Backpacker Kawah Ijen Banyuwangi

The mattress was comfortable, the room was a decent size, and WiFi worked fine. There’s a fan, though it can still get quite hot. There’s no cupboard for storing or hanging clothes. The staff aren’t always around, which makes it hard when you need something, but when they are there they’re nice and helpful. We booked the Mt. Ijen tour through them and had no problems. It’s a good place for a couple of nights, near the mall and some warungs.

Rooms are decent for the price and the food is inexpensive. It works as a place to stop before starting an Ijen tour, but there isn’t much of a hostel vibe beyond that. The ferry harbour is far away, although there are lively places nearby. Whenever I asked the front desk guy something, he had to check with the owner, and his smile seemed fake. The hostel should let the front desk make more decisions.

I liked the wooden touches, they give the place a homely feel, and the terrace setup is nice for sitting, eating, and chatting. The room was okay and had enough power outlets. The mirror was mounted too high to use, and the bathroom was a bit dark even with the lamp, though clean enough. A great place for backpackers.

The owner did help us by keeping our backpack for a week while we toured the beaches, and I appreciate that. Still, I don’t understand the good reviews. There are many better choices in Banyuwangi. Maybe some foreign travelers are used to rough places around Indonesia and don’t complain, but it feels like the place isn’t getting any effort anymore. We couldn’t sleep because locals sat noisily outside the rooms all night, smoking and letting the smoke drift inside, while talking loudly. That’s not okay. The rooms are dark, have no windows, smell old and moldy, and have tons of mosquitoes with no nets. The bathrooms were dirty and smelled bad. It’s not a good deal. Stay elsewhere.