Red Monkey Hostel: Água Branca

I spent a week here and felt at home from my very first day. It’s a simple hostel, but it does what it’s meant to. The breakfast is basic but really good, and I had no issues with the bathroom or kitchen cleanliness. The staff were very attentive whenever I needed anything. My only small problem was that the internet at the back kept cutting out fairly often.

The beds have curtains for a bit more privacy, and the rooms are very good. Everything was clean and organized, including the bathrooms. There’s a nice open area, plus a shopping mall within walking distance and a metro station nearby. I’ve stayed at other hostels in São Paulo, and what stood out here was how free we felt to chat with friends, talk loudly, and laugh late into the night. It was the first one I’d seen that wasn’t packed with rules, at least while I was there. We were even allowed to have a beer in the evening. I highly recommend it.

I stayed on Thursday, 15/08/2019, and the team welcomed me warmly. Everyone was easygoing, especially Jonathan, who I talked with at the hostel. I felt very comfortable, and the place was clean and organized with good accommodation. Breakfast was on time and, in my opinion, quite satisfying. My only complaint is that there was no dinner, or anything available to buy.

The receptionist gave us good service. But less than 15 minutes after checking in, we realized we didn’t need to stay in the city after all. The hostel was practically empty, and we hadn’t used anything there, yet the owner wouldn’t negotiate a cancellation or refund. Completely inflexible. A shame, they’ve just lost a customer.