El Cafecito Hostel Cuenca

The rooms and amenities are fairly basic, but the location is fantastic for exploring Cuenca, and the warmth there made my stay feel special. The accommodations were simple and straightforward. I stayed at this hostel the first week of September 2025, and Tony’s thoughtful service as owner and manager made the experience unforgettable. From the moment I arrived, he made sure I had what I needed. He recommended local restaurants and places to visit, helped me with bus trips, and gave detailed directions to get around, including helping me download maps.me. When I had a minor medical issue early in my stay, he even contacted a doctor to make sure I was cared for. If you want helpful service and a prime location, I highly recommend it.

I slept really well here, it was absolutely quiet at night. The rooftop was amazing and cozy, with a nice kitchen. One of the best hostels I’ve visited. Tony was a great host and shared lots of useful information and recommendations for Cuenca and my onward trip to Peru and Bolivia. He even invited me to lunch and really made sure I felt at home. Thanks for everything!

The rooftop was a great place to relax at any time of day. This is a chilled, friendly hostel in a perfect spot for experiencing Cuenca. On our first day, Tony mapped out a walking tour for us and suggested great activities, restaurants, and bars. He also helped us plan the rest of our journey through ecuador and beyond.

Tony is a cool person and gave us lots of tips, and the location is good, close to the center, local markets, restaurants, and cafes. The terrace is nice too. Still, the hostel needs more maintenance, and the price felt too high for what we got. We paid 45$ a night because we arrived on Cuenca’s Independence days, compared with around 20-30$ on a normal day. I’m not sure why so many reviews are so positive when our experience was different. I guess it’s okay for 1-2 nights in the city. Our room was clean but a bit too small for two people. It had no windows to the outside, just one facing the lobby, so we heard people on the stairs and partying on the terrace, and light from the lobby came into the room all night. There was also a window beside our bed into the next tenant’s bathroom, and we could hear them whenever they used it. We weren’t given any soap.