Hostel Torre

The owner didn’t speak English, but she seemed very sweet. When I accidentally locked myself out of my locker, she found someone who could break the lock and then gave me a replacement for free. That was above and beyond. There were several friendly cats around, which reminded me pleasantly of home. Unlike some other reviewers, I didn’t think they made the place unsanitary. Their litter boxes were in a shed behind the garden, and I couldn’t smell cat pee elsewhere in the hostel. At night the rooms were unbearably hot, with just one small fan. A lot of the hostel smelled like human pee, and there were pests throughout. I saw cockroaches in the shower. The neighborhood also felt extremely sketchy compared with the other hostels I stayed at in Salvador. My booking couldn’t be refunded, but I left early anyway and booked another hostel because the conditions were too much for me. This was my first trip to Latin America, though, so maybe my standards are the issue. Your mileage may vary.

#WARNING#DIRTY# This hostel was really filthy, with big spiders under all the beds. Three cats were running around and peeing everywhere, and the shared kitchen smelled like cat urine and was disgusting. We politely asked whether someone could clean our private room. I showed that there were spider webs and bugs under the bed, but the female owner got angry and told us to find another hostel. She called us lazy people. I was shocked and wondered what these people were doing in hospitality. The owners seemed lazy and interested only in taking money from tourists without doing any work. This place wasn’t worth staying at. The people working there were dishonest and lazy, and I wouldn’t recommend anyone stay with such corrupt-minded people.

From right outside the hostel, buses go to Barra, the beaches, Rio Vermelho, the station, and the airport, which is really handy. It’s also a ten-minute walk to the wonderful historic Pelourinho district, with its beautiful houses, churches, and lively nights. The hostel itself is in a lovely colonial mansion with a blue and white exterior and high ceilings, and there’s usually a pleasant breeze to cool things down. The rooms are pleasant and tidy, and unlike many hostels, they’re cleaned every day. Breakfast is included, with the usual bread, eggs, fruit, juice, coffee, and so on. The staff are helpful, the atmosphere is great, and the price is reasonable. I’d definitely recommend it.

The house is beautiful, the people are nice, and it’s right in the old city center. I didn’t find it dangerous at all. Still, I found both the bathrooms and the kitchen really unclean, and there were too many cats for a hostel.