Bella Ipê Hostel

Good hostel, with very clean rooms and a helpful owner. It's in a good spot away from the noise and bustle of the main tourist roads.

The photos don't match what we found. We stayed four days in a private room with a double bed and a bunk bed. On arrival, the towels were dirty and smelled bad, as if they'd been used for several days. The very old bed linen was stained and poorly washed, and both blankets were grimy with dirt and dust. There were holes in the ceiling lining and the walls, making it easy for insects like millipedes, mosquitoes, and cockroaches to get in. Part of the wall had brightly colored artwork that made it hard to spot and kill the mosquitoes, and seemed to camouflage dirt, cobwebs, and moths. The private bathroom had no ventilation and lots of grime between the tiles and on the floor. Daily cleaning, especially in the bathroom, was very poor. We got the impression the room hadn't been properly cleaned and had already been in use for days before we arrived.

The owner and all the volunteers were welcoming, friendly, polite, and helpful. I'd give their service a 10. The facilities need a lot of work, though, and the hostel doesn't look like the photos. It's somewhat out of the way, with a flight of stairs to climb, and it's not very close to the beach. Breakfast was simple but tasty, and the rooms were cleaned every day.

The staff overall seemed unprepared and unwilling to help. Breakfast was disappointing, and there wasn't any kind of cheese on any day of my stay. The place was very dirty, old, and poorly maintained. The bathroom had no ventilation or exhaust fan, the towels looked used and were dirty, and the bed linen was dirty and falling apart. Worst accommodation I've ever had!