Happy Tree Hostel Yogyakarta

In three days we saw only six guests, and the booking calendar by the desk didn’t suggest there were many others. I can’t understand all the positive reviews. There were plenty of problems beyond the rooms: walls covered in stains, mold under the toilet seat, and the shared bathroom lock was fitted backward, so you could lock yourself in but couldn’t lock anyone else out. The kitchen was dirty and piled with dishes, and the coffee machine had more mold than I’d expect. The small common area had smoking gear and a smashed TV. We spent two nights in two different rooms before asking to switch from the dorm bed to a private room for our last two nights. They said we’d have to pay 150,000 instead of the 30,000 price difference. Tired and with itchy, watery eyes from allergies, we agreed. The private room smelled strongly of mold and stagnant water. Its window was useless, the sink was missing, Wi-Fi didn’t work, and the air conditioner was the noisiest one yet and dripped. The first private room had a spring sticking out of the mattress, a horrible smell, no sink, and a loud air conditioner we’d rather leave off. Its tiny window let in almost no light, and Wi-Fi didn’t reach it. The dorm’s double bed was in the hallway by the main dorm, behind a thin curtain that covered about three quarters of the opening. It offered little privacy. The mattress was hard as cement and sagged in the middle, one pillow seemed stuffed with rags, and the other was stained. The dirty bedding made it hard for both of us to breathe through our noses. The dorm air conditioner was in another section, and the archway and curtain blocked airflow. With the large, bright window facing outside, the room got very hot. At least Wi-Fi worked there. The only employee was nice and seemed to try to help with what he had, though he could be hard to find. The owner seems careless about looking after the property. We asked to move upstairs hoping for something better, and again the owner charged us more than the difference between room prices. The place may have been better maintained in the past, but as of July 2024, it wasn’t. The bathroom near the dorm had a lock that didn’t work, so showering came with the risk of someone seeing you naked. The coffee machine was moldy, the ceiling had water stains, the wall was crumbling, the Wi-Fi was poor, the toilet sat at a strange height, one sink was blocked, and one electrical outlet seemed dangerous. The supposedly non-smoking common area had an ashtray with cigarettes. I’ve traveled for over six months and stayed in some of the cheapest places across India and Southeast Asia. This was one of the worst. Don’t come here.

The staff member seemed to be on his own and was very kind, but I can’t speak for the owner. I never saw him, and if he lets the homestay stay in this condition, he seems careless. When we asked to change rooms, hoping upstairs might be better, the owner charged us more than the price difference. We also waited over an hour to speak with staff when leaving. Neither of the two phone numbers on the wall got an answer, and even the pest control guy waited around for a long time. When we left, we saw him arrive, so I assume they’d spotted some bugs. I’d rather not know what he was there to deal with. The bathroom lock by the dorm didn’t work, so you could end up showering where a stranger might see you naked. The coffee machine was moldy, there were water marks on the ceiling and the wall was crumbling. Wi-Fi was poor, the toilet was oddly raised, a sink was blocked and one outlet seemed dangerous. The non-smoking common area even had an ashtray with cigarettes. The floors may be the only clean part, since people take their shoes off indoors. The air conditioner was noisy, the bathroom kept dripping, and the bed was really uncomfortable. The pillows were dirty. My eyes started watering, maybe from humidity or hidden mold. The first impression was good, but after staying longer we noticed all of this. The place was dirty, buggy, noisy and hot. The staff member was good, but the owner needs to take better care of it.

We stayed in Yogyakarta for nine days while sorting out a visa extension, and this turned out to be a great place to settle in. It really felt like home, with lovely breakfasts and fun art and decorations on the walls. The rooms are spacious and clean. Ours was upstairs, with a big balcony and seating where we could relax. The staff were welcoming and friendly, and gave us plenty of tips on where to eat and what to do.

The staff were very friendly, but they smoked all over the place. The reception was usually full of smokers, and the smoke drifted into the rooms. We found bedbugs in our bed. They moved us when we reported it, but we had to wash all our affected clothes and pay for the laundry ourselves. Breakfast was okay. They made an effort to impress guests, though some combinations, like oatmeal with cheese, were odd. I wouldn’t stay again.