Hercus Copacabana Hostel

Simply the worst hostel I’ve stayed in, and I’ve been to plenty all over South America.

I’ve visited 48 countries, and I can easily say this is the worst hostel ever. Don’t stay here!

Of all the hostels I’ve tried around the world, this was the worst.

The place was filthy, from the disgusting bathrooms to the mattress, which felt like cut-up foam. The stairs had awkwardly short steps and seemed like a real injury risk. There were no outlets to charge a phone, the lighting was poor, and wires were scattered around so badly that a short circuit seemed possible. The advertised Wi-Fi only worked in the first-floor lounge, which was too unpleasant to use because of the hygiene. Breakfast wasn’t served until nearly 10, and both the organization and service were poor. The low price ended up costing me: I couldn’t last 24 hours and moved to another hostel.