Hostel Pangea

San José (Barrio Amon)

3 of 27

Address	Avenida 11 and Calle 3 bis, San José (Barrio Amon), San José Province, Costa Rica
Price	$9 year round Check Current Prices by Date Here

Location/Contact

Details

Their Description

Features

Kitchen
Lockers
24 Hour Free Hot Showers
Pool Table
Washing Machine (laundry)
Lounge / Common space
Travel information provided
Bar
Food/Restaurant
Gameroom
Clothes Dryer
TV
Phones (public or in room)
BBQ
Swimming Pool
Currency Exchange
Nightclub

The Hostelz.com Review

The Hostel Pangea is quite a well-known hostel in San Jose and is popular amongst travelers.

The Location

Pangea is located a taxi ride away from the San Jose bus stations but within walking distance of ten minutes of the city centre´s main attractions and shopping areas. The hostel is run as more of a commercial business than many Central American hostels. The hostel employs a security guard and every guest is given a wristband to ensure that there are no unwanted intruders in the hostel. Staff advise travelers to take a taxi if traveling around the city late at night. The hostel is located about five minutes away by taxi from the bar and nightclub area.

Rooms and Bathrooms

The dorm rooms are small but not too crowded and the hostel provides security lockers -- but you must provide your own lock. Rooms are also equipped with fans. The bunk beds are comfortable and clean linen is provided. There is a refundable key deposit.

The bathrooms are also kept clean, however there is no hot water. There is an adequate number of spacious bathrooms in the hostel. There are no hooks or shelves for clothes though.

There is a twenty-four-hour reception and helpful multi-lingual staff. Facilities provided at the hostel include bar/restaurant, swimming pool, laundry service, free internet, and a ten-minute free phone call to Europe, North America, or Canada. There is also a pool table and common area for guests and a TV room. Checkout is at 11 a.m. and departing guests are allowed to use the hostel´s facilities for the rest of the day if they pay a small fee.

Common Spaces

The hostel bar gives backpackers an opportunity to meet other travelers. Similarly the pool area is another area to do this.

Summary

Overall this is a good hostel, with good location, good facilities, and a proper hostel atmosphere.

— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
April 2008

Ratings & Comments

4 Average from 33 Ratings

This is an open forum, and unlike other hostel guide websites we don't censor out the negative comments.
We can't validate the legitimacy of comments posted on this site—so take what you read here with a grain of salt.

Comment by T. Soli, USA

August 2009

Socially Fun yet Small/Noisy for Sleeping
Helen, the cashier, and Fernando, the security guard, were amazingly amicable! Shuttle greeted us at airport yet looped the airport five times waiting for another guest for thirty minutes. Murals beautiful, rooms are too small, bathrooms some hot water but smelly, roof-top bar was great for socializing, cheap drinks, movie theatre with bean bags was cool place to hang. Rooms too small!

Comment by Rachel, USA

June 2009

Sh*tty service
If I was with a group of people who wanted to party and not leave our hostel, this is the place to be. It's clean and has a bar upstairs. If you are looking for some help to plan your time in San Jose or Costa Rica, they are horrible liars that want tour commissions. I had a friend stay at Hostel Pangea and she liked it. Since it was Semana Santa (Holy Week), I was nervous about finding a hostel and made reservations for two nights. When I got there around sunset, they made me pay for both nights upfront and dimed me with deposits. I hadn't been to an ATM since I left Bocas del Toro, Panama, because I didn't want to be carrying a lot of cash, so I almost didn't have enough. Anyway, I get settled and go to ask their trip planning staff (I forget what they call it exactly), what is the best route to walk to the TUASA bus station so I can go to Volcan Poas. Are there better streets? Ones to avoid? He tells me there is no bus to Poas anymore. I thought that was strange because before I left Monteverde, where I had been volunteering for six months, I made it a point to check that the national park had reopened after the earthquake in December. I asked if he was sure. He said that the bus didn't take you all the way to Poas because the road was still broken from the earthquake, but I could sign up for this $65 tour that included a coffee plantation tour and butterfly garden. I explained that I was meeting friends at Volcan Poas and didn't want a tour. I asked if there was some other way to get to Poas. He told me that if you took a the Poas bus, it would only take you too the town, then you had to find a taxi to take you to the park and pay for it to wait for you and it was really expensive. After much thought, I asked him about how much a taxi would be. He didn't know. I asked if he could find out an estimate from the hostel to Poas. He fiddled with his computer for a bit, then talked to two guys behind the counter. Ten minutes later he comes back and says that he doesn't know how much a taxi would be. I ask him if he could call a taxi company for me and ask. He didn't really give me an answer and started helping someone else. He suggested the tour again, and I reiterated that I didn't want a tour, only to get to Poas. Then he tries to sell me a tour to Irazu. I told him my friends weren't at Irazu, they were going to be at Poas and then gave up. Later I decide that I should try and call my friends to tell them that I might not make it to Poas to see them. I ask the same guy if I could use the phone, I had a Costa Rican calling card. He said I could use the phone for 50 colones a minute. I repeat that I have a phone card and would like to use it. He said I had to go use the public phone on the corner then. So at 8 p.m./9 p.m. at night in San Jose, I wander off to the street corner to call my friends. The next day I set off early to the TUASA station to ask them if there was a way to get to the volcano. The man working there said, "Yes, it leaves there at 8:30 a.m." I asked him if it went all the way to the park and he gave me a strange look and said, "Claro que si (of course)." I got all the way to the park, which hadn't clouded over yet (I had a view time of an hour before the crater disappeared behind the clouds), and met my friends, no problems. So, in conclusion, the service sucks!

Comment by Intrepid Traveler, USA

May 2009

Scam and No Pura Vida lives here!
I arrived the San Jose airport with the expectation to be picked up by Hostel Pangea as booked. Upon arrival, no van was there. So, I called Pangea and they said the driver had just left and that if I took a regular taxi, they would have to charge me anyway. One hour later, they arrived to pick me up! Upon arrival at Pangea, the staff were rude and nasty. The free internet, if one could find a terminal that was working, was so slow that I had to leave the hostel to pay for one to use. The food was horrible -- the worst Gallo Pinto in all of CR. Sure, it's cheap, yet, better to pay $10 more for a place that will treat you fairly and has decent food.

Comment by Ruudje , Netherlands

March 2009

Don't go there
There was no chance to sleep in this hostel, because of a rock band above our heads. And the (cocaine using) staff didn't take any responsibility and were really rude to us. Although we paid 30 dollars we got a small sh*tty room at the back of the hostel with a rack in the ceiling above our heads. Then a rock band started playing above our heads at 9 p.m. and it didn't stop all night long (we had a plane to catch the next morning at 5 a.m). When the rock band was still playing at 11 p.m., I went to the reception and they told us that it was not their responsibility because the band was outside the hostel. When we asked them for another room they told us they were full. We didn't get our money back either because they don't do refunds. So they let us pay 30 dollars to hear the worst rock band of costa rica banging on our heads all night long. Then me and my boyfriend got really mad again at 2 in the morning when the rock band was still playing. We went together to the reception and told them to come and listen by themselves. They yelled at us that it was not their problem. Then three other people from the rooms that were beside ours came complaining too (They had complained earlier in the evening too). All of a sudden it became to threatening for them and four rooms at another part of the hostel were empty. So at least we slept one hour for 30 bucks. The staff were really rude to us the next morning when we went to the airport. I think this happens every night and they rent the rock band rooms during the day (when there's not yet a rock band playing). And people that arrive at the hostel at night get other rooms (because otherwise they would hear the rock band and wouldn't take the room).

Comment by Lizerd, US

December 2008

Good even for honeymoooners!
My (brand-new) husband and I stayed here a couple nights, and enjoyed the bar, the restaurant, the pool, the free internet, the pool tables, beautiful wall murals, telephone, TV room, airport shuttle, and comfortable private room -- all for a very fair price. This hostel provides many conveniences if you like to travel in style occasionally while in Costa Rica.

Comment by Christy, Canada

December 2008

Better then I had anticipated
After reading through comments, I was regretting having made a reservation at this hostel. Once we arrived though we were not disappointed, the staff was friendly and helpful, the rooms were clean, bathrooms needed some work, the bar/restaurant upstairs had excellent food. And it was in a central location, which was good for when you needed to get a cab, go to the bank, or go buy bus tickets.

Comment by Ryan, USA

September 2008

Surpassed my expectations!
From reading all the comments, I was a little hesitant to stay here but I couldn't have been more pleased with Hostel Pangea. The staff were very helpful and pleasant. I thought the staff were definitely one of the highlights. We were in a private room, $14 each. The room was small for four people but we were only in the room to sleep so it wasn't a big deal. The beds were comfortable and the mattresses were the best I've slept on in Costa Rican hostels. The hostel has a funky design and layout. There were couches and little nooks everywhere so it was great for meeting people. There were also plenty of bathrooms. The location is good. Security was top rate. We had to leave our car keys at the front desk but that's no big deal. There is gated parking and a security guy at the gate at all hours. The restaurant/bar was slightly overpriced but not too bad overall. Food was decent, drinks were reasonable. People were very cool. All in all, Hostel Pangea is highly recommended!

Comment by L, usa

August 2008

Avoid at all costs
This place is awful! We've traveled all over and stayed in countless hostels, and this place had the rudest staff we've encountered. In fact, I posted a review about our negative experiences at Hostel Pangea on another hostel site and was sent an aggressive and name-calling email from Pangea for speaking the truth about our experience! Hostel Pangea obviously blames their guest for its own shortcomings and will not hesitate to retaliate in a child-like manner. Although our experience while at the hostel was a negative one, the behavior of Hostel Pangea now, in regard to my honest review of our experience at their establishment, is shocking, pathetic, and utterly unprofessional.

Comment by Courtney, US

May 2008

Rude Employees and scamming "exchange rate"
The hotel has an exchange rate for colones much higher than the rest of the city, though they claim its like that everywhere in San Jose. It's not. We checked. So basically they screw every person who comes through the door who pays with colones out of a few dollars. Then, when they give you your key deposit back, they screw you again because of the "exchange rate." It's only a small amount of money out of your pocket, but its quite a bit of money into their pockets. Basically, our room was $28 but after exchange, it really cost us around $32. The guy at reception was pretty rude to us, and a different guy at reception giving us our deposit back in the morning was even worse, throwing my boyfriends extra 60 colones at him across the desk that he would have lost through this elusive "exchange rate." We paid 1060 colones for key deposit, so we should receive 1060 back. It is a deposit, not a rental. Yeah, its 60 colones, but its principle. Guessing they have about fifty beds/rooms for rent. they're thus pocketing over $100 a day by screwing their guests out of small amounts of money. It's shady and unappreciated. I call BS on Hostel Pangea.

Comment by mary, USA

April 2008

I liked it alot!
There is high security there, you can't enter unless you have the wristband showing that you are staying there. Really decent rooms, beds, and bathrooms. Tons of computers for internet access. The pool was a little dirty while I was there. This place definitely accommodates to party people. There's a dance floor upstairs and huge signs with recipes for mixed drinks decorating the walls. The restaurant upstairs is really big and nice. The prices for food are not so bad. The TV room has a huge television. The painted murals at this place are amazing! There are also hourly shuttles to the airport here.

Comment by Chelsea and Raul

December 2006

Excellent hostel with super helpful staff and awesome murals everywhere! We stayed in the original Pangea because we are not really the party type and we appreciated the kitchen use more than we would have a pool (it's rainy season presently) The only thing about the older Pangea is that the rooms on the street side are way too loud so as long as you check your room first you'll have a great time. Check out the other Pangea's rooftop bar and grill for amazing food too!

Comment by Mike

July 2006

This hostel would be average except for the fact that it is split over two blocks, one has all the good facilities like swimming pool, bar and restaurant while the other is, well just plain crap. If you're staying in the crap block its also a bit daunting walking back through San Jose at night as its not the most pleasant of evening strolls. I wouldn't go nuts about this place but obviously some people have.

Comment by Tara

June 2006

Stayed here a few times while travelling in Costa Rica, it makes for a great hub to travel throughout the rest of the country. The staff is so helpful and friendly, the resturant had good food, airport shuttle. The location is walking distance to the bus stations and super close to central streets. Loved it!

Comment by Alezza Hass

April 2006

I recently traveled to Costa Rica and was able to stay in both of Hostel Pangea's buildings which both had very nice beds and friendly staff. I also found that each building provided a different and unique atmosphere. If I wanted to drink, listen to music, and dance, there was a building I could do that in. On the other hand, if I wanted to relax, there was also space at Hostel Pangea to do that. The bar and restauant were excellent! The hostel is extremely clean and I enjoyed my trip very much to Costa Rica because of Hostel Pangea.

Comment by Flora

January 2006

This hostel has more than 1 building, so make sure you choose the right one! I stayed here twice, the first time my group were stuck away in some back dorms, in a building which had no swimmingpool. We were charged the same price as the 2nd time we stayed here, which was in accommodation which was much better. I also recommend that you do NOT leave your luggage in the storage area. A lot of stuff was stolen from my group after we left some bags there while travelling away from San Jose, and when we were in the room looking for these belongings, we turned the place upside down without being questioned and could easily have stotlen stuff ourselves! You can get free storage which is safe in other budget accommodation in San Jose! The rooms however were clean, and the staff as helpful as they could be with their limited English.
[Editor's Note: There are two buildings about 200m apart. You are free to visit either one no matter which is the one you are sleeping in. Theft is a problem at this hostel, so use the lockers and don't trust the free storage.]

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