Funny Palace Hostel

Well, it wasn’t that clean, the reception was good. But the place and the service was bad

I’ve travelled extensively across Europe and stayed in countless hostels, and not once have I felt compelled to leave a negative review until now. This was, without a doubt, the worst accommodation experience I’ve ever had. I’m writing this to warn future travelers so they don’t make the same mistake. We originally booked four nights through Hostelworld. Upon arrival, the staff told us we’d get a “free upgrade” a private bathroom if we cancelled our booking on Hostelworld and paid them directly. This is a blatant scam designed to lock you in and make you ineligible for refunds or support from third-party booking platforms. Unfortunately, we fell for it. Once we got to our room, the nightmare only escalated. There were blood stains on the sheets and small bugs crawling around. We politely asked for clean linens, only to be given dirty sheets again. Soon after, both my friend and I developed rashes and itchy bumps all over our bodies, likely due to the unhygienic conditions or bedbugs. We physically couldn’t sleep there and ended up booking a nearby hotel that same night, even though we had already paid for the hostel. The next morning, we returned to calmly discuss our concerns. We showed clear photo evidence of the dirty sheets, our skin reactions, and the state of the room. The staff told us to come back later so they could “talk to the manager.” While we were gone, they entered our room without permission and tampered with the fixtures, later falsely accusing us of breaking a bathroom hook. It was clearly unscrewed manually, a deliberate attempt to shift blame and avoid responsibility. To make matters worse, the man we dealt with was extremely aggressive, disrespectful, and flat-out refused to speak to me because I’m a woman, directing all communication toward the male friend who was traveling with us. His behavior was disgusting and deeply misogynistic. We tried to stay calm and respectful throughout, but we were met with hostility and lies at every turn. In the end, we received no refund, were scammed out of our money, and violated by staff who entered our room without consent. I’ve never felt so uncomfortable or mistreated while traveling. Avoid this hostel at all costs. It is unsafe, unprofessional, unsanitary, and run by people who have absolutely no regard for your well-being or basic respect.

Highly recommend staying here if you’re visiting Rome! The host, Mabri, was extremely kind and helpful in sharing the best places to visit. Located very close to the Rome train station, we were able to walk to the property upon arriving and then walk throughout Rome during our trip without needing to take the bus or train one time. The facilities were much better than I expected for the price we paid, as the room and bathroom were very clean and in great shape. Would definitely send all of my friends here when they visit Rome.