Ijen Backpacker

It pains me to leave a low review because the staff were so kind to me however I need to be objective and there is a serious problem with BED BUGS.
When I woke up after my first night in the shared dorm I was covered in bed bug bites. I stayed calm and immediately but all the clothes I was wearing to bed into a garbage bag and sealed it and the staff moved me to a private room. I also left my big bag in a storage room to ensure I wouldn't spread the bugs to the new room. Unfortunately it didn't matter because the private room was infested too! Me and the other guests continued to get bitten. I toughed it out since I had activities going on in the area for at least a week. Most night I would only get 10 or so bites. Eventually they moved me to a different shared dorm and here I got over 100 bites in one night! Thats when I drew the line and moved to the downtown area which has much nicer hostels for the same price.
The problem is the staff doesn't wash the bedding with hot water to kill the bed bugs, they just wash with cold water and air dry so those bed bugs aren't going anywhere!
Once again I thank the staff for their hospitality but they need to take this situation seriously.

We booked a trip to Kawah Ijen with this hostel. The personal is very friendly but this was the only positive experience! We traveled half the world and wanted to see the famous blue flames. Unfortunately the poor performance and plenty of turists prevented it. We paid a lot of money, did not sleep on that night, run up hill faster than 99% of turist, but still we came to late! There was a lot of light until we got to bottom and therefore the blue lights were not visible any more. This trip should have started at least one hour earlier! Since they are not new in biznis, they should have made proper schedule! Completely failed. Our time and money wasted… I do not think I will try it once more since I am 62 right now.
Lost chance…

Great hostel with very friendly and helpful staff. They provided good recommendations for food nearby and helped me book the train to Malang. I stayed in the dorm which was clean and quiet. The bathrooms were also really clean. The property is also in an ideal location; maybe a 10 minute walk from the ferry and less than five minutes from the train.

We stayed here for two nights to visit Mount Ijen. The room is very comfortable and the service is perfect.
Breakfast is excellent and plentiful!
The hostel is close to the train station and the port, with lots of local warungs nearby.
I definitely recommend it!

This is a great hostel, near to the ferry port and to the train station. The workers are so helpful and kind. I did the Ijen tour with the hostel which was great, they even served us some breakfast when we arrived back.

Good friendly backpackers with clean room and good service. Located close to ferry but far enough from main road that not too noise (beware nearby overflow Ijen Bali Travellet homestay that almost on main road and very noisy from traffic). Backpackers run a range of well price tours around east Java (like Bromo and Ijen) and also transport to Bali.

I don't often leave such extensive reviews especially for poor service, but a friend tried to organize a group tour for us to Mt Ijen from Bali through Trev Travels & Ijen Backpacker last week and this was one of the absolute worst experiences I've ever encountered in my life.
At first we were supposed to be picked up by a driver at 1pm. And then, 20 min before our pickup time, we're told that the van is delayed by 4 hours till 5pm. We all still waited as they requested.
As we all patiently waited hours outside with our bags till 5pm, there was still no driver to be found. But we kept waiting. Eventually we learned that the driver went to the wrong location (he had one job…) and wouldn't answer our phone calls. And, by a miracle, at some point between 6–7pm (and thus an additional 1–2 hours delayed), the driver shows up to the right location that we initially gave him. All just for him to tell us there's *not* enough space in the van for everyone to join the trip!
When I asked the organizers for help with finding another van (e. G. By ordering us a Gojek) to somehow still salvage the trip for our group despite being several hours late due to their errors, they acted as if it was impossible. They said they would call their own driver instead (yet they couldn't contact him nor confirm any updates…) and then later made the excuse that their other driver was in an accident. All just lies. No accountability. All they want is money.

Super strategic location, just a short walk from the station. I checked in around midnight, and they still welcomed me and my friend without any issue. Booked a private room with a private bathroom, and it was clean and smelled great.
Also took their Ijen tour package, and they woke us up at midnight to get ready. The next morning, we got a delicious breakfast. Best experience.
Definitely staying here again if I visit Ketapang.

This place is perfect to stay for your trip to Mount Ijen or Bromo. They offer you cheap trips and take care of everything.
Don’t expect the highest luxury for this very cheap price (i had a private double bed room for €9) but everything was very clean, shower was hot and good waterflow and the owners are very kind to help you out with everything on your trip.
I would definitely recommend staying here.

Highly recommended. The location is excellent — right next to the train station and the ferry terminal. All the staff are very friendly and go the extra mile to help you out. We were originally going to climb Ijen by ourselves, but their tour was too good to turn down. A very cheap price for an all round amazing tour.

This hostel is no longer just a place to stay—it’s an experience! The incredible hospitality of the staff makes you feel right at home, with clean and welcoming spaces that provide a truly comfortable stay. The beds are cozy, and the air-conditioned rooms are perfect for a cool and relaxing rest. Conveniently located just in front of the ferry to Bali, it’s ideal for travelers heading across. What’s more, they organize trips to Kawah Ijen in the most professional way, including everything you need for only 350k. It’s a seamless and memorable experience that sets this hostel apart!

Probably one of the best hostels we have already been. Friendly and polite staff, good service and structure! We recommend 100%! Great breakfast for those who go to Ijen Mount with them. The atmosphere is really good!

Percect location for those arriving by boat/train in Ketapang. The staff is very kind and helpful, and the hostel offers good value tours of nearby sights. Rooms are well-maintained and clean, and the Wi-Fi is good. We had a great stay at Ijen Backpackers!

INCREDIBLE, the service is one of the kindest hostels I've been to. The breakfast is extremely affordable and delicious. The rooms are spacious with lockable amd secure storage. Great sense of community and a generally great vibe around. They have universal plugs at each bed and curtains to provide privacy whilst sleeping. Owners are an extremely friendly and accommodating couple. Will 100% recommend and if I'm ever travelling here again I will go out of my way to come back here.

Everything is great at this little hostel located minutes from the train station and the ferry terminal. Obviously the main service is offering Ijen crater tours. The tours are pretty simple, mainly the transportation and basic instructions. Mask and a head lamp are included.

The best place to stay if you are looking to do Ijen trek from BanyuWangi and also just to chill around. It is located very close to the port and lot of shops, restaurants & Indomart are nearby. The home stay is maintained so clean & neat, we stayed in their double room with shared bathroom. Rooms were comfy & bathrooms were always kept clean. You also refill your bottles, they have kept free drinking water. The hosts are so polite and caring. Their arrange package tour to Ijen which includes pick up right from homestay, so it’s quite easy. They also provide rental jackets, if you had went for the trek unprepared like us. 😅
After you are back from the trek, you will be welcomed with delicious food, coffee & fruits. 🤤 That was so satisfying to have such a yummy meals after the trek. They also arrange transport to go to main areas in Bali. You will definitely have a great experience with Ijen backpackers. 👍🏻

This place is one of the best hostels I’ve ever stayed at. The staff are so nice. They are so giving and kind. They are also very funny. What’s incredible is that all they care about is that the guests are content. The rooms are great, nice air conditioning, and curtains are 10/10. The breakfast is the best breakfast I’ve had in indonesia, I cannot recommend this place anymore.