FAKE REVIEWS — be aware!
We booked this hostel because it had an incredible 9.7 rating on Booking. Com and glowing reviews, so our expectations were understandably high. Unfortunately, the reality was very different.
The room was dirty, bed uncomfortable, the ceiling was covered in mould, and the air conditioning smelled musty whenever it was running. There wasn’t even a proper bedroom door—just a translucent partition—which meant light came through constantly. The shared areas weren’t much better; tables in the social area were covered in dirt, and the bathroom had ants. There are few places I feel uncomfortable having to take off my shoes, but this was one of them.
The location is also misleading. It’s advertised as being out in the peaceful rice paddies, but it’s actually directly beside a busy main road. Traffic was loud day and night, and large vehicles even caused the bed to shake during the night. We barely slept before our Ijen tour, which really affected what should have been one of the highlights of our trip.
The staff were pleasant enough, but not particularly helpful. When we needed advice about visa issues or help arranging transport, I was repeatedly told to contact management instead.
What really explained the high rating, though, was finding a booklet in the room offering free nights, room upgrades, and free shuttle services in exchange for leaving 10/10 or 5-star reviews. That made the review score feel very misleading.
As long-term travellers, we rely heavily on honest reviews to know where we’ll actually get a good night’s sleep, especially when we have early starts or demanding activities planned. If we’d known what the hostel was really like, we would have booked elsewhere.
It’s a real shame because the property has potential, but the inflated reviews make it difficult for future guests to make an informed decision.
We booked this hostel because it had an incredible 9.7 rating on Booking. Com and glowing reviews, so our expectations were understandably high. Unfortunately, the reality was very different.
The room was dirty, bed uncomfortable, the ceiling was covered in mould, and the air conditioning smelled musty whenever it was running. There wasn’t even a proper bedroom door—just a translucent partition—which meant light came through constantly. The shared areas weren’t much better; tables in the social area were covered in dirt, and the bathroom had ants. There are few places I feel uncomfortable having to take off my shoes, but this was one of them.
The location is also misleading. It’s advertised as being out in the peaceful rice paddies, but it’s actually directly beside a busy main road. Traffic was loud day and night, and large vehicles even caused the bed to shake during the night. We barely slept before our Ijen tour, which really affected what should have been one of the highlights of our trip.
The staff were pleasant enough, but not particularly helpful. When we needed advice about visa issues or help arranging transport, I was repeatedly told to contact management instead.
What really explained the high rating, though, was finding a booklet in the room offering free nights, room upgrades, and free shuttle services in exchange for leaving 10/10 or 5-star reviews. That made the review score feel very misleading.
As long-term travellers, we rely heavily on honest reviews to know where we’ll actually get a good night’s sleep, especially when we have early starts or demanding activities planned. If we’d known what the hostel was really like, we would have booked elsewhere.
It’s a real shame because the property has potential, but the inflated reviews make it difficult for future guests to make an informed decision.