This hostel scared me a bit as I found the unmarked door leading to the fourth floor of a building that looked like the stairs may fall in, but it turned out to be the favorite for me. It is on the 4th floor of an apartment complex or something and it has 1 room with many beds then 3 private rooms with 3 or 4 beds with a common area in the middle. There is always someone on duty that can give you tips on what to do as well as make free coffee which is nice. You can use the kitchen in the common area which is nice if you want to save a little money (although everything is so cheap that eating out isn't a big deal). Probably the best part of this place is the location. We were about 5 or 10 minutes from everything and there was a 24 hour store across the street from us which was a luxury we hadn't enjoyed in months.

Upon arriving to the Orient Express Hostel we were led, as expected, to our PRIVATE apartment. We were brought down the street to a separate building.Next it was up four flights of stairs. These stairs were just the begining. Outside the window was a pile of garbage, but not like to be picked up on garbage day. Big dirty items that probably have been sitting there forever. Broken windows. Creepy hallway. Got to our door... when let in we were greeted with a FILTHY kitchen. There was still toast in the toaster. Old papers strewn about. Food all over the table. Yuck. Also, they had not cleaned the room yet. To our suprise, the apartment was two bedroom. And also to our suprise there were bags and clothes in the other room. The woman who brought us the the apartment then handed us her cell phone to speak with the manager. She explained that there was an older Italian man who showed up and is staying in that room. She assured us he should leave, but they don't know how to tell him. Hmm. Seems if you run a hostel you should be pretty apt at telling people when to go. Also, there was no Wi-Fi as promised. As my sister is a student, she needed the internet to complete her homework. It was the reason we choose the hostel in the first place. The reason we lugged our laptop across country borders. The dirty room, the extra person, the creepy building, the lack of internet... My sister and I decided to go talk to the manager face to face. We then brought all our bags over to the main hostel, up those four flights of stairs, and into the "office". We walked in without being greeted, just blank stare from all the people. We had to ask if they worked there, because they were unfriendly as can be. We explained we did not get what we booked and we would like to leave. The woman shot back with snotty remarks the entire time. I am a very calm, accepting person and let me just tell you, I have NEVER walked out on a reservation before, never even THOUGHT about it. I have stayed in hostels from London to Bangkok to Tokyo to Guatemala City and back again. I always have gotten what I booked. She did not understand how saying one thing and providing a completely different senario is NOT how a hostel should would. I think she figures it is a hostel, so people will be OK if it is a dump. Oh yes, a dump. The main hostel: crowded, tiny, DIRTY. I think it is someone's apartment and they just rent out the rooms. I will give it one plus, the location is pretty good. But then again, Sofia is small. Everyone's location is good. Back to this woman. She would make remarks such as, "Have you ever stayed in a hostel in your life?". Yes, I have ma'am... and I've always goten what I've booked. I've always been satisfied. I've always felt safe. 12 bed dorm in Amsterdam, I get a 12 bed dorm in Amsterdam. Private Ensuite in Siem Reap, I get a private ensuite in Siem Reap. She persuaded us to stay stating there is nowhere else to go, it is Easter weekend. Everthing is booked. But also said in a way that she could care less if us girls (the way she said girls made me cringe) left. She was so rude I was near tears. Actually no, I did shed a tear after she left the room. After some more snotty remarks from this woman (and after her abruptly exiting the hostel, leaving us with no English speaking staff), we decided to give it a night and then move the next day. Well, when we got back to the apartment the woman looked around at the filth and asked "you want mop?"... we exchagned confused looks... is this woman offering to mop or offering to bring us one to mop up after the previous guests. It was the latter. Ew. She left us there, first without a key since the Italian man had the key. So we were stuck. While stranded in the apartment we really looked around and saw how dirty the beds were, the sheets were, the blankets, the floor, the bathroom. We thought it be best to call the 30-odd euro as lost and move ourselves somewhere else. Once we were offered a key (but only after leaving a deposit) we walked out, walked into the first decent looking place we saw, asked for a room, were given a great deal with a even better breakfast, found ourselves with clean beds, clean bathroom, smiles on our faces. It was then back to the hostel to say "bye-bye". Some more snotty remarks, and a trip up to the apartment to fetch our luggage (in which the man was taking a shower) and we wer free of this horrid place. I would NEVER reccomend this place to anyone. No matter your budget, look elsewhere. Stay at Hostel Mostel. We were not able to, for they were all booked, but we did take a tour with them. Hostel Mostel has an amazing staff, lovely lounge, and everyone who was staying there RAVED about the place. My regret on the trip is not taking them up on there 8 person dorm and opting for the "private" apartment at Orient Express.

My first impression was that the internet pictures look much better than the hostel does in real life, but the first night for 10 euros the owner served us a traditional Bulgarian Orthodox Christmas Eve meal, which was very nice and very much appreciated.

The first night there was heat, but the second night it was freezing, so I asked for a heater for the room. The owner told me she would see about getting one but never did. She told me to use the blankets from the other bed. It took forever to get warm. This was during the Christmas break, and the nights were cold. When I got back home, I later developed a lingering illness which my doctor said could well have developed because of the freezing room I was in.. This was an awful experience.

Also, the room had a washing machine in it which was used by staff during the day when I was out, and I did not care for this setup. (The washer in the room was not shown in the internet picture.) I also had to ask for a reading lamp. I attached the lamp to a chair that I used as a night stand!

The saving graces of this hostel experience were a wonderful staff person who was so kind and intelligent and some friendly guests with whom I toured Sofia. The location was great because most of the sites I wanted to visit were within 15 minutes walking distance.
The shower did not have a compartment; there was only a hand held shower and a drain.

I would never again stay at this hostel.