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Sketchy reports for Bella's Backpackers — HostelPunk
Bella's Backpackers

Caye Caulker · Belize

Bella's Backpackers

Punk Score
66% MEH
High confidence 1,278 reviews
2nd best in Caye Caulker
Sketchy reports
10 recent reports
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Hostelworld from ≈$17
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Sketchy reports 24 reports

24 reports 10 recent reports 876 text reviews scanned

Why this surfaced

Repeated, deduplicated traveler-review reports matched these incident categories:

One report can match more than one category. Counts describe review reports, not independently verified incidents.

These are reports in traveler reviews, not independently verified incidents. Duplicate review text and strong repeat-reviewer identities count once.

Category matches are automated. Relevant passages are exact review quotes selected from concrete incident wording, not hidden model rationales. If none appears, treat the match as suspect and check the full review.

Evidence reviews

    • someone entered a dorm and stole a bunch of stuff
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    It's definitely the place to be for parties. Big events every night where also outsiders can join. Kitchen is okay, you can do some basic cooking. Dorms have codes but you can easily find them out at the reception. A few days before my stay, someone entered a dorm and stole a bunch of stuff. So please be careful! The hostel is good if you want to party and socialize, otherwise maybe find a more quiet place.
    • A local broke intol a dorm during the night and tried to steal phones...
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    Staff does not care about anything, water refill is always empty, events dont happen (besides sunday funday that makes the hostel inaccessible if u dont wanna spend 45 usd), and security is terrible. A local broke intol a dorm during the night and tried to steal phones...
    • I had a bad experience where I woke up twice in the night to find one of the men staying in my room sitting on my bed.
    • I had a bad experience where I woke up twice in the night to find one of the men staying in my room sitting on my bed.
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    The rooms and bathrooms are very basic for the price you are paying! It was very sociable however but not down to the hostel itself - the staff seem quite disinterested. I had a bad experience where I woke up twice in the night to find one of the men staying in my room sitting on my bed. I told the staff the next day and all they said was ‘oh he was quite drunk last night’. I didn’t feel very safe here as a girl. Overall though I had a good time and there aren’t many options in Caye Caulker!
    • They accepted our booking even though is was shutdown by the government.
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    Worst place. They accepted our booking even though is was shutdown by the government. They still accept bookings via 3rd party providers. They made us stay at travellers palm. We cancelled everything but they charged us anyways. Don’t go there. The Party on Sunday’s is overpriced and there are just locals that are trying to make you drunk. As a female please avoid this place.
    • They accepted our booking even though is was shutdown by the government.
    Show full review Full review
    Worst place. They accepted our booking even though is was shutdown by the government. They still accept bookings via 3rd party providers. They made us stay at travellers palm. We cancelled everything but they charged us anyways. Don’t go there. The Party on Sunday’s is overpriced and there are just locals that are trying to make you drunk. As a female please avoid this place.
    • The receptionists were very helpful, even telling me where to find cheaper food in such an expensive island
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    Well located and comfortable, many toilets and showers. The receptionists were very helpful, even telling me where to find cheaper food in such an expensive island They tried hard to overcharge me, initially refusing to give any explanation for that – the volunteer at the reception just stated firmly that the hostel “has a policy” of charging an extra fee on top of Booking.com’s final price. As I was also firmly demanding an explanation she finally said the overcharge is for payment with credit card – but I had just told her I was going to pay in cash! Also, in one of the dormitories the lockers are fake and completely unsafe, it’s just to move the whole piece and all of them are open from behind (see the pic)
    • TWO MEN ENTERED IN OUR SHARED ROOM WHILE WE WERE SLEEPING: one tried to SA a girl and the other one stole a passport and an envelope with money
    • TWO MEN ENTERED IN OUR SHARED ROOM WHILE WE WERE SLEEPING: one tried to SA a girl and the other one stole a passport and an envelope with money
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    TWO MEN ENTERED IN OUR SHARED ROOM WHILE WE WERE SLEEPING: one tried to SA a girl and the other one stole a passport and an envelope with money... The owners and police weren't helpful and there was violence and drugs. It was not a safe stay for us, we left the place as soon as we could.
    • paid cash on book in to the lady behind reception.
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    SCAM ALERT - paid cash on book in to the lady behind reception. All looked fine but then they tried to charge us again on check out. Claimed nothing had be paid. The CCTV camera was turned away deliberately. This is an organised scam. AVOID. Update; Thank you for replying. I have changed the review to give credit for that. I am not sure I agree with the reply in full as you did try to charge the card after we left. The accusation was that we had not paid at all, regardless of currency. The CCTV pointing to the ceiling suggests the staff members know what they are doing. It's a serious concern.
    • got drugged at sunday funday while on the boat.
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    got drugged at sunday funday while on the boat. told a staff member who was helpful but when he told the managers/higher up staff they said i was probably just too drunk and that happens to people all of the time. however i drank a normal amount, was hallucinating and passed out and even stopped breathing until i turned blue which doesn’t happen from alcohol so just be aware if you go thefe
    • The full hostel has your room code so other people were entering our room
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    Disappointing, there were bed bugs in my bed. The staff did spray my bed but I was still bitten the next night. My friend was in a top bunk with no rails which felt unsafe. We were in the “deluxe” dorm but the beds were shaky and the mattress was very worn so I could feel the slats underneath. The communal water wasn’t filled overnight so the people in our dorm stole our water bottles from our beds. Not enough toilets. The full hostel has your room code so other people were entering our room

Vibe Analysis

Bella's Backpackers is built around a loud social setup: a bar, nightly activities, Sunday Funday, snorkel trips, hammocks, and a dock for sunset. It suits Caye Caulker travelers who want an easy place to meet people and do not mind trading comfort for party gravity. The location is a major part of the appeal, close to the main island action, the Split, restaurants, tour offices, and the water. The back area, dock, hammocks, and bar can make the property feel lively and useful between swims, drinks, and tours. Rooms and facilities are the weak zone. Dorms can be cramped, basic, hot without AC, very cold when AC is controlled centrally, and short on privacy features like curtains, lights, sockets, hooks, or solid storage. Bathrooms, showers, mattresses, bunk frames, kitchen equipment, drinking water, WiFi, and cleanliness can be rough or inconsistent. This is a better fit for a short, social, messy island stay than a restful base. The fun is real, but so are the hygiene, noise, staff, maintenance, and value problems.

Signals to check

  • Expect late noise from the hostel bar, nearby bars, and social areas. 3 mentions Last mentioned Mar 10, 2026
  • Cleanliness can be poor, especially bathrooms, dorm floors, and showers. 3 mentions Last mentioned Feb 12, 2026
  • Beds and bunks may be uncomfortable, creaky, unstable, or missing basic privacy features. 3 mentions Last mentioned Feb 15, 2026
  • Private rooms and cabins can feel overpriced for the space and condition. 3 mentions Last mentioned May 18, 2026
  • WiFi, drinking water, hot showers, kitchen gear, and fridge space may be unreliable. 3 mentions Last mentioned Feb 15, 2026
  • Staff help can range from warm and useful to distant or unhelpful. 3 mentions Last mentioned Mar 10, 2026
  • Tours and Sunday Funday can be fun, but prices, organization, and inclusions may disappoint. 3 mentions Last mentioned Feb 13, 2026

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Drip perks

🚲 Bicycle Hire

Facilities

🍳 COOKER 👕 Laundry 🔥 BBQ 🅿️ Free Parking 🌅 Outdoor Terrace 🍳 Breakfast 🍺 Bar
Other facilities (35)
Bicycle Parking Airport Transfers Luggage Storage Fax Service Tours/Travel Desk Currency Exchange Housekeeping Reception (Limited Hours) Wake-up Calls Internet Access Book Exchange Board Games Cable TV Wi-Fi Towels For Hire Linen Included Ceiling Fan Towels Not Included Charging Plugs Filtered Water Dispenser Security Lockers 24 Hour Security Safe Deposit Box CCTV in Common Areas Fire Extinguishers First Aid Kits Smoke Alarms Smoke Detector Common Room Social Balcony Free City Maps Free WiFi Free Internet Access Free Security Lockers Free Luggage Storage

Unusual phrases

Over-mentioned compared with nearby hostels