Mayon Backpackers Hostel

The only good thing about this place is the location. The room was full of insects, and the toilet fixtures, knobs, and levers barely worked. There was no hot shower or bidet. Breakfast is served on the 3rd floor: three small pieces of tasty bread, a bland egg, and coffee.

We paid a deposit weeks ahead to reserve three rooms, and the hostel owner approved it. But when we arrived a few hours after the standard check-in time, the rooms still weren't ready and weren't available. Sarah gave three different explanations: walk-in guests had extended their stay, there was a checkout problem, and there'd been a "glitch" in the system. Whether any of that was true, they were still responsible for the reservation. The alternatives they offered were obvious downgrades: much smaller rooms, not enough beds for our group, and no private T&B. They weren't comparable to what we'd booked, and looking at them, we clearly didn't want to stay there. The staff didn't seem to care or help with our concerns. At the last minute we had to find another hotel ourselves, which meant unnecessary extra costs. This was a traumatic experience. The staff were unprofessional and unaccommodating, with no real way to address concerns and no apparent care that their negligence left us without our rooms. Do not book here.

The location is the only thing this hostel has going for it, and even around there, there's not much to see. It cost barely less than much better hotels nearby. I've stayed in hundreds of hostels around the world, and this was the worst one. We had no bidet or toilet paper, a moldy smell, sand all over the floor, cockroaches, and a terrible bed. The window didn't close properly, so barking dogs and cars kept us awake all night. Staff were either uninterested or didn't know the city, and were among the least helpful and friendly I've met. I left a hostel early for the first time, by a few days, and wouldn't stay here again even for free.

The rooftop view of Mt. Mayon was the thing I liked. It's a decent place if you just need somewhere near the city proper. The rooms are clean, but the CR needs a makeover. There were mosquitoes at night, and the mattresses and blanket are thin. The blanket was just enough to manage against the cold AC air. Breakfast is self-service, just a small bread, fried egg, and coffee.