Hostel Cienfuegos

The host saw that we were Israelis at reception and canceled our reservation without giving a reason. We hadn't behaved inappropriately. I've never had a hostel experience that felt so unpleasant or racist. Don't come here if you're hoping for a good experience with the staff.

Getting around is easy, with the centro and metro a short walk away. There are hot showers too, but the cubicles are so small that your things get wet and water ends up all over the floor. In the dorms, you only get USB ports, so you can't plug in a laptop, hairdryer, or anything else with a regular plug. The kitchen is big, but workers sometimes take it over with two huge pots, leaving no room to cook in a small one. They apparently work there and pay to stay there too, so I'm not sure who all that food is for. Keep an eye on your groceries: they fill the fridges, sometimes storing overflow at reception, and may move your things into a cramped corner of another fridge. Then you have to hunt for them, assuming they haven't decided they're rubbish. I was grateful they let me move to the sister hostel Casa Roja, where the advertised events are, into a women-only dorm at 3am. But before that, I was scared I might be attacked. A group of Latino male workers would set alarms for 3am, then sleep through them snoring. When I shook one man awake to turn his alarm off, he reacted violently. He threw his clothes around and swung his arms fast while I huddled in the corner of my bed, afraid I'd move into his path. I posted a video of it. If you're a woman traveling alone, please don't stay here. Men in the kitchen and patio gave me creepy looks, and sharing a dorm felt too unpredictable.

I spent a month at Cienfuegos Hostel for personal reasons, so I got to know daily life there pretty well. It's a quiet place, with room for silence and reflection, and the price is good for a simple stay without luxuries. The location is central, near the metro, Plaza de Armas, and central station. A lot depends on the staff. Mateo was friendly and always ready to help or share good vibes; Ignacio was kind, attentive, and respectful. Alvaro was cordial and warm, and Estefany was sweet, smiling, and attentive. Marcelo was kind and cool, while Gilmert was hospitable and great to talk with. The reception and cleaning staff brought a level of human warmth that made the experience fantastic. There were downsides too. Guests leave food on a separate kitchen shelf, but food and drinks often go missing. Company work crews sometimes rent rooms for weeks, and living around them can be difficult when they take over the kitchen and make lots of noise. Claudia, who seemed to be a reception manager, would bring her personal frustrations to work. Her manner could be rough, authoritarian, and hostile, and it seemed to me she'd chosen the wrong profession. If a quiet atmosphere is what you want, this is the right place.

The hostel was dirty, the Wi-Fi was very weak and didn't reach the rooms, and the lockers didn't work at all. It doesn't deserve its HI certification.