Cool Bananas

11 reports · 4 recent reports · 283 text reviews scanned

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1. 5 months ago
   • There is no lock on the rooms door so it's really easy to enter.

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   Very good hostel, there is a great nice with a big outside area. It's also not too expensive. The manager is really nice, I would definitely recommend this hostel. One bad point could be better though. There is no lock on the rooms door so it's really easy to enter. It didn't really bother me but for the security I would appreciate a lock.

2. 7 months ago
   • no locks on the dorm doors

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   fun hostel with family vibes. Loads of common areas to chill, cute hostel dog, decent showers and kitchen and loads of board games. You can also rent bikes and surf boards. The security could be improved (no locks on the dorm doors) but overall a really nice spot

3. 10 months ago
   • From the doorway, the owner suddenly yelled at me in a very aggressive tone to get off the bed immediately or he would charge me.
   • From the doorway, the owner suddenly yelled at me in a very aggressive tone to get off the bed immediately or he would charge me.

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   I had very mixed feelings about my stay here. The location is great, there’s plenty of outdoor space to relax, and the music creates a nice atmosphere. The facilities were also reasonably clean. However, the overall environment made me uncomfortable. The owner often came across as dominant, verbally aggressive, and/or rude, which created a tense atmosphere throughout my stay. There are many volunteers working at the hostel, but the dynamic seemed strained and at times toxic. I also witnessed yelling and screaming to staff outside my dorm while I was standing there, which was extremely unsettling. To give another concrete example: one evening around 10pm, I was sitting on a made bed in my dorm while talking with my roommate. None of our beds had been made when we arrived, so we assumed this one was simply an extra, as it remained unused during our stay. From the doorway, the owner suddenly yelled at me in a very aggressive tone to get off the bed immediately or he would charge me. In years of staying in hostels, I have never experienced anything like that. It strongly reinforced the hostile atmosphere I felt during my stay. As a woman, I did not feel safe in this environment; the overall tone felt intimidating and rooted in toxic male domination. I also noticed that most of the volunteers working there were very young women, which made the atmosphere even more concerning. The only reason I’m writing this negative review is because I feel a responsibility to ensure other women are aware and can stay safe. While the location and outdoor areas are positives, the behaviour and atmosphere I encountered would prevent me from staying here again. I expect a negative or defensive response to this review which would only reinforce the issues I experienced.

4. 1 year ago
   • He threatened to throw my belongings onto the street and even said he hoped a car would run them over.
   • He threatened to throw my belongings onto the street and even said he hoped a car would run them over.
   • the owner accused me of stealing washing lotion, which I absolutely did not do.
   • On my last day, the owner accused me of stealing washing lotion, which I absolutely did not do. He didn’t give me any chance to explain before becoming aggressive and verbally abusive, shouting at me to leave immediately. He threatened to throw my belongings onto the street and even said he hoped a car would run them over.

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   Nice Location, But Disturbing Experience with the Owner!! The hostel was okay — basic but decent for the price — and the location was really nice and peaceful. I was enjoying my stay up until the last day, when something very upsetting happened. On my last day, the owner accused me of stealing washing lotion, which I absolutely did not do. He didn’t give me any chance to explain before becoming aggressive and verbally abusive, shouting at me to leave immediately. He threatened to throw my belongings onto the street and even said he hoped a car would run them over. I felt scared and completely disrespected. To make things worse, he also charged $40 to my bank account without explanation or permission. I still don’t know what the charge was for, and I received no receipt or justification. If you choose to stay here, be aware that while the place and setting are decent, the owner’s behavior can be unpredictable and hostile. I truly hope no one else has to go through what I experienced. The Staff was nice and helped me managing my stuff on the street… (telling me its normal that he has some strong/ aggressive moodswings- also towards the stuff, which is not okay at all)

5. 2 years ago
   • met with a very pervy joke, got to the room, dirty mattresses, blood, no locks, left ASAP, cussed and followed out, pressured about why we were leaving, no refund offer, bully.
   • dirty mattresses, blood, no locks, left ASAP, cussed and followed out, pressured about why we were leaving, no refund offer, bully.
   • no locks

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   We were worried about staying here after, seeing some very mixed reviews about staff, can see why. After a long bus journey, the last thing you want is to be met by a bunch of bananas, This could have been fun, if we felt involved with the joke, rather than ignored and left feeling uncomfortable. We arrived at the hostel, met with a very pervy joke, got to the room, dirty mattresses, blood, no locks, left ASAP, cussed and followed out, pressured about why we were leaving, no refund offer, bully.

6. 2 years ago
   • He kicked him out in a really horrible way and with pretty clear racist comments.
   • He kicked him out in a really horrible way and with pretty clear racist comments.
   • He kicked him out in a really horrible way and with pretty clear racist comments.

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   Horrible experience. Racist, exclusive and aggressive owner. Please make sure you don’t suffer this same experience. I don’t write this message from frustration. I just write this message in order to let know travelers, who love hostels, what experience we had in this place. And in this way, people will not suffer what we did. Since I got there, the owner treated me in a disrespectful way and transmitting me a really bad energy and vibe. That was ok. I didn’t give him that much importance and I kept doing my own. My friend who was travelling with me came into the kitchen with me to cook and then we were planning to have dinner at the beach. He kicked him out in a really horrible way and with pretty clear racist comments. My friend left the hostel and I kept cooking. We couldn’t even talk with him but we said ok, we didn’t complain or discuss, all good. I took plates from my friends van and we went outside (at the street) to have dinner together. He came out and straight away took my friends plate from his hands and threw his food away. Everything really aggressive and out of control. He thought that plate was from the hostel but he was wrong, when he noticed that, he didn’t even say sorry. Anyway there is not justification for those actions, even if the plates are from the hostel… We couldn’t even talk with him as a normal human being, it was just pure venomous and frustration that he made by himself in his mind. There was no reason for his behaviour. He came out again with my luggage and throw it to me in the street and he kicked me out from the hostel. With no explanations. I was not really believing what it was seeing, I left the hostel and we couldn’t even talk with him. Hostel are meant to be beautiful spaces where everyone is welcome and inclusive. I don’t like to write this here or get myself to this point at all but I think we have to fight for love and avoid other people having this experiences

7. 2 years ago
   • The owner harassing people at 1am who are trying to sleep.

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   The owner harassing people at 1am who are trying to sleep. Not very good for a holiday. Avoid

8. 2 years ago
   • Physical altercation between owner and a male guest started by owner on our last morning, felt volatile and unsafe.

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   Weird vibe. Could be an amazing hostel, good location, clean, but ruined by owner. He lingers around which feels innapropriate. He was smoking weed and drinking, asking young female staff if they smoked too. Physical altercation between owner and a male guest started by owner on our last morning, felt volatile and unsafe. U aren’t allowed to use tv or Netflix in ‘communal area’ whilst the owner is listening to his music which is all day. Owner doesn’t like male guests. No locks or key for rooms

9. 2 years ago
   • No locks on the room doors!!

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   The man (I assume owner? He didn’t introduce himself) was not very welcoming. He picked us up, which was good, but didn’t seem very happy about it. No locks on the room doors!! Rooms were smelly. Bathrooms dirty. Good location for bus stop. Wifi only works in common areas & you pay extra for towels. Young girls working for their stay were nice though. I’ve seen the host arguing back to negative reviews, happy to send over pics and more feedback :)

10. 2 years ago
    • the owner is extremely creepy and rude
    • the doors to the dorms don’t have any locks which felt very unsafe

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    This place sucks!! The kitchen is dirty, there is no air conditioning, the doors to the dorms don’t have any locks which felt very unsafe, the bikes don’t properly work and worst of all; the owner is extremely creepy and rude. I was genuinely scared staying here and very happy to leave.

11. 2 years ago
    • there are no locks on the doors of the dorms

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    This is probably a great hostel if you travel with the greyhound bus, if you expect no service and if you are a young woman. When a coworker uses false advertising to get you into the hostel, there is no possibility to talk about a possible solution. The manager fully supports her and he will try to intimidate you. Similarly, when you forget to place back your clean plates the manager will shout at you and treathen with fines or with kicking you out of the hostel. Aperently, the colleague is a human which is allowed to make mistakes, you as a visitor do not have that right. The hostel could have been nice if it had a nice manager and if it fixed the following points: - after dinner there is no hot water to clean the dishes -there is no handsoap in the kitchen - there is only one sink in the kitchen - there are no locks on the doors of the dorms - there were a lot of flies in the kitchen - wifi was mostly not working - the manager smokes everywhere although there are sings that say only smoke at the designated area