Almaty's best

It was 5:30 in the morning when I first stumbled through the doors after a sleepless night of travel. Not sure what to expect and in desperate search for a bed, I entered and was immediately greeted by the host, Shakir. Despite the fact my arrival had just woken him up, he smiled and showed me around the hostel which, as its name suggests ('dom' meaning 'home' is Russian) was very home-like with bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen for all guests. On the wall, there were drawings and messages written by many of the guests who had stayed while couches lay here and there, all adding to the relaxed, comfortable feel of the place. Right away, it became clear to me that I had made the right choice. And then when I walked into the air-conditioned bed room, there was no longer any doubt. This place was awesome.

On top of all that, Shakir was one of the most helpful hostel hosts I've ever come across. Whether you had questions about the city or needed any help arranging future travels, he was there to make the whole process a whole lot easier. As a result, the whole social atmosphere of the place was unbelievably welcoming, seeming to attract interesting backpackers from all over the world. So, I guess I can sum it all up by saying, if you ever find yourself in Almaty, Kazakhstan, stay here. It is amazing and only $6/night.