Lovesick Hostel & Bar Mpai Bay

There were no walls - so everything from the front desk and common area could be heard & smelled from the bed. You could smell anytime was smoking a cigarette while trying to sleep. The door didn’t close so there was always a cat in the room (I’m allergic). You could hear and smell whenever they put out food for the dogs. It rained one night and water leaked all over my bag. I tried to ask if I could check out earlier and find somewhere else but they said it wasn’t possible. No wi-fi available

Great location in Mpai bay, closest accommodation to the beach in the area. All restaurants and the port are very close walking distance too. Owners are very friendly and knowledgeable about the island. Pool table and common area are great, they sell some drinks there but no food. Bed in private room was big and comfy, has a mosquito net.

The hostel has a serious the lack of noise proofing. Unfortunately our room backed onto the toilets… you can hear everything on the rooms either side of you and in the corridor. We actually had a conversation with our friends through the wall at normal volume. Bathrooms could do with some more regular cleaning. No air con in room but has a fan.

Nice staff and friendly vibe in the hostel! Beds had mosquito nets and were comfortable.

The dorm we stayed had bamboo walls and was in the same area as the bar playing loud music until late at night. I get that it is a party hostel but it should be more clear when booking that you are pretty much sleeping in a bar. Really need proper walls or move the bar further away. Bathrooms also need a bit of a touch up.

Comfortable beds and moscito nets, good location

Not social because almost everyone staying there is a volunteer and they mostly just hang out as a group, no chill area to hang out in, hostel is still new and not quite finished building, the volunteers are also not very helpful if you have questions. I personally think 8€ a night is too much for what you’re getting

The place itself was perfect, the rooms had mosquitos nets and reallygood fans (doesn’t even need AC as we were quite cold with the fans). The staff made it even better tho, so welcoming from the start and always happy to recommend places to go and say what was going on at the hostel without pressuring you to join in (watching the six nations, bonfire)

Let me start by saying that I had a great stay at the Lovesick and in M'Pay Bay. The hostel is located just at the edge of the little town, two minutes from a beautiful beach and 2 minutes from the main road. Everything in this place is close together and I feel it is a perfect place to decelerate and leave the hustle of the cities behind. The owners were very friendly, as was the staff and I felt at home from day 1. My room was spacious with a beautiful sea view. It had a mosquito net and a fan (everything I need to sleep) and the beds were decent. Overall, it was a good stay for the price I paid.

I give this place a 6 despite my good experience for several reasons. First, this is a very rudimentary hostel. If I compare this with other hostels that I graded higher it falls behind. There's no coffee in the morning, no food, the showers are run down (although they were improving while I stayed there), the garden is not clean, etc. It is a young hostel and needs some development. Secondly, throughout my stay, I experience a lack of service mindset. On multiple occasions, no drinking water was available at the bar (but there was always plenty of beer). The personnel did not know much about the services and things to do on the island or where to find WiFi. I felt left to my own devices to make my stay on the island memorable. This lack of service mindest was reflected in many little things too, e.g. one day a cat brought a mouse back and the mouse blood was just left on the terrasse floor or after my stay for 8 days nobody asked me how I liked my stay. Lastly, the noise. While it is not stated on booking,com, other websites say it is a party hostel. The owner specifies this in some responses to reviews on booking. I have no issue with the concept of a party hostel or a good party here and there. Nevertheless, in Lovesick this means that at any time on any given day, anyone can play music from the speakers as lound as they please for as long as they please. The walls in this hostel are rather thin so it is no surprise that people often complained and could not sleep. Again, I think party hostels are fine and if you know when and for how long the party will last you can deal with it. I would strongly advise the owners to create a bar policy (bar until 11, afterward it is quiet and once a week there's a bigger party until early morning).

It’s really great value for money. While the cheapest accommodation on the island, you have everything you need. The staff are volunteers, so very easy to connect with everyone as they are likeminded travellers. Everyone speaks perfect English. So spending time with the people at the hostel in the evenings is also really enjoyable if you like to socialize. The beach is super close - closer than any other hostel. And it’s still also close to all the restaurants, the pier etc. The owners are a super nice English couple who have taken on such a cool endeavor to fix up an abandoned place and enrich the island with another sweet home for backpackers and volunteers.

I was personally happy with everything, but I could understand some reviews here that were complaining about certain things. This hostel might not be for you, if you are looking for privacy or luxury. But in my opinion, you figure that out based on the booking ad already. Come with the right expectations and you will love your stay for sure!