Hostel La Casa del Tio Rafa

Rafa seems like a very kind person, and I don't want to offend him. But the traveler atmosphere shown in the Hostelworld and Booking pictures wasn't there. I stayed three nights and was the only guest. Rafa lives there and spends time with his friends, so it felt more like I was being hosted than staying in a hostel. The bathrooms weren't clean, breakfast wasn't included despite what the site said, and finding an outlet in the room could be difficult. Someone looking for a very local experience might like it, but the usual hostel vibe just wasn't there. My main issue is how misleading it felt to offer this place on sites like Hostelworld. The conditions are rough, which might be manageable if the hostel looked like the pictures, with people having fun and all. The advertising doesn't match what you find, and those appealing photos can set expectations especially high before you see how disappointing the reality is.

The place is old and poorly maintained. The bathrooms didn't work, there was no hot water, and despite breakfast being advertised as included, there wasn't any. The kitchen was unclean, and garbage attracted ants. One night, a drunk local friend of the owner kept bothering me for a hug and even tried to open my room door. I chose the place because of its good reviews, but I think he may have recently given up on the hostel and it's falling apart. I wouldn't recommend it.

I had a really nice stay. It's a colorful, inexpensive place near downtown, and it wasn't too crowded. It could be a bit cleaner, but it's a nice cheap place to sleep. Tio Rafa is cool, and breakfast is included.

It feels like a home, not just a hostel. Rafa is warm and welcoming. The garden is lovely, and the little cenote, which is the pool, is nice in the heat. The beds are okay, and there are lockers in the rooms. It's also close to the bus terminal, a 24/7 oxxo, and a proper supermarket.