Poshtel Arenal

Cons: I booked a double bed room and it was nasty. It smelled horrible, everything felt mildewy and wet. There were stains on the floor, dust, dirt, hair on the sheets. Speaking of sheets, that’s all we were given to cover up with. Zero blankets, just a thin sheet. And we were freezing. We couldn’t ask for a blanket because by the time we got settled, the office was closed. We weren’t given wash cloths for the shower and there was only enough warm water for one persons shower. I had to take a cold shower. I felt so gross staying here that the morning after checking in, I asked to check out two days early. I was supposed to stay three nights and only stayed one, but they did refund me for the third night at least. Staff didn’t seem very empathetic. When I said I had to take a cold shower, the woman at the desk said “hold on, we’re going to check because we know that room has hot water”. Okay, well me and many other reviewers are telling you it doesn’t, so don’t respond that way when I had to take a freezing shower when I paid for a room with hot water. The guy who checked us in immediately tried to sell us the same tour on Get Your Guide for $20 more. The pool is listed as heated but it was cold. Minor improvements could be made that would be so easy and affordable, such as a BLANKET, wash cloths, a second trash can in the room (not just a tiny one in the bathroom), and hanging hooks on the walls to hang your belongings (we had to put our things on the nasty floor), and a small table with drawers to hold your things. I know this is a hostel and it’s cheap. I wasn’t expecting 5 stars. But I still expect a clean room with warm water and a blanket. For $40 more, I got a nice air b&b with all the amenities of a hotel plus more. Pros: The outside is beautiful and in a good location, within walking distance of everything downtown. If you’re a solo traveler on a budget, sharing a dorm room and willing to overlook the cons due to the price, this place would work for you. I would not stay here again.

Great location, clean rooms, nice common area, overall would recommend people to stay here! This is the only place I encountered in Costa Rica where the staff wasn’t super friendly. We booked a private room and the beds were comfy and showers were hot and clean. I do wish we had more than a sheet to cover ourselves with but we turned the AC off and it was fine. The music and bar winds down around 10 or so which is perfect if you are planning to wake up early for tours. Despite the less than stellar customer service I would still recommend staying here!

Frannie and George are amazing. Perfect location, right in the heart of downtown. Really enjoyed my stay, and will be back. The only thing about the room is that it didnt have hot water in the shower. Totally fine and actually preferred when its warm out, but when its cooler and rainy it would be nice to have a hot shower.