Hostel Ilha do Amor

Nothing.

How this hostel got such a good rating is beyond me. I don't recommend it. It does not have a good atmosphere, the owner does not speak any English. It is right in front of a Gym that has loud music all day and night long, which is super annoying if you want to relax. Besides that, not a lot of guests too. They have a dog as well that keeps barking and is not well behaving. The wifi is absolutely terrible!!! Haven't had any this bad in years. Even when you're the only one. Just don't offer it if it is this bad. The place needs renovation and cleaning. It is very old, very dirty. The shower curtain has not been replaced in years. The kitchen cabinet almost fells apart. Advise to the owner: if you run a business like this, do your repairs and (good!) cleaning every now and then. The bedroom is very tiny, so you could not nicely put your bags away. One day they ran out of toilet paper and it was not stocked till the very next day. The dog is on the leash all day, but it seems noone really takes care of the dog, besides here and there a few minutes. Shameless. I would advise anyone to go to Casa Swell or Good Vibes Hostel. All together a big mistake by myself to book here.

The people who work here are very friendly, and they have a dog who immediately stole my heart, so that automatically made me like the hostel. Again, I didn't know any Portuguese and the staff were super patient with me and very nice. I found the kitchen had almost everything I needed to make a meal (they were missing a can opener) and I felt the place was clean. I also found the bed to be very comfortable. A note for anyone staying here, the rooms are very small so when all four people are trying to get ready at the same time it's difficult, you're all stepping over each other. The bathroom shower was plugged and caused the bathroom to smell but the staff was able to get someone in to fix it relatively quickly and there was another option for us to use, so better than nothing.

I would have preferred that someone was at the desk or in the front area for most of the day because when I have questions then I know where to find them. It turned out that I could just knock on the door of the staff's room (they live on the property) but I didn't realize that at first. It's not a big deal, I personally felt uncomfortable approaching them where I thought was their personal space and meant to be their down time.

Very good located at the island being close to several beaches, as well as bares and restaurant. Furthermore the staff was very helpful and kind! I can very much recommend Hostel Ilha do Amor!