Hostel Sharq 21 in Khudzhand

FILTHY! Cockroaches in the kitchen, the shower smelled like rotten eggs. We arrived with no reservation, the guy told us there wasn’t any private rooms available but was reluctant to check on booking.com. After giving him the benefit of the doubt, when it was clear nobody would come, asked for the private room (there were 2 and both empty, the entire hostel was empty), and asked for the extra 10usd back (the private room is cheaper if there’s 2 people, the shared room is 10usd more so it didn’t make sense). Also, 25usd for a room in Khujand it’s a bit too much. He gave us the room but didn’t seem that happy about it. The A/C is right above the bed so couldn’t sleep well. We needed some help to call a taxi, and also the toilet wasn’t flushing, he was nowhere to be found. Woke up at 1am cause the owner decided to chat with a guy outside the window. Also is NOT easy to find, it is hidden with no signage around. A nice lady helped us get there.

We arrived at this hostel without a reservation, after a long journey from Dushanbe, based on a recommendation from some friends. The staff member managing the place spoke excellent English, but overall, the service was disappointing.

At check-in, we asked for one of the two private rooms. He told us that if they didn’t appear available on Booking.com, it meant they were already booked—so he gave us two beds in the shared dorm instead. Each dorm bed cost $18, while a private room was $25, which didn’t make sense: as a couple, we were paying more to stay in a less comfortable arrangement. Still, we accepted it.

However, by around 10 PM, it was clear that both of the private rooms were unoccupied. We asked again if we could move, and after about 30 minutes of discussion, he agreed to relocate us and refunded the $10 difference. While we appreciated that, it was frustrating that we had to insist so much just to get a basic, reasonable request granted. It gave the impression that he simply preferred to avoid cleaning a room and earn more by putting us in the dorm.

The private room itself was nice, though the air conditioner was placed directly above the bed, which made it a bit uncomfortable. Breakfast was good and served at the exact time we requested it. The toilet was clean, though the shower area had an unpleasant sewage smell. The kitchen, unfortunately, had cockroaches, which made it hard to feel at ease using it.

Overall, it seems the staff’s young age and lack of experience affected the quality of service. I hope this feedback will help improve the experience for future guests.