Great Hostels Backpackers Los Pinos

We had a very late bus, so even after checking out in the morning, we could leave our bags and spend the day and night at the hostel. The staff were very nice and helpful, laundry was quick, and it’s close to the city center. You can bring your own food and drinks, and there’s a full kitchen and fridge. The dorms get very hot, are small, and smell bad with the door shut. The top bunk can't reach the plugs, and hot water only works sometimes.

The staff helped with tour suggestions, but I didn't find the hostel very social, and it all looks old and due for a refurb. In room 12, the bed arrangement makes charging a phone impossible. Breakfast is only bread and eggs.

The hostel has a cool, comfortable hangout vibe, and they offered breakfast plus free dinner on some days. Most of the staff were very nice. Marcelo was rude, though, when there was a problem with the bike rental. Our rented bike broke down during the cycling trip. Marcelo said help for that kind of incident wasn't included, but nobody had told us beforehand. We had to pay extra to get help. When we tried to discuss it, he was really rude and eventually said helping us had been a mistake. It was uncomfortable and left me with a worse impression of the hostel.

I extended my stay because the place was so comfortable. The photos don't show how spacious it is, and the 12-bed dorm I slept in was roomy too. Bathrooms and shared spaces get cleaned daily or even more often. Everyone on staff was friendly, and Rolando and Marcelo made tour bookings and other requests easy. They speak good English as well. We hired bikes from a company outside the hostel for the same price, but they were poor quality compared with Roland's great bikes. The nightly deals, activities, and specials are hard to beat. Highly recommend staying here. Muchas gracias for making Baños memorable!