Guava House

The open-air layout is pretty decent, and I like that there’s a washer-dryer combo. I was curious to see it run without having to move clothes over to dry them. But there aren’t enough pillows, and I woke up with neck pain. Also, somebody kept taking the toilet paper from the toilets, and I only noticed halfway through using one. Parking is always a hassle because there’s nowhere on site, and the neighborhood seems a bit dangerous. For the price, the place isn’t bad.

The second-floor open-air layout was cool, and it was cheap. Getting in and out of the city by transport was quick too. But the hostel felt like it was still figuring things out. Arrival was confusing, there was no WiFi in the rooms, and the hostel door was randomly unlocked. The room passcodes were obvious, like 1001, 1002, 1003, and the room smelled a little. There wasn’t much of a community or anything to help explore the area. The neighborhood was a downside, there was a strange guest, and the view was of an electric plant.

The location is perfect, close to everything in San Juan. The kitchen needs more work, with a proper stove and a new refrigerator since the current ones barely work. The porch should be safer, and the building and rooms could use a little extra care.

I was there for five nights and had a great time, met new people, and loved being so close to the local nightlife. The host Jani was really helpful and made things pleasant for me and my group. I’ll book again when I’m back for more island time.