Haleiwa · USA
Backpackers
Bed bug reports
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Confirmed Hostelworld
I really like the atmosphere and location here & was excited to stay…until I saw bed bugs all over my assigned mattress. The staff was all very friendly / helpful in getting me set up elsewhere, and apparently “deep cleaned” the room the next day. There were 3 other people in that room who weren’t woken up or told about the bed bugs until the next day…it just felt like there should have been a bit more panic involved. I didn’t see the extent of the cleaning, but the room itself & the bathroom was already decently dirty. My laundry was covered, but I still had to pay for all nights + more to switch into a separate room down the street. I really did love the location & staff was all great, but I do want other travelers to be aware of the situation. Bed bugs are my biggest concern as a traveler, and it has now entirely effected the rest of my trip as I still found bites on my leg yesterday
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Vibe Analysis
Backpackers is a North Shore budget base with the beach right across the street and Foodland, food trucks, Waimea Bay, Shark's Cove, and bus access close by. It fits best for simple beach days, grocery runs, sunsets, and a slower island rhythm outside Waikiki. The hostel is split into small cabins and tiny-house-style spaces, giving it a mini camping village feel. Some cabins have their own kitchen and bathroom, which can make the place feel more self-contained than a standard dorm setup. The mood can be relaxed, friendly, and easygoing, especially inside shared cabins and around open kitchen areas. It is not always a big social-machine hostel: communal seating can be limited, organized activities may be thin, and meeting people outside your cabin can take more effort. This is a basic, uneven place rather than a polished one. Staff can be kind and helpful, late check-in may be possible, and the value can be strong for the location, but older cabins, cleaning issues, wildlife, bugs, roosters, weak privacy in certain rooms, and variable bathrooms are part of the tradeoff.
Signals to check
- Cleanliness is inconsistent, with dirty bathrooms, bedding, floors, kitchens, and common areas appearing as recurring issues.
- Some cabins are old and basic, with no air conditioning, limited space for luggage, and possible maintenance problems.
- Roosters, geckos or lizards, cockroaches, and at least one serious bed bug issue are part of the risk profile.
- Privacy and security may vary by room; one older cabin had no windows or curtains in the bathroom area, and one key issue raised concerns.
- The social setup can be hit or miss, with limited shared seating and few activities for meeting people.