Pen Hostels

I woke up around 7 in the morning to find the woman’s son, who looked about 12, reaching up to my bunk with his hand in my bag, rummaging around as if checking for something to steal. I stopped him before he got anything. I’m just glad I woke up. The room didn’t feel safe: the door wouldn’t lock, and there was no security. The sheets were gritty and dirty, there were bugs, and the bathroom was filthy. There was no toilet paper, towel or bed cover. When I asked about WiFi, the woman said it only worked downstairs. Down there she took my phone and tried to connect it to the Family Mart WiFi next door, which obviously didn’t work. I needed internet to download maps for the next day and contact people. I’d expect that to be a basic thing in a hostel. There are lots of hostels, inns and guesthouses competing on the island. I understand this is an independently run family business, but that’s all the more reason to run it properly. Clean sheets and feeling safe shouldn’t be too much to ask. Definitely avoid.