Douro Surf Hostel

⭐ 1/5. A terrible stay, and I wouldn’t recommend it. Staff were impatient and disorganized, and the lack of English made everything stressful and difficult. It was cash only, with no cards accepted. The check-in hours were misleading: they said 2-7pm, but it was actually 2-5pm unless you paid €10. Luggage storage was also unreliable. They first promised it would be available until 5pm, then changed that to 1pm without warning. Miscommunication and delays cost me an hour. The towels were rough, and the hot and cold water kept fluctuating. The place felt like a chaotic family-run house rather than a proper hostel. Avoid it if you need clear communication and reliability.

I stayed here last summer while travelling around Portugal with a friend, and only remembered to write this review now because I was thinking again about how great the place was. It felt safe and clean, and it’s a short walk from the main busy streets. I liked being a little farther out, since we got to see sights we might’ve missed if we’d stayed right in the tourist area. The staff were so friendly and helped us figure out the area and the best places to visit. The owner was very kind too. Breakfast is provided for all guests, and she prepared it for us at no charge. My friend and I were pretty hungry and even had seconds. I’d definitely recommend staying here.

The dorms each have their own kitchen and bathroom, and housekeeping was excellent. When I asked for clean linen, it was brought promptly, and the housekeeper cleaned the whole area while I was there. It’s basic but functional. The hostel is a bit shabby and feels damp and musty. It’s south of Porto in Vila Nova de Gaia. The mattresses are lumpy, and the bed frames underneath could use a proper clean. I asked for extra blankets and was given a duvet, which I put under the sheets for padding. There’s no female-only dorm, so I had to share with men who snored loudly and had smelly trainers. When I came back on the last night, the shutters were down and reception was closed, but the main door hadn’t been shut properly. That made me uneasy.

My room had bed bugs, and I left Douro covered in red bites, especially on my arms. The hostel refunded me, which was the least they could do, but they could’ve helped more with cleaning my clothes and suitcase. It’s irresponsible not to work harder to get rid of the bugs, since I and other guests could spread them to other hostels, hotels or homes. Bed bugs are awful to deal with, and I wish I’d never stayed here. Without the bugs, I’d have given the place a better review. It’s a nice hostel in a good location, but alas.