly she met us from the station, brought us food for breakfast and arranged our registration. She also recomended a place to stay and tour guide In Listvyanka and Wrote down the info we needed to buy train tickets to moscow.

  Alexander A. on 4 October 2011 

Helpful staff, outstanding location, outstanding for backpackers

  Anne B. on 25 August 2011 

A good value for money place, it's actually a flat rented by the hostel manager. Handy location both for city and train station. Elena is pretty and very helpful.

  Beth M. on 17 August 2011 

Friendly little spot in a reasonable location - the employees were very helpful in booking bus tickets for us, and showing us round the town.

  Customer Review on 17 August 2011 

Friendly little place in a reasonable location - the staff were extremely helpful in booking bus tickets for us, and showing us round the town.

  Jessica S. on 11 August 2011 

The hostel is not a hostel, is an appartment. It can be a bit chocking at first but the property owner is really nice and helpful and makes you really feel like at home. Thre's wireless an is quite clean. They may also register your visa.

  Mark M. on 9 August 2011 

Great staff, comfortable beds, excellent wireless and extremely safe and secure. Breakfast and tea too :)

  Maren K. on 6 August 2011 

If you desire to get in contact with people book the BaikalExplorer. I stayed already in march 2011 in this hostel and was amazed by the friendliness of the people. I arrived late the evening and was welcomed and directly integrated like in a family. I met two russian man studying English and they asked no matter if I could serve as test person for their presentation. I was served tea and sandwich and felt really welcomed. Lena, the property owner of the hostel is amazing too. I booked the hostel in march since I wanted to spend some days at the lake baikal and Lena owns a property there. She took care of me and we went by train togehter to the lake baikal. Arriving inside the dark inside the middle of nowhere (the train stops really inside the middle of the forest) we took a extremely small snowy path down to the village. It was magic hiking at 10pm by moon light - and without Lena I would have never ever been able to do this. We spent extremely nice two days together at the lake baikal and went back togehter to Irkustk. I could have gone by myself, but the risk was just to high. With new snow I would'nt be able to find the track again. So we did autostop on the lake and went than back to Irkustk by bus. Lena called the minibus and made our reservation. All this would not have been probable without Lena. She is so warm and friendly and it is really fun to spend time with her. It was just easy going and she speaks very good englsh - that helps so much in Russia. Back inside the hostel I got an invite to a kind of bar/dicso with life music by another russian who lives inside the hostel and I spent an amazing evening/night with these people. The second time I stayed inside the hostel was just like coming back to home. I extremely much hope to go back inside the future and can defintely recommend this nice, warm and friendly and private hostel.

  Laura M. on 1 August 2011 

One of the men who works here, Vladimir, was really friendly and helpful. he took us on a tour of the city and knows a lot about the city along with the nearby lake baikal.