La Guayana Hostel, Bocas del Toro

La Guayana Hostel is a small hostel a bit removed from downtown Bocas with a good vibe and a free pancake breakfast. Unfortunately, the bunk beds are extremely wobbly and the common area is too small to accommodate the majority of guests.

The Location

The hostel is located about ten minutes' walking distance from downtown Bocas, and there are a couple of supermarkets and restaurants close by. La Guayana can be found on the main road out of town and the hostel is located on the first floor of a wooden building. If you have heavy luggage, you can take an inexpensive yellow taxi back and forth from downtown.

Rooms and Bathrooms

The six-bed dorm features wobbly bunk beds (you will definitely feel it when your bunkmate moves even just a tiny bit) and ok mattresses. Dorms are air conditioned, but there are no mosquito screens on the windows and thus bug repellent is a must. Both dorm rooms and the front gate are locked at all times. Bottom bunks have enough space to sit up comfortably, but there are no individual lights or electrical sockets for each bunk. There are some sockets in the dorm, though. Medium-sized lockers (bring a padlock) can be found in the dorm room, but are made up of a precarious stack of lockable wooden boxes. There is enough floor space for luggage but windows are in funny places and are fairly odd-sized. The dorm has a reasonably clean en suite bathroom with shower (only cold water) and toilet.

Common Spaces

There is a combined common area/kitchen/dining room on the first floor where people generally hang out. Unfortunately this area is not big enough to accommodate the majority of guests and thus it gets crowded easily. This is also where a free breakfast of pancakes and fruits is served. There is a small book exchange in the common room, and a friendly dog calls this place home. The reception can also be found here, but it is unfortunately placed and thus guests at reception always block the way to and from the common area/rooms.
Wi-Fi works well throughout the hostel.

Summary

La Guayana is a small hostel that would do well to expand its common area so that more than five guests can eat a sit-down meal at the same time.