Hostal La Malinche

I really loved the relaxed, friendly feel of this place. The staff are lovely and offer discounts for nearby attractions, and the chef makes a free breakfast that’s more than the basic toast you get elsewhere, pancakes with banana or an omelette. There’s a big, well-kept kitchen. The dorms are pretty typical and nothing special, but the Wi-Fi reaches them. It’s a laid-back hostel and well looked after.

It’s a nice place in a good location, and the dorms are acceptable. The main problem is the faulty light sensors. It should be an easy fix, but it matters. I had to step out of the shower three times just to get the light to come on.

The evening bar was a fun place to hang out, with fair prices, and there are hammocks, books, games and a picnic table for relaxing. The location is handy for local restaurants and nightlife. Breakfast includes coffee, and you can fill your water bottles before heading out. The big, open bunk dorm is the best option, though there are smaller six-bed dorms and private rooms too, all at affordable rates. The outdoor stone showers have strong pressure and hot water, but they use a cistern, so showers need to be quick when the hostel is full. There’s a full kitchen with gas stoves and plenty of room to cook, though no oven, and kitchen access ends at 10 pm. They can arrange ruins tours and affordable bike rentals. The employees are knowledgeable and helpful, and Mike the manager is around if you have questions. Bring cash. I’d recommend it for a short or long stay.

We booked two nights after reading the reviews, but left after one. The place felt dirty, disorganized and really unfriendly. There were only two toilets, and they were very dirty. When we arrived, they handed us sheets to make our own beds, then expected us to take them back to reception. It seemed like the hostel was full of volunteers and had very few guests. We were told the kitchen, fridge, lockers and drinking water were just for the volunteers, among other things. We couldn’t even get water. I didn’t understand what the volunteers were responsible for, since the hostel was dirty and we had to make and strip our own beds. They don’t have a kitchen for guests or include breakfast, despite what the recent reviews said. Breakfast costs 100 pesos for toast with jam and coffee. Guests aren’t allowed to use the kitchen. The atmosphere was unpleasant too. Don’t make the same mistake we did based on those reviews.