Pan's Place

It’s cheap, but the place had a strange feel. The room was quite dirty, and the locks wouldn’t keep anyone out, so keep valuables with you instead of leaving them there. The owner added 5000 to the price of the beer I bought, though it was still pretty cheap.

We were backpacking through and planned to stay one night, but left later that evening. The place didn’t look like what had been advertised, and it felt sketchy and strange. Someone showed us to a random room with no working lock and no AC remote. They said there wasn’t a lock that worked, and the door was bent. The lock they did give us left the door ajar. The owner seemed aggressive and suspicious. I wouldn’t recommend staying here.

The photos seem badly out of date. The building and backyard look completely different now, with only old broken things out back, and our room was very dirty and in poor condition. The place felt awkward and strange. I don’t know whether renovations are happening, but it no longer feels like a backpacker’s haven. I felt misled, and it’s like a ghost of what it used to be. The door locks were broken, so we used our own lock to secure our things. Keep your most valuable belongings with you.

I loved spending the evenings on the second floor terrace, at the entrance tables, or around the pool table with other travelers. There’s a good choice of cold drinks in the fridge for hanging out, too. Philip, the owner, is warm, cheerful, and always ready with a joke. You can tell he cares about guests feeling at home, and he and his staff try to help with requests, from bus and train tickets to tours and scooter rental. The location is very central, prices are unbeatable for budget travelers, and lockers made me feel secure. It’s an older hostel, and the bathrooms aren’t new. You can look over the room options before choosing, with private rooms in different bed setups and a choice of AC or fan, or a bed in the big 10-bed dorm. A real gem if you want somewhere welcoming and affordable.