Malayah Hostel

The girls at reception were lovely, but I didn’t get any refund and it felt like a rip-off. At first I didn’t want to put too much stock in the bad reviews because cockroaches don’t bother me much, though I actually saw one in the bathroom while showering, and I don’t mind small bathrooms either. Mold is what I do care about. No spray can cover that smell, though they really try, and it must be hidden somewhere under the paint.

We liked the friendly staff and the location was easily the best thing about Malayah Hostel. It’s right in the middle of Siargao’s party area, with lots of nearby places to eat, including affordable ones. There’s a resto-bar directly below, so expect noise until around midnight. Great if you enjoy nightlife. After our stay, we surprisingly booked another one, this time in the Barkada Room instead of a couple's room, hoping it’ll be better. Maybe we just got unlucky with our room. We’d moved from DormitelsPH after two quiet nights. The room at Malayah was just okay and didn’t match the bright, lively Agoda photos. Ours was dim, felt stuffy rather than fresh and airy, and had no towel rack. Water pressure was weak, the flush and bidet didn’t work properly, and there was a faint smell like a dead rat. We chose not to complain since we were out most of the time anyway.

The location is the only good thing. It draws all kinds of guests, but my stay was so bad I considered leaving the payment behind and going somewhere else. There are 12 beds in a room, and they don’t manage guests or basic hostel manners. Both foreign and local guests were inconsiderate, talking loudly and using their phones without headsets. In the shared bathroom, people left underwear and toiletries all over. The owner must make very good money to not care about making sure guests understand hostel manners.

We extended our stay and this was the only place near our previous hotel, which is why we booked it. I regretted it completely. The rooms were tiny, the bathroom barely had space for you, and it smelled moldy. The bed was hard as a rock. We had to get out after just one night.