Wanderlust District

What drew me to this hostel is the free breakfast and the social aspect without having it be a party hostel. Plus, of all the hostels I looked at, this was one with *zero* bed bug complaints. I was hesitant to book at first because the owner reply’s to some previous reviews were very curt but then after staying a week they’re just sassy lmao! You’ll experience it first hand especially interacting with Claudia. The breakfast is filling and you sit “family style” meaning two big tables where you can be side by side talking to another person. The hostel did feel empty at times especially during the midday and night but I guess it depends on the season you’re staying. During the last week of March, when I stayed, it felt like less than 15 people were there - ranging from ages 28-35 with a pinch of a few older folks. I stayed in the private room with an en-suite bathroom (the Penguin). What mildly surprised me is the little things I didn’t expect such a clothing rack to hang your clothes, a hair dryer, a hamper (bring a liner if you’re a clean freak), and compartments (like a mini table, a rack) in the bathroom to place your things. I was expecting a spartan room with just a bed and desk so these small things were nice. There is clean drinking water and common areas to chill. Claudia and Hugo practically arranges, finds, or suggests activities every day. Market tours, night clubs to visit, lucha libre, Teotihuacan, food tours, bike tours, Xochimilco, etc. so you can come with a plan and do your own thing or come with zero plans and be spontaneous. They announce them in a WhatsApp group chat where you can also coordinate with other hostel folks. The vibe is practically “touch and go” meaning you make friends, you make friends. If you don’t, you don’t. You join an activity or you don’t. No pasa nada 🤷🏽 One thing that I missed when booking is STAIRS. Just an FYI for those bringing large luggage or have mobility issues or need flat ground when coming in after a drunk night out. The main common areas (kitchen, game room) are on the top floor and you also need to trek your luggage up stairs (the Penguin is on the 3rd floor, 2nd if you don’t count the ground floor). I would also bring a mini-fan if you sleep hot although it gets cool at night (56F/13C) so I didn’t think the heat was unbearable. The fan is more useful for white noise. Overall, I would stay again! The only thing that I would have liked was to have announced and recurring activities (e.g., “every Wednesday we do board game night” or “every Friday we see lucha libre”) especially for the travelers, like me, who like to plan ahead.