Wake Up In Tarifa

Wake Up in Tarifa was a disaster for me, almost torture. The square stays packed with very noisy crowds until 3 or 4 AM, so getting a good night's sleep just isn't possible. On my last night, a nearby bar had amplified music and people outside talking loudly at 6 o’clock in the morning. Bring ear plugs if you hope to sleep, though the noise after midnight will probably still keep you awake. I’d choose somewhere quieter, even if it cost a few Euros more. If you’re on a small budget and can put up with loud nights and no air-conditioning, it might be acceptable for a few days. If you want peace, quiet or luxury, find somewhere else. I first visited one afternoon when an acquaintance from Amsterdam had moved there because his other hostel was fully booked. Reception seemed like a ghost town, and he said it wasn’t busy despite it being high season. In late August 2022, I stayed three nights myself for a reasonable 100 Euros, low for Tarifa at the height of summer. The hostel is on a small square in the old area, an easy walk from the port and the main arched entrance. The ground-floor entrance is part of Wake Up in Tarifa Restaurant & Lounge, with tables on both sides of the central walkway and a bar. Stairs with no handrails lead to the first-floor reception and most of the hostel rooms. Numbered keys hang on the reception wall for the main entrance and upstairs dorm room, and there’s a smaller key for the private locker. One night my locker key was missing from the wall, then turned up in another room. The place is plain and has no real charm. The rooms were hot and stuffy because none of the air-conditioning units worked. The metal bunks had no privacy curtains, the mattresses weren’t very supportive, and the pillows were almost flat. They provided a white sheet, but no blanket except in cooler months. A shower towel costs 2 Euros. There’s no free breakfast or coffee, though you can use the small downstairs kitchen to make something. There are two bathrooms, one for men and one for women, each with four showers behind large doors and two cramped toilet stalls. The stalls are so small that opening or closing the door to enter or leave can be an ordeal. One toilet and one shower were out of order. You also have to press the shower and sink taps every 10-15 seconds to keep cold or lukewarm water flowing long enough for a decent shower. One young woman working there was somewhat unfriendly, to the point of rudeness, and her lack of respect as a guest almost ruined my day. The owners should improve the beds and mattresses, add thicker pillows, and install air-conditioning, better ventilation for cooler fresh air, and double or triple-glass soundproof windows. In summer, every room is uncomfortably warm and stuffy, like a sauna or hammam. Each day I could hardly wait to get outside and breathe cooler fresh air.

The common spaces look lovely, but the dorms were mediocre at best. My room’s air conditioning didn’t work, and the street was noisy with party sounds all night. With no AC, we had to leave the windows open, so we heard even more of it. There were only two toilets for all the women, and the kitchen had a microwave but no stove. After checking out, I stayed in the common area for a while to charge my phone. The owner wouldn’t let me use the bathroom and made it clear I wasn’t welcome anymore. The staff were extremely unfriendly, and at night their toddlers were left unattended in the common area. I’d never stay here again. Don’t waste your money.

The sunny roof terrace was a lovely extra, and the hostel is right in the heart of town, near the beach and still close to the bus terminal. It was clean and pleasant, with a comfortable sitting area and other shared spaces furnished with tables, chairs, and stools. The kitchen has a fridge, microwave, single hob, pots and pans, dishes, and cutlery. The showers had hot water. Great hostel.

By the beach and close to restaurants, right in the old town, this hostel is in just the right spot. The staff were the absolute best and went above and beyond. Such a lovely, welcoming place, one of the nicest I’ve ever stayed in.