San Ignacio · Belize
Yellow Belly Backpackers
Bed bug reports
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Guest report Hostelworld
Bed bugs 🥲
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Guest report Booking.com
Not much I got bitten by bedbugs. Then i checked the mattress and found some bedbugs and bedbug droppings in the seams. At first i thought it was isolated, but then near the end of my stay, i talked to another guest who stayed in another room and she also had bedbugs. So the hostel is infested. Also I once got woken up around 3 AM because an employee (or maybe it was the owner, someone referred to him by the nickname "bubbles") of the hostel was blasting music from a speaker that was next to our window on the other side of the wall. Couldn't sleep much afterwards. The hostel has quiet hours but they were ignored by the staff of the hostel to have a loud party at 3 AM.
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Guest report Hostelworld
Staff were lovely so I feel bad leaving a bad review but the cleanliness was actually a joke for the price. Free breakfast was toast and cold scrambled eggs. Also really far out of the town so i didn’t feel safe. I’ve also left with lots of suspicious looking bites. Not sure if bed bugs but wouldn’t be surprised.
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Guest report Booking.com
They have lots of space, several bathrooms as well. Big kitchen to use. They're the only place that rents scooters, so their initial price is in the sky. Try to negotiate it. The worse thing - they have bedbugs🤮 Not acceptable nowadays! They try very hard with free treats for guests, very impressive 👏 . But I had to take antihistamines 3 days after I left.
Vibe Analysis
Yellow Belly Backpackers is a social, good-value San Ignacio base with a lot happening on site: a bar, garden and deck hangout areas, pool, darts, hammocks, a guitar, laundry, refill water, free bikes, and regular evening activities. The mood is friendly and usually easy to join without turning into a full party hostel. The ATM Cave tour is the standout here. It can be booked through the hostel, leaves early enough to beat heavier cave traffic, and guides like Damien and Josiah give it a strong adventure-science edge with geology, archaeology, and safety handled well. Breakfast is a real strength for the price, with eggs, granola, fruit, toast, cereal, coffee, tea, juice, and sometimes frijoles or potatoes. Dorms are often spacious and may have curtains, lockers, bedside outlets, shelves, personal fans, and AC, though that setup is not consistent across every bed or room. The location is quieter than the town center and close to Cahal Pech ruins, the Iguana Conservation Project, buses, and cheaper nearby food. The tradeoff is the hill: town is roughly a 15-20 minute walk, and the return can feel like cardio in hot sun.
Signals to check
- Rooms can be hot or stuffy, and AC access may be limited, inconsistent, weak, or extra-cost depending on the room.
- Bathrooms are large, but there may not be enough for peak times, and cleanliness can be uneven.
- The kitchen exists and can be useful, but equipment may be limited or inconsistent.
- The hilltop location is quiet and handy for Cahal Pech, but less convenient for town-center nightlife or solo late returns.
- Noise can carry from the bar, outdoor areas, washing machine, nearby events, or early-morning socializing, especially in back or upper rooms.
- Beds, pillows, mattresses, linens, and older fixtures can feel worn in some rooms.