Tulia House - Hostel

I came to Mombasa for the first time as a solo traveller and planned a few nights at Tulia Backpackers. I ended up staying three weeks, and it felt like home. The place was peaceful, friendly, safe, and comfortable, and I can't wait to come back later this year and stay even longer. The female dorm was bright, spacious, and clean, with a glass wall opening onto a huge balcony furnished for relaxing. I spent plenty of evenings there in the warm air. They changed the bedlinen often, cleaned the rooms daily, and kept the whole hostel cared for. Each bed had two sockets and a private shelf, the Wi-Fi worked everywhere, and there were enough fans. The bathroom was roomy and bright, with a shower, bathtub, large mirror, and double sink. There's also a swimming pool and a top-floor spa. Thank you, Liz! The staff were professional, kind, honest, and always ready to help. The pub had good food and a relaxed, social feel in the evenings, with locals coming in too. The location was practical, near the beach, main road, Nyali city center, ATMs, and restaurants. Tuk-tuk and taxi drivers all knew Tulia, so getting back was easy. The gated hostel felt safe throughout my stay. I don't understand the negative reviews. My stay was the opposite of what they describe. Thank you for being so kind to me, Harriet, Juliana, Grace, Aisha, Zalina, Jackson, Tom, Godfrey, Abdul, Anuu and lil' Princess. New guests, bring pub cat Princess some cat food and she'll love you forever :-D You all made my Mombasa trip wonderful. Official Warning: Tulia may lead to unexpected happiness, a much longer stay than planned, getting attached to the staff, and becoming friends with Princess the pub cat. Leaving is the hard part. I came as a guest, felt like family, and left with my heart still there.

The location is convenient, with easy access to beaches and shopping malls. The women at reception give good customer care and welcome you with big smiles. The breakfast included in the rate needs attention, though. They serve plain pancakes with no drink or fruit. If you want tea or anything else, you pay extra. The other option is fruit, yoghurt, and granola, and anything beyond that costs more. You can't swap to something else, even if what you choose costs less than what's provided. I know it's complimentary, but they could still offer something small that makes sense.

The reception staff were very kind, and the food was tasty and affordable, though it wasn't included in the price as I was told when booking. The hostel is well placed near the city center, beaches, and shops. It was empty during my stay, so I didn't get to meet other travelers. For the price, the quality and services are average. There's no hot water in the shower, and the 10-bed dorm has just one bathroom, with no other shared bathrooms elsewhere in the hostel. If the bathroom were renovated and more showers added, this would be a much more appealing place for travelers.

I met a friend there for drinks after getting to know them online. It was a great setting to have a good conversation over a drink.