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Suspicious-review evidence — HostelPunk

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Mellow Hostel

Barcelona · Spain

Mellow Hostel

Punk Score
9% GODAWFUL
High confidence 3,777 reviews
≈103 possibly bought
Seriously don't stay here please
Sus reviews
≈103 possibly bought
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Booking.com ≈$26 HW prices from today
Suspicious-review evidence ≈103 possibly bought

≈103 possibly bought · 690 top-rated reviews scanned

Explain how it works

We compare every 5★ review's word count against the global distribution. Hostels where unusually many top-rated reviews are suspiciously short — way under the typical length — start to look like the staff (or a boost-my-listing service) is padding the score with throwaway praise.

The detector flags reviews that are both top-rated and below a length threshold, then estimates how many of them statistically shouldn't exist. For this hostel we scanned 690 top-rated reviews and 1% were suspiciously short.

Length z-score: 8.09. A z-score measures how far this hostel's distribution of 5★ review lengths sits from the global average, in standard deviations. 0 = perfectly typical. 1–2 = slightly unusual but within normal noise. 3–5 = strongly anomalous. Anything 10+ means the pattern is so far from the global norm that it's effectively impossible to get there organically.

This is a heuristic, not a verdict — it surfaces hostels worth a second look, not proof of fraud. Read the actual reviews below and judge for yourself.

  1. Confirmed paid 97 words 23%
    Signal trace
    • Reward tied to a review bought One and Left it there with my promise to Write a review

    Guests who come here again have never been in 5 star hostels two people just one card Lift broken Kitchen a nightmare nothing at all no Knives no Spoons no Forks no Glasses no Plates no nothing Not enough showers for the Size not enough furniture Outside the shower is at 2.50m so the entire Cabin is wet but the Most insane thing I have ever Seen you buy your Towel and take your wet towel with you I bought One and Left it there with my promise to Write a review! Many pictures show the truth!

    Netherlands MALE
  2. Confirmed paid 22 words 100%
    Signal trace
    • Reward tied to a review rating is such low. Prices are very affordable. Value for money

    Very cooperative staff, beds are comfortable. I don't know why the rating is such low. Prices are very affordable. Value for money💯

  3. Confirmed paid 37 words 69%
    Signal trace
    • Reward tied to a review money. Don't care to read the review

    Great value for money. Don't care to read the reviews too much and experience it by yourself. Security lockers and great night views over the city. The distance to Sagrada Familia is walkable but not very easily.

    Finland MALE 18-24
  4. Confirmed paid 143 words 10%
    Signal trace
    • Reward tied to a review refund at least for the terrible stay only editing my review

    nothing to like about the place! stuffy rooms, terrible beds and worse facilities, horrible smell in the room with insects, no ventilation. really really bad washrooms and showers as well, worse than a gym! no other facilities either! location as also very far from the centre, and very inconvenient to reach!! the staff are very slow and rude too! would expect a partial refund at least for the terrible stay only editing my review to add this - someone from the property reached out to me after i posted my review here to ask about my stay and resolve any issues. i responded to them the next day, and now they're ghosting me!! the absolute worst customer service ever, please do yourself a favour and never stay here!! incredibly disappointed by the stay, i hope someone from their team responds soon at least!

    United Kingdom
  5. Suspiciously short 38 words 40%
    Signal trace
    • Review-authenticity complaint fake 5 star reviews

    It’s the cheapest hostel in Barcelona, and that’s the only positive thing. The place is very, very dirty. The owner should use their money to hire additional cleaning staff instead of buying fake 5 star reviews on Google.

  6. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    Todo

    Chile
  7. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    Beautiful

  8. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    ♥️♥️

  9. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    Everything

    Spain
  10. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    Perfecto

  11. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    👌👍👍👍👌👌

    Saudi Arabia
  12. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    Perfecto

  13. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    Mamas

    Spain
  14. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    Recommandé

  15. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    Superb

  16. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    Genial

  17. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    Estupendo

  18. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    Genial

  19. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    Excelente

    Spain
  20. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    RECOMENDADO....

  21. Suspiciously short 1 word 90%

    Ubicación

    Spain
  22. Suspiciously short 1 word 89%

    Excellent

    Spain MALE
  23. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    Good

  24. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    Nice👍

  25. Suspiciously short 1 word 100%

    Nice

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Facilities

🍳 COOKER 👕 Laundry 🌅 Outdoor Terrace 🍳 Breakfast ☕ Cafe
Other facilities (26)
Luggage Storage 24 Hour Reception Housekeeping Card Phones Internet Café Internet Access Book Exchange Wi-Fi Linen Included Air Conditioning Reading Light Hair Dryers Ceiling Fan Towels For Hire Hair Dryers For Hire Late Check-out Security Lockers 24 Hour Security Common Room Elevator Free City Maps Free WiFi Free Internet Access Hot Showers Vending Machines Tea & Coffee Making Facilities

Unusual phrases

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