Reviews of Bonita Ipanema

29 January 2012 Rosina would recommend this property

Liked: It had great location, a lovely pool to cool off and good breakfast.

Disliked: The staff could not tell you anything about tours, buses or anything relevant to tourists. All they knew how to do was sell you the room. Also the barkeep kept the music as loud as he and his mates felt like until he left for the night. Often it was hard to talk to others, watch tv or sleep due to his music.

05 January 2012

Liked: Excellent location in Ipanema close to supermarkets, restaurants, the beach, and copacabana. Lockers in dorms (note: you have to provide your own lock)

Disliked: Dirty!!! The bathrooms were absolutely awful! Through observation it appeared staff only cleaned and stocked the restrooms once a day (around lunchtime). As there were only (3) showers (way too little for as many dorms and people in the hostel) by the evenings the restrooms looked unusable and completely nasty. By the early mornings there were often times no toilet paper or towels in many of the restrooms. The trash bins were not emptied so USED/soiled on toilet paper spread across the floor (note: the hostel does not allow you to place toilet paper in the toilet). The sinks were often times clogged so washing your hands or brushing your teeth was many times difficult and frustrating. The hostel has 24/7 reception so it’s completely unfathomable how they could ignore the major issues with cleanup of the restrooms and common areas. Instead of cleanup I noticed a few of the staff just hanging around talking to their respective boyfriend or girlfriend who entered the hostel. Unprofessional Practices & Services: I booked the hostel for the price clearly listed on hostelbooker and my reservation was confirmed. A long two/three (2-3) months later I received an email from Bonita Ipanema saying they received the New Years eve reservation made by Hostelbookers and that they could NOT honor the price since the rate given by the hostelbooker (along with every other website) was wrong. To confirm my stay they demanded I pay 3 times what was agreed up and confirmed. Since they waited 3 months by this time all other hostels and hotels in the location were fully booked so I had no choice but to reluctantly agree to the extreme price increase. The staff (minus the guy bartender) were completely unfriendly and many times rude. When asked for simple directions to places they should know like the Statue of Christ or the Lapa steps they often provided answers like I’m not sure the bus number or just look it up on the internet (which by the way cost R$8 an hour). Once I asked if they could call a Samba school and ask when they had practice and they once again told me to check it out on the internet. I used their laundry service and agreed on when it would be done (which was agreed to be 24 hours later). The next day when laundry was supposed to be completed they advised me when I asked that “hey, it’s not our fault, it’s the holidays so we are busy”. I told them but they promised me the day before it would be done by this time and if I had known they couldn’t do my laundry in the agreed upon time I could have just done the laundry down the street at the self serve place(which by the way would have been quicker and cheaper). Since I had no clothes I had to wear dirty clothes the entire day. I would definitely never stay at the hostel again.

06 December 2011 christian would recommend this property

Liked: big common areas and great location

Disliked: few restrooms for big quantity of people and bedrooms

15 November 2011

Liked: Since we arrived to our confirmed reservation to a full hostel and were told they could not accommodate us and to head 5 blocks down the road to another hostel, Ipanema Beach House, we'll suggest you just stay there. Nicer pool, nicer outside space with hammocks, and closer to shopping /restaurants.

Disliked: They confirmed our reservation, waited until we arrived with bags to tell us they were full and would not accommodate us and we should go elsewhere.

10 September 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: perfect location close to the beaches, metro, and bars and restaurants, in a very safe area. the hotel in itself is really beautiful and good breakfast. they accept credit card which is not very common in brasil for hostels and pousada.

Disliked: the rooms are really simple and the dormitories are too crowded (12 beds in a room fit for maybe only 4!!!) . the staff is not really professional and not really nice

19 August 2011

Liked: Breakfast

Disliked: Bathroom, small bedroom, badly maintained

14 August 2011

Liked: Location is perfect, building has a lot of possibilities, but the staff and management don't use it.

Disliked: On arrival no clean beds, we ha to search ourselve. The girl said: " take of the clothes of that bed and you can use it.." Not many bathrooms and not really clean. But the most important is that the staff is incredible unfriendly. Look at their computerscreens without helping you, can't answer question, messy administration, really bad! Everywhere lost and found stuff around, really messy. Loud music that only the staff liked while taking a relax dive in the pool. Absolutely not worth the money, except for the location....

02 August 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: The location is great.. close to the beach + metro and plenty of shops/restaurants nearby. And the breakfast was the perfect start to our day!

Disliked: The room was really cramped and never cleaned in the days that we were there. The people working there were not always keen to help (and generally busy with their personal lives)!

25 July 2011 Stuart would recommend this property

Liked: Staff very helpful, location couldn't be better, facilities were very good.

Disliked: Nothing.

08 July 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Nice old building which still has original period features such as sash windows and solid wood doors instead of cheap replacements. Staff are extremely helpfull. Rooms cleaned and beds made up every day, you feel looked after. Excellent value for money considering it is in Ipanema the most expensive suburb in South America, particularly for single travellers wanting a private room as they charge single person rates. Excellent breakfast buffet, you can eat as much as you want until 10.30am. Good balance between partying and quiet time for rest. Good age range of guests.

Disliked: Nothing particularly, sometimes a bit noisy early in the morning when the staff arrive if you get certain rooms but this does give the place a community atmosphere and gets you out of bed for breakfast.

27 June 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Good location and had a pool, bar and an excellent breakfast!

Disliked: Not enough bathrooms and no kitchen, also would have been helpfull if the staff could have placed up a notice saying it was a long weekend. saving me the dilema of nearly changing hostels, because they had no room!

15 June 2011 Karl would recommend this property

Liked: great location, nice layout, dorm room wasnt too cramped

Disliked: Breakfast was a bit limited considering the price, but it was adequate

08 June 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Its in a nice part of Ipanema - close to the shopping areas and close to the beach. Breakfast was very nice.

Disliked: Very expensive for what you got, especially since you have to share bathrooms with all the rooms.

28 April 2011

Liked: it is all about location location location with this property. it is just two blocks off the beach. the area around the property is alot fun with bars and walk away eateries

Disliked: first they did not have our reservation for check in. after some email searching they found it and blamed hostelbookers. even after finding the reservation i did not get the room i signed up for. i thought i paid for the entire room on my amex when i checked in. but there was balance due on the room when i checked out and they wouldnt take the amex. two days they didnt credit cards at all. the supposed pool had no filtration. the electricty was always going out. no water in the bathroom for a day. even when there was water the toilets always stopped up. the internet was only up for about an hour or two a day. there was no room available with a/c and the room i had was like an oven. the staff/owners seemed unconcerned about all the issues.

14 March 2011 saskia would recommend this property

Liked: nice atmosphere, lovely staff.

Disliked: Didn't find many faults, basic accommodation, it was clean and tidy.

27 February 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Great location, several metres away from Ipanema Metro, and yet still quiet.

Disliked: If you give your name to the bar tender then he will charge extra drinks to your account; I saw this happen to several people who thought that the bartender was just being friendly.

25 February 2011

Liked: It was nice to have a pool

Disliked: The dorm rooms are very cramped and hot. The bathrooms were very dirty. The internet was not for free. You had to change the sheets yourself. Even taking off other people's dirty sheets

23 February 2011 Mary would recommend this property

Liked: Great hostel in good location...great for couples

Disliked: nothing

23 February 2011 Juan Manuel would recommend this property

Liked: Great place, very good located. It has a nice pool and friendly people to make friends. Excelent shower!!!!

Disliked: /nothing, everything eas ok

11 February 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Nice atmosphere, friendly and helpful staff. The location is great and the hostel is really pretty.

Disliked: When we arrived we were told our booking had been cancelled. The night porter was great though and organised a room for us.

31 January 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Location, really close to the beach and to bars and restaurants, no problem to go outside at night. Top Tour offered via hostel was very nice and worth it.

Disliked: didn't dislike anything in particular

29 January 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: I is very nice hostel. Location is great. Pls know, there is no public kitchen, what yoy probably expect in a hostel. It's more a hotel like hostel, lots of private dorms. But the rest is great, the staff helps you to get you where ever you wanna go. I can recomend this hostel to everyone who likes to stay in rio and enjoy nightlife and the beach!!

Disliked: The missing kitchen..

26 January 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Good location near Metro / buses and Ipanema beach. The room was small and basic but ok for a short stay. Quite a nice common area and there is a small pool but the water could be cleaner. There is a bar but it's only open in the evening.

Disliked: I had to pay for the room on arrival. The staff are not particulary friendly.

19 January 2011

Liked: Location, swimming pool, breakfast

Disliked: Overpriced, tiny room with no furniture, had me waiting for the room 1,5 hours with no explanations or apologies: the worst recepcionist work i have experienced staying in a hostel. And got charged the commision paid to hostelbookers.

17 January 2011 enrique would recommend this property

Liked: Historical place, close to the beach and subway, the pool, the staff at the desk are helpful and nice, wifi internet, TV room.

Disliked: Some maintenance staffs appear lazy, sleeping on the guests couch while bathrooms and floors continue to get dirty or messy. My bath towels didn't get changed until I asked twice which made me suspect my bed sheets never got changed then. However, they are very nice and helpful when addressed.