Hostel Cores Do Pelo

Georgy was friendly, helpful, and went out of his way to make us comfortable. My father was very happy with the attention and service, which felt like star hotel treatment even though this is a hostel. The Carnival atmosphere during São João was wonderful, with thousands of people partying below the balcony. Amazing views and a great price for such a fun setting.

The place is seriously overpriced for what you get, and they even charge extra, supposedly for towels. The room and bathroom were dirty, there were insects in the room, and some of the furniture was broken. Staff were rude when I asked for recommendations and when I wanted to leave my luggage at checkout. They also answer bad reviews with embarrassing comments about “dirty people coming from XXX” instead of treating guests better. Honestly, that’s very poor.

The hostel is right in Pelourinho, a cultural hub in Salvador, and the view from our room was great. City life came right through the windows: samba parties, street drumming, kids playing soccer, church bells, and roosters at sunrise. The staff were friendly and helpful. Our simple room was comfortable enough, with a double bed and extra single bunks if needed, and the fan helped with the heat. Breakfast was a basic continental spread, enough to fill us up, though nothing fancy.

The location was good, and the guy at reception was friendly, but I can’t see why the rating is so high. The room was very dark, the sheets didn’t fit the bed properly, and woodworms kept dropping particles onto the bed below. We tried breakfast once, but it wasn’t fresh or tasty, so we had to find breakfast somewhere else. I wouldn’t recommend staying here alone.