Retro Hostel

Retro Hostel is on Kramarska 1/6, a tiny pedestrian street that runs off the north side of Stary Rynek — you walk 70 metres and you're at the Town Hall. There is no closer hostel to the square in Poznań, full stop. The 9.5 location score from couples is well-earned. Retro is small (under 30 beds across all room types), family-run, and the host gets named in the reviews — guests know who they're talking to.

Inside, the rooms are decorated in bright colours — yellow, blue, green walls — with laptop tables in every room (a thoughtful touch for digital nomads working a half-day before the bar crawl). Linens are included; towels are at a small surcharge (10 PLN). Bathrooms shared by floor, hairdryers and ironing board available, printer and scanner at reception (rare in hostels — useful if you're printing tickets or visa documents).

The shared kitchen is small but functional, with 24-hour tea and coffee available — the host stocks it daily. There's a games room with board games, a TV lounge, family rooms for groups of 4, and an elevator (useful since the building is older). Pet-friendly. Off-site parking can be arranged at booking.

The 7.6 rating is the city's lowest of the hostels we cover, and that's worth being honest about. The reviews split: location and host are unanimously praised, but the rooms are 'simple' (read: dated, basic furniture) and the bathroom-share ratio is tight on busy weekends. There's no on-site bar or evening programme. What you book here is the closest-to-the-square address, the smallest hostel feel in Poznań, and a host who treats every guest by name. For solo travelers who want to be 70 metres from where the goats clock chimes at noon, that's the right trade.