Reviews of Alpha Hostel

08 February 2012

Liked: Verry friendly and helpfull staff. To be honest, the rooms Are verry small and they have alot of beds in the room so that was a bit bad. But staff was awsome!!

Disliked: The rooms are so so, to many beds in a small area. And there where to small place to hang out..

06 February 2012 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: great location easy to find friendly staff

Disliked: only that the bath room was a little cramped

12 December 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: I was welcomed very warmly , and I felt at home from the first moment so I ended up staying there for a whole week... Luciana and Coni...Grazie milleeeee!!!!

Disliked: Customer left no negative feedback.

05 December 2011

Liked: The breakfast is very good at this price.

Disliked: The room we stayed was smelly and the linen was not very clean. I felt not very welcoming when staff insisted to pay the room on our arrival. They did not allow you to go into the room until you get your cash from ATM or at least pay the first night. I think it is not very considerable and helpful for tourists first arrived in Rio.

27 November 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Perfect location. Good breakfast.

Disliked: There was not luggage room at all. However they alowed me to leave my luggages until 15.00 . I was a little bit disapointed by this

21 November 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: very good location

Disliked: noise ,

07 October 2011 Christopher would recommend this property

Liked: Excellent location. Safe and quiet. Free breakfast included in price.

Disliked: Room not ensuite as described. Bed bugs. Bed bugs. Bed bugs. Covered in really itchy bites!

11 September 2011

Liked: the location near to botafogo beach and central to the major attractions

Disliked: it was unclean and smelled like bad toilets. the staff were freindly but they did not encourage a group/welcoming atmosphere.

22 August 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: The location was great and the staff members were pretty helpful.

Disliked: The private rooms have little privacy and there was no hot water in the women's washrooms. The kitchen also closes at 10 pm, which is quite early, and they are strict on that rule. There were some random people staying in the hostel, that weren't tourists and they usually took up the common tv room.

25 July 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: I loved the location.

Disliked: The bathrooms are dirty and some bedrooms need lots of repairs.

16 March 2011 zia would recommend this property

Liked: Best location ever, can walk to all main sites, metro on doorstep too.

Disliked: Beds a bit knackered

14 March 2011

Liked: its near the netro station!

Disliked: very unfriendly staff! And be attencion with you change if you buy something on the front desk!!! The breakfast....nothing to say!! Old toast bread self made marmalade... and the coffe was terible!! never again in this hostel!!!

25 January 2011

Liked: Nice neighbourhood, close to a metro station.

Disliked: Kitchen not the cleanest, full of young kids (sure this isnt always the case though).

09 January 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Clean, great locaction close to all the major tourist attractions, friendly and helpful staff, relaxed atmosphere, only a two minute walk from Botofogo metro station which was invaluable, good value for money - overall a great hostel

Disliked: Nothing. Very satisfied overall.

12 May 2010

Liked: We have stayed at many hostels traveling South America over the past few months With this in mind, my comments and recommendations:Apart from the bed bugs and other crawling insects for which we had to buy our own pest control spray and in-fumigate ; apart from the very old mattresses, musty bed sheets and pillows that needed replacing years ago (they smell of age and rot); apart from a very average breakfast of a few varied fruits, toast and bad coffee (typical for SA) and apart from the fact they don't use soap to wash the dishes rather a tub of lard (I think they may have been attempting to make their own soap however, the scour/sponge was constantly in the tub of lard) the place is not too bad.The atmosphere is pretty good, the staff and guests made up for our stay. We met some really nice people there. Leo and Luna, you guys are great, thank you.They have four computers with internet of which only one was working in the seven days I was there. (Internet cost $4 Real per hour on the house computers) The internet access is slow at best and if it rains, forget it altogether. Take your laptop as the WIFI is probably better than the house computers although they suffer like the rest with the rain. On the final day, the had major electric problems and were having an electrician fix the power box and other electrical points so not sure about the quality of the building as a whole. There was no internet and no hot water on this day either.The television is standard cable but the speakers of the television work intermittently and most of the time, we had no sound at all.The kitchen is small and not really good for home made meals. There is only one soup bowl in the whole place so don't plan soups or cereal breakfast unless you have your own bowl or a lot of patience! LOLThe rooms are a decent size but no place to sit your bags but the floor.....and remember the bugs! Found those in my bag when arrived in the next location! The top floor bathroom (men's -three showers and two toilets) are cramped and the female bathroom on the has only one toilet and one shower....not very good considering the top floor sleeps 16 or so people. Lockers are provided for each bed - take your own pad lock. Overall it's the atmosphere of the staff and other guests that makes the place worth it. My recommendation: Look else where, leave this hostel to the bugs.

Disliked: Geoffrey left no negative feedback.

09 March 2010 Clarence would recommend this property

Liked: The staff members were very helpful. Julianna, the breakfast cook and cleaning lady, was absoluting amazing. She was very helpful and quite a character. Rebecca, Leo and Daniel were very helpful as well. Rebecca specifically made it a point to make sure I had everything I needed while there. The kitchen was always avaiable: a big plus!! And the wireless internet work about 99.9% of the time!! Another big plus! Overall, I enjoyed my stay!

Disliked: Clarence left no negative feedback.

12 November 2009 John would recommend this property

Liked: A good, no-frills, does-the-job, steady hostel that basically has everything you need. Interesting location in that, while not immediately next to anywhere special, it is centrally located to everywhere you´d want to visit so that a short bus trip or a healthy walk is all that is needed to get anywhere (eg 30 minute walk over the hill to Copacabana). The location in a quiet street near to a supermarket and shopping centre was a bonus. Overall, a good place to stay.

Disliked: John left no negative feedback.

04 November 2009 Suzan would recommend this property

Liked: location but not as fun or social at all or at least not like the photos on the wall portray

Disliked: Suzan left no negative feedback.

16 September 2009 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: The location and the atmosphere.We didn't like the fact that upon arrival they had no idea we booked the hostel, and since the night watch person didn't know how to check reservations on the web we had to wait for 2 hr. till the morning shift person arrived. and even after he arrived he didn't check the reservation and only after we asked him to check after waiting for an additional for half an hour did he bother to check.

Disliked: Customer left no negative feedback.

05 June 2009 Priscila would recommend this property

Liked: The location was excellent. Helena, the owner, and Leo, the manager are always on hand to help and has loads of info on whats going on.. Great atmosphere. The BEST breakfast in Brasil so far. I had a great time there.

Disliked: Priscila left no negative feedback.

02 June 2009 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: I liked the entrance to the property and the breakfast was good. Quiet also ouside at night cos located on side road just off Prai de Botafogo, the main shopping street. Downside : room big enough but made of cardboard walls (private room) so could hear neighbours a bit.

Disliked: Customer left no negative feedback.

06 February 2009 lisa would recommend this property

Liked: We really enjoyed our stay at Alpha hostel. We had the private room and a tiny balcony. The bathrooms were on the same floor (always a plus) The kitchen was well equipped and actually usable (unlike some places we've been) They had a book exchange and movies to watch, access to internet and the staff were all friendly and helpful. It was hard to leave!

Disliked: lisa left no negative feedback.

22 December 2008 Zella and Charles would recommend this property

Liked: staff, location, cost, safety. Overall a great value for the money.

Disliked: Zella and Charles left no negative feedback.

09 July 2008 Adriana Lia would recommend this property

Liked: nice friendly stuff

Disliked: Adriana Lia left no negative feedback.

16 May 2008

Liked: Good location - close to metro, buses, shopping mall and in a safe area. Otherwise, a fairly average experience - no private ensuite room for first 2 nights although we booked for this, intermittent hot shower, noisy courtyard outside room. They're renovating so hopefully this will make it all better.

Disliked: Customer left no negative feedback.