Kuyay Hostel

The price feels great for the quality. Everything was exceptionally clean and well kept, and I really liked the effort to save energy and water, especially the motion-sensor lights and hot water in the showers. Friendly service too. Thanks Carlos, Alba, Ingrid. I’ll be back!

The room was VERY small, the walls were thin, and I could hear people in the lobby, music, and cars outside. There wasn’t a good place to work, and almost nothing nearby for food, water, or groceries unless you have a PriceSmart membership or order delivery. The bathrooms were the worst part. The shower water and light run for only about 1-2 minutes after you press a button outside the door, so you have to step out while soapy and naked to press it again. In the toilet, the motion light switches off if you sit still or are using the toilet, and you have to wave your hand to turn it back on. Getting inside and checking in was one of the most complicated processes I’ve ever dealt with, despite having stayed in hundreds of places around the world and in Colombia. There’s no sign, you need two passwords just to enter, nobody was there to check me in, and other guests had to help. I had to communicate through WhatsApp. It was one of my worst hostel experiences, and the cheap price wasn’t worth all the hassle. Bababuy hostel is nearby, costs the same, and has 100X better facilities.

I booked this place just to shower before my 1:30am flight from El Dorado, so luckily I didn’t have to sleep there. The neighborhood felt a bit isolated and dark, and the main room had the feel of a dentist’s waiting room. Nobody even looked at me or spoke to me. I’ve spent a little over 5 months traveling through 5 countries in Africa and the Americas and stayed in lots of hostels, hotels, and guest houses. This was WITHOUT ANY DOUBT THE WORST place I’ve stayed. The rooms were SO tiny, unwelcoming, and uncomfortable. I don’t usually leave ratings, but I really don’t understand why this hostel is so highly rated on Google Maps.

We only found out we had no room after arriving at the hostel while traveling. We’d booked through Hostelworld, then got an email after check-in time on the day of our booking saying it had been cancelled. The owner said there’d been a synchronisation issue with Hostelworld. We use that platform very often and have never experienced this before. If there was a problem with the booking, they should have contacted us in time to make other arrangements. It all seemed disorganised, so I’d look elsewhere.