The Hostelz.com Review - Genuine, independent review you can trust.
Good location, good vibes, good times -- Puerto Dreams Hostel lives up to its name and lives up to Puerto Escondido's reputation.
The Location
For those more concerned with being in the heart of a place, Puerto Dreams has an excellent location; restaurants, shops, and markets (including a charming local-growers market for purchasing free produce) are plentiful and the hostel is within an easy walking distance of the major bus stations, and even the airport is within walking distance. The hostel is close to the major thoroughfares of downtown Puerto Escondido, meaning that access to local transportation is easy and convenient, but the town itself is so small that most places are within walking distance anyway.
In regards to location, the hostel is a reasonable distance from the beaches of Puerto; the closest is a twenty-minute walk away, so if rolling out of bed and onto the sand is the goal of your stay you should perhaps look for somewhere closer.
Rooms and Bathrooms
Dorm rooms available include six- or eight-bed dorms or four-bed deluxe; private rooms are either double or twin (some have an en suite bathroom). Dorm rooms are excellent; the rooms don't lock but each has lockers available for guest use. Each bed has its own reading light and power points, and the bottom beds have curtains that be drawn around for more privacy.
Showers and toilets aren't particularly plentiful, and it is often necessary to wait. The showers themselves are clean and well maintained with plenty of spaces/options for hanging clothes and toiletries and getting changed.
Common Spaces
While the rooms only hinted at how switched on the designer was when making this hostel, the common areas are where his/her work really shines. The only complaint with the common areas is there's so many of them! There's a fake-grass-and-picnic-table vibe for those in the back of the hostel; a beachside cabana bar for those wanting a little more privacy; a TV room that would feel at home in the Playboy Mansion (really a mock-cave entrance, who does that? Puerto Dreams does); and finally the highlight, the rooftop bar with bar-side stools, a dining table, and comfy couches and hammocks. Plus there is a well-equipped kitchens here. plus one by the picnic tables. Wow.
The town of Puerto Escondido offers a lot, but after experiencing the comfy bar room with its nightly fiesta, it'll be all too easy to not even leave the hostel at all. While it gets busiest during happy hour, the party keeps going for long after as the bar offers decent views, a healthy refreshing breeze, and affable company. For those wanting nothing more than a good night's sleep, don't worry -- somehow the noise barely makes it down to the rooms, meaning the tunes and laughter can stay cranked and you can keep snoozing.
Summary
Puerto Dreams Hostel offers a lot more than just a bed, a kitchen, and beer. There are daily activities, mostly happening in the night time, free bike rental (just need to deposit your passport), and tours. The walk to the beach is the only niggle in this exceptional hostel; the memories of its excellent rooms, friendly staff, and dangerously comfortable bar area will make that walk to and from the beach worth it.
Photos taken by the Hostelz.com reviewer — Genuine photos you can trust.
Candy
Hostelz.com Staff Reviewer
Published on Dec 6, 2018
Location and Contact
Location
The airport is just 7 minutes from the hostel. You can take a taxi for only $35 mxn from the bus station.