Palácio do Sol Hostel

We arrived early in the morning and were told that every room was already occupied. On top of that, the owner was cold and showed no empathy. We’d come expecting our online reservation to be honored, but were then surprised by a charge twice as high as the amount we’d booked for. It was deeply disappointing and unfair, and shouldn’t happen to guests who rely on online reservations.

Be careful, they don’t honor confirmed reservations and demand an excessive price. I booked through the site for 92 reais, but when I got to the hostel, the owner refused that rate and asked for 150 reais. They said the system takes time to update, but that isn’t the customer’s responsibility. I even tried to check in at the official time, 1 p.m., and pay the original price, but they refused that too. Completely unprofessional and disrespectful of the Consumer Defense Code (CDC). I don’t recommend it.

It’s close to the center, affordable, and the room is cozy. Senhor Marcelino is a really nice guy. I’ll definitely stay here again.

A dreadful experience. Marcelino, the owner, seems to care only about getting paid in advance for his dump. I absolutely don’t recommend the place. Anyone staying there could leave with the worst impression of São Tomé das Letras. He was so nasty that he replied to my review with insults and made up things that never happened. At least he admitted I paid 400 reais for a service I didn’t even use. He squeezed the money out of me when I arrived, and I decided to leave. The positive reviews seem to be from a while ago. Over time, this man Marcelino has apparently gotten worse in his behavior, especially toward women traveling alone. I’m still warning people: be careful with him and that dump. There are plenty of places to stay in São Tomé safely and without hassle.