Tamarindo · Costa Rica
Mai Ke Kai Surf House
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+ Die Lage war top und die Volunteers waren sehr nett
- Der Inhaber war sehr cholerisch. Die Unterkunft war zudem insgesamt sehr dreckig und in sehr schlechtem Zustand. Noch dazu gab es viel zu wenig Badezimmer für alle Gäste und Mitarbeitenden
Für mich war der Aufenthalt leider sehr unangenehm. Die Küche wirkte schmutzig und roch unangenehm, die Badezimmer hatten sichtbare Mängel, und das Personal war wenig hilfsbereit. Die Zimmer sind extrem hellhörig und unbequem. Die guten Bewertungen enstanden wegen eines Gratisgetränks also lieber nicht blenden lassen.
The kitchen looked dirty and smelly unpleasant, the bathrooms had visible defects, and the staff was not very helpful. the rooms are extremely hellish and uncomfortable. the good reviews came about because of a free drink so I prefer not to be blurred.
Cramped Rooms, Creaky beds, Single Toilet for 10 beds, Broken Infrastructure, and no card payment Not at all recommended!
+ Seemed to be a friendly environment - people we met were relatively nice.
- The place was downright condemnable by most country’s standards - there was a strong stench of fecal matter as soon as we paid (note we paid immediately upon arrival in cash and didn’t have an opportunity to observe the extent of the damage ourselves). We were told we’d have a bathroom dedicated to our floor but it was out of service due to heavy rains (this was not disclosed prior to our arrival) and the one “operational” bathroom on the top floor served the entire hostel and looked as though it had not been cleaned in months. There was definitely raw sewage somewhere on the premises but the stench was so foul we left immediately and got a more suitable hotel down the road. Upon attempting to obtain a refund for all subsequent nights per the hostel’s stated 24-hour cancellation policy, we were told the policy applied to the entirety of our stay and we were thus ineligible for any refund beyond our $10 deposit. Our protests to this injustice were met with combativeness from Maria (front desk person) but we had a vacation to enjoy and were not about to fight over $60 per person so we dropped it. Maria did eventually partially relent and offered us $22.50 per person refund but at that point I was committed to leaving a scathing review to spare others a similar fate. Only giving this 2/10 instead of 1/10 because of the location and the fact that Maria did eventually somewhat give into our justified demands. We suspect the ratings are either being artificially boosted or reflect a bygone era where this establishment respected basic sanitation requirements and human decency. P.S. we ran into some residents out on the town later who said this was the “worst hostel” in which they’d ever resided.
+ Locatie, het is dichtbij het strand en de supermarkt
- De eigenaar is simpelweg brutaal en onaardig. De stroom en het water viel steeds uit. Het internet is traag en de douches en toiletten zijn vies.... Ik zou dit hostel niemand aanraden.
+ Les gens étaient sympathiques. & Le logement était bien situé.
- Les salles de bain étaient sales. De plus, nous avons trouvé des punaises de lit sur un matelas.
+ it was quiet & in a good area
- there were bugs over the wall in the kitchen. they try to avoid getting taxed by making you pay cash but still add the ‘tax’ on anyway, and the tax is way more expensive than anywhere else. the german receptionist is rude & not helpful, and didn’t make the stay there comfortable.
+ El sitio esta bien ubicado
- Camino de acceso en muy mal estado, 1 cuarto de baño para 8 personas en la parte de albergue es muy poco, agua fria y mucha calor fue mi experiencia en este lugar
+ Rustige locatie dichtbij het strand
- Hygiëne was ondermaats. De badkamers en keuken zijn vuil, stinken en worden onvoldoende gepoetst. Toiletten verstopt door toiletpapier. Ontbijt voldeed echt niet aan de verwachtingen, 1 kleine pancake en koffie kan geen ontbijt genoemd worden. We hebben veel ervaring met hostels over wereld,maar deze ervaring viel heel erg tegen.
One of the worst hostels I have stayed in. I booked in for 2 nights but only stayed 1, even though they refused to give me a refund for the 2nd night. Far from description and reviews. There is only 2 Bathrooms for the entire hostel (1 upstairs and 1 downstairs). When I was there the toilet wouldn’t flush, it was disgusting. Both WCs need maintenance. There was lots of trash and dust under the beds. The owners have to do much better. Those leaving a good review must have extremely low standard...
Recent reviews
Parfait! Le gérant et les volontaires sont au top, très bonne ambiance dans cet hostel. Les espaces communs sont très sympas, autant pour se poser seule que pour rencontrer du monde. Emplacement parfait car très proche des restos/plage/bars/cafés, mais quand même au calme pour la nuit. L'hostel propose d'organiser des activités (snorkeling, surf, plages alentours). La cuisine est bien equipée. Je recommande!
Perfect! the manager and volunteers are top notch, very good atmosphere in this hostel. the common areas are very nice, both for posing alone and meeting people. perfect location because very close to the restaurants/beach/bars/cafes, but still quiet for the night. the hostel offers to organize activities (snorkeling, surfing, beaches around). the kitchen is well equipped. i recommend!
Excelente la atención, el lugar, la ubicación y las habitaciones y lugares comunes super equipados. Recomiendo 100%
Excellent service, location, and super equipped bedrooms and common areas. 100% recommended.
Such a pleasant experience staying here! Had a lovely time thanks to the amazing staff at the place. Thank you Delfina, Lucas and Marian for making our stay wonderful! Big shout out to Marian for being an absolute gem and bringing such an amazing energy!
I had a fantastic time at Mai Ke Kai Surf house. It was very easy to arrange a ride from the airport in Liberia to Tamarindo, Matias was extremely helpful. The staff were fantastic and made my stay a lot of fun. Delfina, Julia, and Lolo are very hard workers and bring a great vibe to the place. I would recommend this spot to anyone staying in Tamarindo I hope to be back soon!
Our group of 4 could not have had a better experience than at Mai Ke Kai. The owners Matias and María were very welcoming and helpful guides for what to do/where to go in and near Tamarindo, along with Lolo, Juli, and Delfi. This is my favorite hostel I have stayed at, and I hope to come back soon. ¡Gracias por todo!
This place had the best vibe of any hostel I’ve ever been to. Incredibly nice people and great atmosphere. Lolo, Juli, Delfi, and Matias took extremely good care of me and my crew. Much love. And Delfi makes great pancakes con melones.
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First time staying at a hostel and couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Matias was super helpful from the start. He picked us up from the airport and was happy to answer all our questions. Once we arrived, the crew was just as great! Loloo, Juliette, Delphina, and Maria made us feel welcomed and took great care of us. I’ll have to say the best part of my short stay was the barbecue that Matthias cooked up and invited my friends and myself too. Very nice touch!
+ El personal es excepcionalmente amable y acogedor, te sientes muy bien recibido, como si estuvieras en un piso compartido. Las instalaciones son muy bonitas y está muy bien situado. El mejor albergue en el que ha estado en mi visita a Costa Rica.
+ Rustige locatie dichtbij het strand
- Hygiëne was ondermaats. De badkamers en keuken zijn vuil, stinken en worden onvoldoende gepoetst. Toiletten verstopt door toiletpapier. Ontbijt voldeed echt niet aan de verwachtingen, 1 kleine pancake en koffie kan geen ontbijt genoemd worden. We hebben veel ervaring met hostels over wereld,maar deze ervaring viel heel erg tegen.
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Really cool hostel !! It’s a chill hostel so it’s perfect if you want to go out and then come back to have a good sleep. Common areas are cute, kitchen has everything you need, the owner and volonteers were very sweet and helpful.
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it's a great quiet hostel in tamarindo. a very short walk from the main streets but totally worth it to get quietness from tamarindo. very close to the farmers market which is also super cool.
+ La ubicación, el personal amable, el estilo de la casa, la cama y el aire acondicionado.
- Bueno, el ruido del aire me despertó.
+ Hostel très bien tenu ,,propriétaire et personnel très reactifs et aidants. Ambiance agréable. Belle construction. Très proche des magasins et de la plage . J'y reviendrais avec plaisir. Merci "MAI KE KAI " 🌴
- Rien !
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- Bathrooms need attention and repair Kitchen was all right. Someone needs to take the doors off the fridge and mount them on the other side so they open more intuitively into the kitchen
One of my favorite hostels I’ve ever been to! The staff and volunteers are so sweet and helpful, and the property is well maintained and clean. Comfortable beds, hot shower, AC at night, what more could you ask for. Surf lesson with Matias was great as well!! The hostel is close to the city center but has a quiet and laid back vibe. I will definitely be back if I find myself in Tamarindo again :)