Living area

Reviews of Costa Rica Backpackers - Hostel

2 out of 5
Costa Rica Backpackers - Hostel
Avenida 6, between Calle 21 & 25, San José, San Jose

Reviews

7.6

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 82 out of 231 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 78 out of 231 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 27 out of 231 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 19 out of 231 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 25 out of 231 reviews" "

7.4/10

Cleanliness

7.8/10

Staff & service

7.8/10

Amenities

7.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

7.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

Quincy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sebastian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Exactly what I was looking for, did the job can’t ask for much more really. Pool could’ve been slightly colder although I only went in it at the heat of the day
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jessica

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
located very centrally to museums and some eateries. if you want to hit the museo nacional, the museo del oro, etc. this is the perfect place! reasonably quiet, clean, with a friendly environment, and the in-house restaurant is super authentic and solid.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2024

2/10 Terrible

Tamara

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
I went to check in at 830pm and the staff told me to come back in 30.minutes because they were chatting and bothered. The room was dirty and sheets had crumbs. I asked about a towel for showering and they said i needed to give my id to hold. I never got a towel. I think thst should be minimum..
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Shawn

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great place! Great vibe and people and the pool ☀️
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Shawn

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Super cute. Feels like a boutique hotel. Safe area. Walkable. Near bars, restaurants, little parks, a museum, and the police station which makes area feel safe too ☀️
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

jacek, Glenview

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Helpful stuff. Atmosphere. Location. They make you feel like home.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Verity

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nice atmosphere, welcoming, quiet, kitchen and restaurant available. Close to a noisy train line but overall a good location.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sandra

Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2023

8/10 Good

Tim

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We had the Twin Bedroom in the basement. It was big enough for two people, but a new Mattress would be nice. The price was good, what the hostel offers. So for a short stay for a few days to arrive to Costa Rica we can recommend it.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023

2/10 Terrible

Talal

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
As I selected above plus the molds and stint as you enter the room is something of a migraine. Stay away even if you are on strict budget it’s not worth the migraine and the rudeness of the local staff especially the guy who manages the place
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Danna

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

Jayakrishnan

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities
Good hostel for short and cheap stay. Good reception staff and reception hours. The quality of the room and the furnitures arent great. Also, the toilets are limited.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Paradise Hostel
I totally satisfied with the location and the zen atmosphere there at this hostel. So beautiful, bed is clean compare to others. Price is super cheap. I made some good friends there too.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Jeanette

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This was a wonderful, affordable stay! The courtyard was the perfect place to relax and recharge with plenty of comfortable hammocks. Staff was nice and helpful. Shuttle service was very convenient. The only downside was that there was a lot of street noise: honking, sirens, etc.
Response from Jesús on 13 Jul 2023
Hello, thank you for your comment, we were also pleased to have you here with us.At the reception we give free earplugs in case of any noise at night.Pura Vida!

10/10 Excellent

Wendy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful place, enjoyed 2 nights, was very comfortable. Very friendly, food is great.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023
Response from CBP on 12 May 2023
Thanks for choosing us!It was a pleasure serving you!

2/10 Terrible

Harrison

Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023

6/10 Okay

Anastasia

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Staff was not unfriendly but not super welcoming either. It is oddly dark and kind of gloomy inside but the walls are painted with very fun jungle murals so that was inviting! Dorms are nice and the each bed has curtains/light/chargers which is very helpful. Outside pool, bar, and restaurant area is nice. Kitchen clean. Price is inexpensive and location is convenient. They do not provide a towel.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

4/10 Poor

DAVID L

Disliked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Property online notes private bathroom for private room reserve option. No private bathroom is on site, You have to share toilets and showers with other guests. Cockroaches in Lobby. Bugs on private room floor. Area around dingy and possibly dangerous. I actually saw a female guest run to the property from a nearby main road. The guest has to be buzzed in and out. Tried to contact Expedia on the inaccurate online note that the private rooms offer private bathrooms but Expedia would only allow calls to their customer service Office and my cell phone would not work outside the United States. I would rate the property a step above being in Jail but not much more. Avoid the site unless all you have is $12 a day for a shared bedroom and that does not include any free breakfast.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

eli

Location
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023

4/10 Poor

Gemma

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wouldn’t stay again
For the price the stay was accurate. The double room is advertised as a brighter room but it was dark. It was also misleading as under amenities listed bathroom, turns out it is a shared bathroom. The walls are paper thin and the sheet on the bed didn’t fit the bed and kept coming off in the night which made us feel a bit gross as the mattresses obviously don’t get washed. The staff/cleaners make a lot of noise talking in morning which woke us. And it is right next to the loud train but if you stay on a weekend like we did it doesn’t come too early. When we arrived really late after a long journey we were made to wait while two members of staff finished counting money which went on for a long time and was frustrating. The shares area is nice although the pool didn’t look too clean. Breakfast was good. Good french toast and smoothie. Overall wouldn’t stay here again and spend a little more for a nicer hostel.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2023

8/10 Good

Kim

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great price, for the convienences, sketchy downtown location.
Response from Backpackers Staff on 17 Feb 2023
Hello Thank you very much for your comments. Pura vida!

6/10 Okay

Amit

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great property and friendly staff. Biggest complaint is we booked and paid for a private room but when we arrived we were put in a shared dorm with a few others
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2023
Response from Backpackers Staff on 17 Feb 2023
Hello!Thank you for your comments :) and sorry for the inconvenience e are going to check this because is not normal. Kind regards,

8/10 Good

Ronald

Stayed 9 nights in Dec 2022
Response from Backpackers Staff on 20 Feb 2023
Pura vida! Gracias por hospedarte con nosotros :)

10/10 Excellent

Emiko

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The community of people that stay here are great. Lots of travel information gets shared. Centally located. Walking distance to everything. The restaurant chef makes great food. Staff is attentive. Would definitely stay again.
Response from Backpackers Staff on 17 Feb 2023
Hello! Pura vida! thank you for your great comments :) we are glad to read that your time with us was excellent. We hope you can visit us again soon. kind regards

10/10 Excellent

Carry

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Really liked the food, the convenient location, and the easiness to store luggage and too get help with taxi. Very nice place. And again mention the food was awesome.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2022
Response from Backpackers Staff on 17 Feb 2023
Hello!Thanks a lot for your comments :) our cookers will be happy to know that their work is very good appreciated! All our staff makes an effort to give a good service to all our customers. Visit us again soon Pura vida!

10/10 Excellent

Adam

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2022

6/10 Okay

Catalina

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2022
Response from Reception on 2 Nov 2022
Thank for the score, Catalina.

10/10 Excellent

Joseph

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The bar is a lot of fun, Yancy is a great bartender and attracts a good crowd, She can also book great tours. Guests are very friendly, Staff is helpful, and nice having a pool in the middle of everything, it can be noisy including a train that passes by.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2022
Response from Reception. on 2 Nov 2022
Joseph! We appreciate your nice review. Pura vida!

10/10 Excellent

Adam

Business traveller, Travelled with group
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great spot , works as a hub
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2022
Response from Costa Rica Backpackers on 7 Aug 2022
Great to know that you liked staying with us. You are always welcome. Hope to see you again soon.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
You get what you pay for... its was safe and conveniently located. Mainly young guest and a mixture of overnight travelers. Open kitchen, many bathrooms, friendly staff. I recommend earplugs, room spray, travel size body products.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2022
Response from CRBP Team on 12 May 2022
Thank you so much for your kind review! We hope we can have you come again soon Pura vida

4/10 Poor

DI'ALLO, Jamaica

Stayed 1 night in May 2022

6/10 Okay

Isabel

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
The front desk in general needs more customer service experience, I asked to switch rooms early in the morning due to my sheets having a stain on them the night before and the front desk guy looked at me and seemed annoyed. I told him I’d come back in the afternoon to get the new room/bed assigned to me and when I made it back, he never updated me. When I asked him, he completely ignored me and started helping someone else, I then asked again and he sent a girl to check the room but the girl never came back to confirm if the room was ready, after 10 minutes sitting in the lobby I walked back up to the desk and asked for updates regarding the room, he said “yeah it’s ready” This was a terrible experience. Whether the price was extremely affordable they shouldn’t treat their guests like that. Other than that, the property looked clean, hot water was available, fairly clean bathrooms /showers, and organized kitchen. Don’t get fooled by the “Free breakfast” The front desk said it was no longer available, we didn’t need it anyway but it would’ve been nice.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2022
Response from Reception. on 6 May 2022
Thank you for the review. We are sorry for the misunderstanding and ask for apologize. We are taking you experience to improve our customer service.

8/10 Good

Carolina

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice Hostel, pretty big, cool pool, very easy to meet people, have a Kitchen Beds are uncomfortable
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2022
Response from CRBP team on 5 Apr 2022
Thank you for your comment. We alway look to improve our service and will take your suggestions for the future

8/10 Good

Katie

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2022

8/10 Good

Joseph

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Friendly guests, helpful staff. Great tours. Pool is very dirty looks nothing like the photo. New furniture is much needed inside the lobby.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2022
Response from Equipo CRBP on 15 Feb 2022
Thank you for the feedback. We are working promptly in fixing the pool and we appreciate your words of kindness towards our staff. Pura vida!

8/10 Good

Carlos

Liked: Staff & service
Little worn out. Pool out of service.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2022
Response from Equipo CRBP on 1 Feb 2022
Hi Carlos, Thank you for your comments. We are trying to fix the pool and have it up and running in no time!

10/10 Excellent

Brad

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Perfect for what I needed!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2021
Response from CRBP Team on 30 Dec 2021
Thank you for your review!

4/10 Poor

Jacob

Liked: Property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2021
Response from Equipo Backpackers Costa Rica on 10 Nov 2021
Gracias por tu retroalimentación. Esperamos poder mejorar en el futuro!

10/10 Excellent

Kim

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2021
Response from Equipo Costa Rica Backpackers on 5 Oct 2021
Gracias por tu apoyo. Esperamos que puedas volver.

10/10 Excellent

Dinique

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Best for solo or friend travel
Loved it ! This was my first time in a hostel , as usually I have to many things to stay at one , however it was perfect , there was access to a pool & I met 3 friends !
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2021

6/10 Okay

NILSA

Disliked: Staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2021

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The hostel was closed
There was no stay. When we arrived the hostel was closed because of Covid — which is fair enough, if they would just have told us. Instead we were knocking at the door for five minutes before a man appeared and told us we couldn’t have the room we booked two weeks ago. If they would just have sent us an email
Stayed 1 night in May 2021

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Poor management
I booked this hostel without the information that it was shutdown and under quarantine. So I was in San Jose at 9pm with no where to sleep. I'd call and make sure that they're open, because I would hate for anyone to get stranded as I did.
Stayed 1 night in May 2021

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 11 nights in May 2021

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Gross
Pool was literally green and the kitchen was destroyed. Don't even get me started on the bathrooms
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2021
Response from jean on 4 May 2021
we are so sorry for that. we are working on it. thank you very muchs for your comments

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Not safe for your belongings
The beds have a draw underneath that "locks" but no bottom inside and the beds are so light and not bolted down, that you can literally just lift them up and steal someone's stuff. Completely ridiculous
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2021

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Not worth it at all
A literal train passes by your window and shakes the room every 30 mins. I wouldn't stay here if you want a good night sleep.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2021

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Not worth the price
Sink was broken for days and constantly ran, kitchen was just destroyed. I was in the shower once and the water just quit working while I was covered in soap. Don't recommend this place at all.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2020

2/10 Terrible

Michael

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Not great
Wouldn't recommend it to be honest. Rude staff, definitely better hostels around
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2020