Macarena Hostel

Good location. Clean comfortable beds with small reading lights. Toilets and showers were clean. Very quiet location.

Breakfast was a set meal and not much vegan options. Reception had limited hours so make sure you let them know ahead of time, my bus was late and didn't arrive till midnight which was a little scary, but staff were very understanding and helpful.

Simple but decent breakfast was included in the bed rate. Room is clean and comfortable. En suite bathroom with great shower pressure and temperature. Free drinking water. Beds have curtains. They provide guests with a simple packed breakfast if you leave or go on a trip before breakfast time. The staff is pleasant and solicitous. The cafe on the property is convenient and serve great coffee and the best bagels.

Not many common areas to hang out. Sometimes the staff is a little reluctant to accommodate simple requests, for no apparent reason. The lower bed in the bunker is a little too low in the room I stayed in. Breakfast doesn’t include coffee, but in all fairness, the free coffee offered in most hostels is not the best and I like good, strong coffee. So it wasn’t really a problem for me, as I just bought the great coffee they sell at their coffee shop.

Very well located, the property has a small leafy garden and offers drinking water. Breakfast is simple but good and they’ll give you a lunchbox (sandwich) upon request the night before, if you’re going to miss breakfast next day for a trip or tour. Beds are comfy and clean. Good A/C and showers. There is a coffee shop inside which sells good coffee. The staff is great (specially Nina and May) and very helpful.

Blackouts are common on the island, but it’s not the hostel’s fault. Neither are the noisy people during breakfast. Some of them work remotely, nowadays, while others just have the bad habit (cultural maybe?!!) of speaking loudly, either on their cell or among themselves. A little common sense, respect and empathy on their part would be nice.

I would say the best things about this place is its location, the front-desk staff, the restaurant (to be honest, the coffee is amazing!) and the decoration. Breakfast is included (it is okay, but don’t expect too much!) and the restaurant also offers a lunchbox, which is pretty useful if you are planning to do excursions such as Tikal!

I always try to be careful when booking an hostel because often the pictures are not reality. Well, this one does look like the pictures, but here are some twists : 1. They don’t have any electrical outlets in the bathroom nor the shower facilities (but it wouldn’t be convenient in that one because it is so small and doesn’t have mirrors). Both facilities are separated. 2. The bathroom facility has only 2 toilets, which is not that much. The toilets were often out of order or (very) dirty. I often went to the one at the restaurant. 3. No windows in the bathroom nor shower facilities. I didn’t pay that much attention to mold in the showers, but you see it pretty well in the bathroom facility. 4. There are no curtains in the windows of the dorms located in the garden (I don’t know for the other ones), which are not small, so have a sleep mask! 5. They have cats! So careful if you are allergic. I also asked for a blanket at one point because I had a top bed and the AC was directly shooting its air on me. The blanket smelled like cat litter.