I went there with a friend of mine. We arrived really late in the night (around 1am I think) but everything went smoothly. We had just to wait a little bit for the night manager to get back from the basement (where they wash the bed linen and stuff).

The first night, we stayed in an individual room. A bit cold but it was during the winter and there was a storm outside so the middle-weak insulation couldn't handle it. Apart from that, the room was nice, with a tea kettle (and tea!), a toilet/bathroom with hot water. Many electrical sockets as well.

We spent the rest of our stay in a dorm. The beds were clean, comfy and you can isolate yourself if you want to read of just not see the people around. Three sides are closed with wood and the last one is equipped with a curtain. You can have clean sheets whenever you want just by dropping the old ones at the front desk and asking new ones.

There is a storage area for your bagages in the main lobby and some lockers in the rooms (one for each bed).

The showers and toilets were clean and there's plenty of hot water available as well (although I must admit it took me a cold shower to figure the way the unique water handle works... sometimes your mind just won't let you understand the simplest things I guess...). There are 8-10 showers and as many toilets and sinks (with electrical sockets) for each bathroom (one for each gender/wing/floor...so a lot of them). You can also have access for a small fee to a washing machine and an iron+board, should you need it. All in all, it's clean and practical.

As for the recreational and common areas, you have a nicely equipped kitchen (3 or 4 cooking stations and 4 industrial microwaves)+all the kitchenware you need. You don't have to do the dishes, there's a drop off point for it and they'll do it. A breackfast is included in the price (cereals, tea, coffee, ...). The dining room can accomodate about 80-100 people. And all is clean.

You can have access to a cosy computer room with several PC's and fully working broadband internet access as well as a WIFI network.

There is a chatting room with some chairs and a sofa if you want to relax and get to know the people staying at this hostel or you can use the private movie theater (movies available from a list upon request). There's a projector and a 5m wide screen. A lot of chairs, cushions and all to relax and enjoy a movie/sleep. It's really nice.

One of the bad things is that I had a hard time finding sockets to recharge my phone, camera, ... There's a secured charging area in the lobby (a small closet divided in 5 or 6 with a lock to charge your stuff without having to watch them). But given the size of the facility, it's way too few. The only places to do that would be in the stairways as there's one socket or two at every floor. But you have to stay there and watch your stuff. Otherwise it will be picked up by the staff to prevent stealing and fire hazard -or just stolen by other residents of course.

Also, there's a small market in the hostel, next to the dining room with every item you could find in any strore (from frozen food to tooth paste and doritos).

As for the location, is quite secluded which I loved (Scotland is beautiful). But the hotel arrange a bus pickup to the downtown area (and return in the evening). Or you could walk 10 minutes to the bus station (or 20, depending on how quickly you realise you can cut right through the golf course in front of the hostel). There's a nice watersight if you are on the back of the hostel and in the summer it must be quite nice to just hang out there. There's a beach (with rocks) to the west not far from the hotel, a forest next to it and then the open fields (and a military training field if you feel the need to get arrested). Really a nice place to go hicking for the day. Or if you go east, you can reach the seashore (but I'd take the bus though).

So, only good things about this place. Clean, secured, numerous staff people, helpful and they patrol everywhere at everytime to make sure everything is ok (that place is HUGE). Nice location and really affordable prices (at least when I booked). Would go back anytime. Of course you have to bear in mind that this is a hostel... so a lot of young people, not just suites or single rooms but dorms, that makes event MORE people and finally, the place is HUGE. So if you expect calm, silence and peace, go to the nearest library. Hostels are no good at that! But still, it's not a zoo thanks to the staff patrolling the place and the attractive hangouts they offer on the first floor, away from the dorms.


ps:there was a wedding catalogue in the men's toilets. I guess it's the best (if not only) place where a man is going to take any interest in such a thing.... :p