Mangifera Hostel

The garden area is lovely, and the hosts were fantastic and very accommodating. It’s clean, safe, and right in the center. My room was fine, with easy access to the shared bathroom. I was in a room at the front, though, and large trucks overnight, along with the metal gates opening and closing, caused some pretty strong vibrations.

I stayed in the mixed dorm bunk room, and it’s my favorite hostel so far in Costa Rica. The bathrooms were immaculate, the rooms comfortable, and there was free herbal tea. Service was excellent, and the connected restaurant served fresh, wonderful food. There’s also a lovely cat that looks like a tiger. It was a great experience, with a handy location in the middle of town, across from a park.

I’ve had good stays in simple places during my trip to Costa Rica, but this wasn’t one of them. Everything felt worn and dingy. The room was dark and very shabby, and the bedding seemed worn too. There was no hot water, and I couldn’t even make a small snack because the dishes were so dirty. It didn’t feel like a hostel at all.

A simple, good stay for a short trip to Grecia. The location is ideal, right beside the main cathedral square and about a five-minute walk from the main bus station. Nobody else had booked the dorm, so I had it to myself. Check-in was easy, and I could check myself out. There’s a hammock and chairs on the upstairs balcony, nice for relaxing after a day out. Bring a lock if you plan to use a locker. The main drawback was the noise from the street at night. Drivers honked late, and lots of cars made a strange popping or banging sound. Apart from that, it was nice.