Backpackers Inn On The Beach

The people working there were really kind, and my room was very clean. The hostel has an amazing vibe, and I had a great time staying there. There are cameras everywhere except in the rooms and bathrooms, and the outside area was a bit dirty sometimes. Still, I can really recommend the place.

For $30 a night, it was a great hostel for the price, with direct beach access. The bed frame was new and didn't creak, the mattress was comfortable and the pillow had decent thickness. It wasn't immaculately clean, but for communal living it was perfectly acceptable. The staff were nice. I saw them appropriately deal with someone who wasn't staying at the hostel and had 'borrowed' a surfboard that wasn't theirs. If the other reviews were true, it seems the hostel has sorted out those problems. My one suggestion is that the lockers could be bigger.

The place itself is nice, but I wasn't impressed with the staff. I arrived at reception at night and paid a deposit for plates. The woman there forgot to give them to me, then closed reception, so I had to eat outside that night. They were very strict about the time allowed for cooking, even when I only needed a few extra minutes. They also seemed stingy: the dishwasher liquid was mixed with water, about 99% water and 1% liquid, and the shower's warm water lasted only 2 minutes. If they weren't so stingy, I'd have given it 3 stars.

It felt safe having security 24/7, and the rooms were okay, bigger than at other hostels. But that was about all I liked. There was mold everywhere, the bathroom was full of insects, and there was no hot water. I even found a cockroach in the bed :( Way too expensive for what this hostel offers. I don't know why it has so many good reviews.