Rio de Janeiro · Brazil
Books Hostel
Bed bug reports
-
Confirmed Booking.com
The hostel is very dirty. There is visible mould in several areas, and someone in another room had bedbugs during my stay. The mixed bathrooms smell awful, at times like someone has just vomited.
-
Confirmed Google Maps
The atmosphere was very nice. But the hostel overall was EXTREMELY DIRTY (no matress covers, mold in bathrooms, bed bugs in some of the rooms, the bathrooms smelled like vomit). Even though the people and atmosphere was amazing, the hostel's cleanliness was too poor to rate the stay above 3 stars.
-
Possible Booking.com
Le bruit car il y a des soirées régulièrement dans l’hôtel donc difficile de se reposer avant une certaine heure et des punaises de lit qui ont été retrouvés dans une des chambres pendant mon séjour. Propreté a revoir donc.
-
Confirmed Hostelworld
has bedbugs. woke up one morning with bites all over my legs and and feet, went to reception and asked to move beds, woman who works there was like yeah thats fine, get to new bed and ask if she wants to know what bed im in now so they know where the bedbugs are and she goes ah dont worry we know which one it is... right, so no apology and they give out beds knowing they have bedbugs. when i left male member of staff was more apologietic. great atmosphere though very social
-
Confirmed Hostelworld
Location and staff were both a standout. Vibe was decent and a lot of people around, able to meet people as expected at a party hostel. Unfortunately experience was ruined a bit by the beds being infested with bed bugs inside the really old mattresses - made for a pretty horrible sleep and now full of bites. Staff said they'd follow up but unfortunately can't give it a pass mark based off that
-
Confirmed Hostelworld
Stayed 3 out of original 8 nights as room was infestisted with bedbugs. I still haven't manage to get rid of them and now have 100+ bites on my body (more everyday.Manager was sympathetic and gave a full refund & bough me meds but I keep having to pay to wash my clothes as they've followed me everywhere so I'm out of pocket. They still let new people sleep in the room with bedbugs. DO NOT USE THIS HOSTEL!! Several bites are now infected and I will need antibiotics. They told me it happens often.
HostelPunk native reviews
First-party field notes
No first-party HostelPunk reviews yet. Be the first signal.
Vibe Analysis
Books Hostel is in Lapa, with nightlife, transit, and city routes close by. The place leans hard into a party setup: there is music at the bar most nights, daily activities, happy hour, and a WhatsApp group that makes it easy to line up plans. It also has a strong social feel. The staff and volunteers are often friendly and involved, and the hostel can feel welcoming for solo travelers who want an easy way to meet people. Breakfast is included, beds are often comfortable, and the rooms are generally fine for short or active stays. The mood shifts after dark, when the bar area gets loud and the hostel feels lively rather than quiet. There is not much space to relax away from that energy, so it suits people who want a busy base more than a calm one.
Signals to check
- The bar and music can be loud until late.
- The area can feel rough after dark.
- Bathrooms and room upkeep can be uneven.
- There is limited quiet space away from the bar.
- Some rooms can get hot, and water service can be unreliable.