HI - Mendoza - Campo Base Hostel

HI - Mendoza - Campo Base Hostel is well located and has large common areas (including a bar) enabling guests to socialise, along with regular theme nights (such as Pizza Party, or the BBQ) to encourage a friendly atmosphere. There is a twenty-four-hour manned reception and plenty of information on other HI hostels for onward travel or activities to undertake during your stay in Mendoza.

The Location

This hostel is well located being downtown, just across from Plaza Independencia. It is possible to walk to the hostel from the bus terminal (if your bag isn't too heavy!), it should take around twenty minutes. There is an information desk within the bus terminal from which you can obtain a map -- the route is not too difficult to navigate as the roads are arranged in blocks. For those seeking nightlife, bars and restaurants are an easy walk away.

Rooms and Bathrooms

The dorms are clean but are quite dark and cramped; also there is no air-conditioning (contrary to this being a listed feature of the hostel in the description). Whilst there are ceiling fans, this does not provide much comfort to those on lower bunks, so be warned, it can get very warm in the dorms! Keys are issued for dorm rooms and there are lockers -- unfortunately the lockers are wooden and some appear in a state of disrepair and guests may struggle to utilise designated lockers as some are very high off the ground. The hostel has two co-ed bathrooms which are clean but extremely small -- each bathroom has two sinks, two toilets (the upstairs toilet cubicles are a challenge to get in and out of!), and two shower cubicles.

Common Spaces

The common areas are large but not especially comfortable as they mostly consist of wooden tables and chairs. The kitchen is kept clean and tidy, although it is fairly small and the cupboard/fridge space for guests to store groceries is not very well organised. Even though it is included as a feature in the description provided by the hostel, there is no swimming pool. Similarly, there is no restaurant (although on certain nights food is offered for an additional fee as part of a hostel activity, such as the BBQ party). The hostel does provide Wi-Fi for those with laptops and for those without there is a computer terminal available for use.

Summary

The property feels secure, as access can only be gained via the front gate, where guests must be buzzed in by a staff member. Despite some disparity between the features listed on the description provided by the hostel and those actually provided, overall this hostel represents good value for money. The hostel is clean and tidy and the common areas are bright and roomy. This is not a rowdy hostel -- a good mix of people fosters a relaxed atmosphere.

— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
February 2009