Diamond Hostel

The host was very friendly and helpful, and the place is close to both the center and the bus station. Getting around on foot is easy. The facilities are basic, without any luxury, but fair for the price. The one letdown was the shower: the water was lukewarm, not hot, and Ouro Preto is cold. The blankets were also quite poor, so I was freezing, haha. For the price, it’s fair.

I can’t recommend it. The room was awful, even for a low price, and the location would be impossible to reach in the rain. The cleaning left a lot to be desired, and the room smelled strongly of mold.

The place is pretty, welcoming, and simple, with no luxuries, but it covers the basics: a shower and a bed. It’s conveniently located in the city center and has a spectacular view. The host is very charismatic and seems keen to improve both the facilities and the service, so my rating is positive. Sleep was difficult, though. There don’t seem to be clear quiet rules. Guests shout in the yard to call the host and slam doors, and the main gate near the rooms is broken, hard to open, and makes a frightening noise at night. The building itself and the guests both create noise, and nobody seems to be told how to behave in a hostel where people need to sleep at night. The management needs to do more about quiet hours and guest behavior. Getting to the parking area by car is slow because the route has stones and slime, making access difficult, especially if you need to leave several times. I chose to park outside the property instead, a little farther down the street, where it was quiet too.

I made six reservations and paid the owner directly when booking. The first stay went normally. Before the second, the owner contacted me to ask if I was coming, and I said no. The following week, I arrived for a stay and found that he’d rented out the room I’d reserved, even though it was already paid for and he hadn’t confirmed whether I was coming. I tried to reach him for hours and got no response. A day later, he said he’d been at the UPA and had left nobody responsible for reception. Because of the owner’s negligence, I had to travel more than 200 km. I later contacted him to ask for a refund for the future nights I’d paid for, but he refuses to return the money. Irresponsible and abusive. I don’t recommend it. Watch out for a scam.