Nest Beach Club - Hostel

The location is nice, but getting there is a pain: the road is really steep, and walking to downtown along the beach means crossing a river that seemed pretty gross to me. The parties may be fun, but I didn't go, and the rooms were disgusting. They smelled mouldy, were dirty and very humid, and the toilets were horrible. They seemed to do a very superficial clean each day, even though the place clearly hadn't been properly cleaned in weeks. Before arriving, I got an email saying it would be easy to spot the tuktuk driver going between the pier and Nest, but there was nobody there. Two girls I spoke to had the same problem. I tried to contact the hostel, but they don't have a WhatsApp number and barely reply on the Hostelworld chat. They charge 5% for every card payment, while other hostels don't. I also tried the food. The chicken noodles were way too big a portion and had no flavour. The breakfast pancakes were okay, but overpriced in my opinion. On checkout day I forgot a pillow and returned a couple of hours later. They told me, “oh I’m so sorry it broke,” and it was soaking wet ??? Honestly, nothing met my expectations. The rating doesn't reflect the quality of the hostel and is probably high just because of the parties.

The beach is peaceful, with plenty of bean bags for lounging, and the food is some of the best on the island. Portions are huge and well worth the $5. Nestival happens every weekend, as you'd expect from a place known for its parties, and it's always fun. The rooms are okay, I guess. There's no hot shower, but given the low price it's fair and manageable. My experience with the staff was mixed: some were incredibly friendly and helpful, while others weren't very nice. A few even came into our room without knocking, which felt uncomfortable and rude. Great atmosphere for food, beach time, and events, but the staff experience could be more consistent.

Nest, Nest, Nest! I love you!! Nestival was so much fun, and the music was really good. The staff and volunteers were super friendly. As a solo female traveller, I felt safe and looked after the whole time. The food is yummy and not crazy expensive.

The staff were super friendly and welcoming, but I wouldn't stay here again and would tell others to look elsewhere. I stayed in both dorms and private rooms, and this hostel seems to put partying and drinking ahead of basic accommodation. There was no hot water or WiFi in the dorms. I've read reviews saying guests were told the lack of WiFi is meant to encourage socializing. If that's the reason, it's a disgrace. Whether I want to sit on my phone alone or socialize is my choice, this isn't a babysitting club. The dorm toilets were pretty gross and the water smelled strange, though I understand island infrastructure isn't like the mainland. The private room mattress was the most uncomfortable I've ever slept on, despite travelling a lot. It was genuinely like sleeping on springs, and I now have back pain from it. The furniture looked like it all came from a charity shop, and the lock barely kept the door secure. The location is a bit strange. It's on the beach, so it might suit people who want to hang around the same place and socialize for a few days, but without a bike I wouldn't recommend it for exploring the island. If you want to party, I'd look at other hostels to stay in and just come here for the events. I saw an owner reply to another review saying they'd rather spend money on events and socializing than on hot water, WiFi, and the like. That's ridiculous when accommodation is the core business, not running a nightclub or beach club.