La Hamaca Hostel Utila

We were hoping to stay here for a week. Really looking forward to our Holiday. This has been recommended to us by friends and had high hopes. When we arrived we immediately fell in love with the chill out area linked to the Flamingo Restaurant, and the views on the sea front. We were shown to the dorm and our beds, to be greeted by a cat. We know in Central America cats and dogs roam but wasn’t expecting him to be in the dorm. And there for the whole night. At one point he even got onto my friends bed. We didn’t feel the place was clean. The showers had great pressure when you managed to turn them on. They were cold only which we don’t mind and is quite normal to Central America. The facilities were not the cleanest at all. The dorm beds didn’t have any privacy curtains. My bed was next to the open windows. The sheets didn’t fit the bed and fell off with each movement. I woke up in the morning with several new mosquito bites from the room. The window covers were broken. At 5:30 am the cafe are began to open. We were awoken by the sound of food preparation and music. We decided we didn’t want to stay anymore so asked reception for the money back for the rest of the stay. The conversation began quite friendly, and I was told she had to speak with the manager. After speaking with the manager and being told we could only have 50% of the stay returned we knew this wasn’t a good enough option. I asked to speak to the manager directly and was told she was busy working online and could only respond when she can so I had to wait. After then continuing the conversation the receptionist became quite rude and telling me that ‘I don’t know how to travel’, I made it clear to her it wasn’t her fault and I wanted to speak to the manager. When I asked her not to be rude she returned the comment with ‘I’m just stating facts’. I thought this response was out of order. I was working towards a solution for both parties, which the boss and receptionist were against at the begging of the convosation. I was told the money couldn’t be returned due to the policy. I asked to see the policy which I had never signed up to and was told the policy on hostel world was not linked the the owner. After asking to see this and where I agreed, I was quickly informed to cancel my stay via hostel world and was given the majority of my stay back. We will defintly returned to the Flamingo bar and chill area as it’s lovely. However, I strongly advise against the hostel. On the island there are many guest houses for cheaper with better facilities.

Perfect hostel for backpackers traveling solo or in a group. Right next to the ferry pier. Nice beds. Clean rooms and bathrooms. Cool cheap bar and a terrace in front of the water. Walking distance from nice restaurants and bars. Fully recommend.

NO HOT WATER Private room Alot of ants in the room Sheets are itchy Walls are paper thin Drinks at the Flamingo bar were undrinkable. Had a rum and coke that was colored like iced tea and had floating unidentied white things in it. Location is good.