Alpha Hostel

Alpha Hostel is a place to stay for a couple of nights or for long term. It is a great place to meet people although there is little common space. There is a small common room with a television and DVD player and a long narrow hallway with tables to eat and meet people. The staff is friendly, coming from both Brazil and from abroad, and helpful with a great command of English.

The Location

The hostel is located in the Botafogo area of Rio, about a twenty-minute ride from the bus station and forty minutes from the airport. Rio de Janeiro is a very large city and this area is a good location to visit all of the sites such as the sugar loaf (which is within walking distance), Santa Theresa area, and Cococabana and Ipanema (only a ten-minute bus ride away). If you are looking for a party location, the Botafogo area is not where you would like to stay. There is one supermarket around the corner from the hostel and little stands with fruits outside the hostel on the main street.

Rooms and Bathrooms

The dorms and rooms are basic -- all with a fan. They are each painted a different theme of Rio de Janeiro such as the "rain forest room" or the "lake room" with basic single and double beds, and including a base sheet and towel. There are small, square lockers to lock things in for each person -- however, you need to bring your own lock. Security in the hostel appears fine as long as you lock your personal goods in a locker. The bathrooms are all shared and located next to the dorms. There are no apparent problems with bathroom availability. Unfortunately the rooms and showers have a persistent mildew smell that not even the fans could get rid of.

Common Spaces

The common area is ok, consisting of two small couches and a chair. The kitchen is small but clean, with everything you need (except a can opener!). The eating area is a long hallway with six two-to three-person small tables to eat your meals at. Breakfast is served in this hallway from 8 to 10 a.m., consisting of bread and butter, cheese, ham (many people make toasties), bananas, and papaya. Tea and coffee are also prepared for you. The hostel also offers tours and excursions but you have to ask to book.

Summary

Overall, we did not like this hostel due to the horrific smell in our room and bathroom, which made it unbearable to sit in our room. However there was not much space in the hostel to sit elsewhere, so we had to go out. Also, the music begins at 8 a.m. and many of the rooms are along the eating area so you awake with the sound of people and music at 8 a.m. no matter what. The entirety of the hostel does not feel clean and tidy as the rooms smell of mildew, it is hard to fall asleep in the room (especially if you have mild allergies like we do), and the outside walls did not seem painted in years.

— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
January 2008