Rio de Janeiro · Brazil
Ipanema Beach Hostel
Bed bug reports
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Confirmed Hostelworld
Incredibly overpriced for one of the most awkward and uncomfortable hostels I’ve seen. You don’t have to dig deep in the bad reviews to find mold, theft and bedbugs although thankfully I didn’t experience any of these firsthand. Earplugs are ESSENTIAL. The constant upselling of breakfast, drinks (first one free at EXACTLY 8:30pm), and tours is irritating after the already incredibly exorbitant cost for the bed. Many better and cheaper options are available in Rio. Not worth it!
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Confirmed Google Maps
DO NOT STAY HERE, when we arrived we found bed bugs in our room and had to move after booking 7 days for 760$ for the holiday season. The reception (Melissa) was not understanding and didn’t gave our money back even if they removed our bracelets and took our room cards. Felt very unhygienic in the room and common area. Not worth the stay for the price, you can get a cleaner, safer. The rooms were so small we can barely move and the bathroom door doesn’t close fully so any creep can watch you shower. I feel like all the ratings are fake!
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Confirmed Hostelworld
DO NOT STAY HERE, when we arrived we found bed bugs in our room and had to move after booking 7 days for 760$ for the holiday season. The reception was not understanding and didn’t gave our money back even if they removed our bracelets and took our room cards. Felt very unhygienic in the room and common area. Not worth the stay for the price, you can get a cleaner, safer. The rooms were so small we can barely move and the bathroom door doesn’t close fully so any creep can watch you.
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Confirmed Hostelworld
I did absolutely love this place, really nice staff, great activities and the vibe was just great. The location is also amazing HOWEVER they need to address the BED BUG situation. Multiple people during my stay including myself found bedbugs/ were bitten by bedbugs etc. It’s obviously an issue and if it’s left untreated for too long it’s going to explode into a full blown infestation. So I guess pick your fighter, it’s amazing there but they do have bedbugs lol
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Confirmed Google Maps
Positives: - Free caipirinhas at 8 PM. - Lots of luggage space in the bar and in the nicer shared rooms. - Staff speak English - Good location (near beach and safe and near other hostels) Negatives: - By far the worst hostel I have ever stayed at. - AC mentioned on website but did not cool my room at all. - WIFI mentioned on website but it did not reach my bed. - Run down, and small rooms. - Live cockroaches in the hostel rooms - Walls above some bunk beds are covered in mould. - Overpriced. - No kitchen, and no laundry. - Large glass wall in first and second storey rooms is cracked and moves easily when pushed. (Does not feel safe). - Breakfast is nothing special and a bit expensive for what it is (not included). - Old stained towels that you have to pay for. - Some mattresses are old and have bed bugs (I was bitten a lot). - Some staff are impolite (others are nice). - There is no 'common room' it's just the public bar where any old guy from the street can walk in. - No one we talked to who also stayed there liked the place. - They give you a discount for reviewing the place in front of them - encouraging false positive reviews.
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Possible Hostelworld
Not sure how they have such good reviews. this is the first hostel ive seen without a kitchen. I also woke up super itchy from bug bites and saw 3 roaches right before going to bed. The room was also super small and the price was insane $80 dollars for one night.
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Confirmed Hostelworld
Ants, Bedbugs
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Confirmed Google Maps
If you have the minimum hygiene standards, don't go. Terrible rooms, smelling like mold and bed bug stains on the sheets... I couldn't even stay the first night.
HostelPunk native reviews
First-party field notes
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Vibe Analysis
Ipanema Beach Hostel is mostly about the address: a short walk from Ipanema beach, right on the Leblon side, with restaurants, markets, metro access, and beach life close by. If your Rio plan is beach first, nights out second, and you can live with a rougher building, the location is the actual headline. The social side exists, but it is uneven. Organized activities, tours, free-caipirinha moments, and a steady solo-traveller flow can make it easy to meet people when you join in. Staff and volunteers can be genuinely warm, with a few reception names leaving a strong impression. The tradeoff is blunt: this is not a roomy, polished hostel. The setup can feel more like a tight crash pad than a full hangout base, with the entrance/bar, sidewalk tables, or the sister hostel across the street doing more of the social work than a proper common room. Tiny dorms, weak storage, limited kitchen space, tired bathrooms, damp smells, inconsistent cleaning, noise, and paid basics come up often enough that expectations should be set low. Best fit: beach-and-party travellers who will be out most of the day and mainly want a social launch point in Ipanema. Bad fit: anyone who needs quiet, space, strong maintenance, reliable comfort, or a calm place to recover.
Signals to check
- Rooms and bathrooms can be dirty, damp, smelly, or moldy.
- Dorms are often very cramped, with limited storage and old or weak fixtures.
- Common space and self-catering are very limited.
- Noise can be a real sleep problem, especially from music, the street, and late returns.
- Security expectations should be cautious: lockers, room cards, and room access can be unreliable.
- Blankets, towels, breakfast, activities, or basics may add cost, and value is a recurring weak point.