Dewa Hostel

I stayed in the 10-bed dorm, which was almost empty, so it felt very comfortable. The beds are great, with excellent curtains that block out other people and make the space fully dark if you want. Each bed has a shelf and lamp. Staff are helpful, and breakfast upstairs at the cafe includes a pancake or omelette with tea or coffee.

The rooftop penthouse itself was really good, with the whole floor to myself and great sunset views. Laksamana from the booking staff kindly held it for me for four nights, but the traffic was unbearable, sounding like vehicles rushed past all night and morning. I couldn't sleep, so I left right after the first night. I've never left a hotel early before. They were gracious about it. I needed proper sleep to take part in the Ubud Writers Festival 2023, so I had to find somewhere else. The traffic isn't really something they could do much about, even with insulation. I hope the room can reach its potential one day, because the rooftop penthouse was super awesome.

It was my lucky day when I found a few beds available yesterday. So many homestays were fully booked, and this really saved me. It was my first hostel stay, and it was a good experience: the room and shower room were clean, it felt safe, no one made noise after 11 pm, and they provided tasty free breakfast. Recommended.

Pros: central and convenient, a nice but small pancake breakfast, a comfy bed, and a cheap price. It is in a Balinese family house, which is neutral for me since lots of hostels are, and there are actually two other hostels in the same family complex. The downsides were no atmosphere, no blanket on the bed, and bed bugs for two of the four guests. The staff member I dealt with was rude, never smiled, and nearly shouted while showing me the room. He also tried to overcharge me for scooter rental at 80k IDR/day. At checkout, after I'd packed and cleared the bed, he pointed at his watch and kept saying "check out now" while I was saying goodbye to other guests. I was puzzled, since I'd paid and cleared the bed. Was he just trying to get me out of the room? Other staff seemed more decent, but this man was around most during my three-day stay. I would have left on day one if I hadn't already paid in full. I've never left a negative comment before, but I wouldn't recommend this hostel at all.