Hostel Joy

We’ve been backpacking and have spent the past week at joy hostel. The people here have been lovely and helpful with all our questions. There are four of us, and luckily we got a six bunk dorm to ourselves, which has been really nice. Room 6 has heaters and a window you can open for a breeze. The beds weren’t the most comfortable on our sore hiking backs, but being near the bus station and central area made up for that. There are small lockers for valuables, though none big enough for packs. The bathroom was nice, and the hot water was really hot. The toilet sometimes wouldn’t flush because the button got stuck and the tank ran out of water, but it seemed like an easy fix. I wish the room door had a lock, since there aren’t large lockers for daypacks and anyone can walk in from outside. You can hear the dogs next door barking from room 6. They didn’t bother me much, though I did worry when they cried and hoped they were okay and safe.

Right in the center of El Bolsón, it’s less than a minute on foot to the main plaza, Marga, and the urban bus stops. The staff are lovely, the atmosphere is nice, and there’s a very sweet little dog, Cuko 💚. In the six beds dorm, the only downside I found was that the lockers are outside the room.

Ivana was so patient and kind while helping us deal with a few problems, and the owners and staff were the most helpful I came across in three months of backpacking. The hostel is beside the park where a local handicraft market is held several times a week. It’s a block from the bus stop for Cajón de Azul and very close to the stop where we arrived from Bariloche. You can also walk to Mirador Cerro Amigo. Grocery stores, cafes, and restaurants are all less than five minutes away, and Cafe con Leche was my favorite. Upstairs, the shower was spacious with very hot water. The beds were formidable, and the room had a heater and a window for adjusting the temperature. A great stay!

My friends and I needed lots of help sorting out our travel plans, and the hosts were so generous and helpful. We ended up staying a whole week. The hospitality was great!