Sweet Inn - San Isidoro

For the price, this was a good place to stay. When the rain changed our plans, they were able to fit us in for a second night, which we really appreciated.

The hostel’s great location is the only reason I’m giving it two stars, and that feels generous. The bathrooms were tiny, dirty, and constantly wet. Room doors didn’t lock and often swung open, even in my all-female room. It was far too hot, and there’s no elevator. On my second night, my roommate found bedbugs. I had to pay much more than I wanted for another hotel, and still haven’t had a refund or even a response.

I’ve never reviewed a hostel on Google Maps before, but this one feels like home. Jose goes out of his way to handle even the little things with kindness and real helpfulness, and his energy brings the place to life. The atmosphere is great, and you meet amazing people from all over the world. Highly recommend!

The bed was fairly comfortable, and at least the basics were there: a bed with linens and pillow, plus toilets and showers. That’s why I’ve given this hostel two stars. In just about every other way, my stay was unpleasant. My bedroom floor was covered in a mysterious white powder. Based on other reviews, I suspect it’s anti-bedbug powder. We weren’t given room keys, and I had to walk past at least ten other beds to reach my eight-bed room. The ventilation was poor. One roommate was a creepy local guy who seemed to live at the hostel, kept a lot of junk by his bed, and smoked in the room every morning. If I were a woman, I’d have looked for somewhere else to stay as soon as possible. The bathrooms were a disaster. There were only three toilets and three showers for all the men in a hostel that isn’t small. Two showers were extremely cramped. The other was filled with black mold and flooded constantly. Management calls the bathrooms “rustic,” which seems like an extreme euphemism. I can’t see how this place could be meeting local health rules. The kitchen was gross and always had dirty dishes, and another guest ate our labeled leftovers from the fridge. The negative reviews also mention the owner replying to complaints with childish comments about how much reviewers supposedly enjoyed their stay. That tells you something. I think the owner should spend time improving the place instead of making lame excuses to people who leave bad reviews.