La Vida Hostel

Don’t stay here. I paid for the smaller dorm and was put in the 10 bed, fine. However, the dorm I was put in stunk like school changing rooms and there was no air conditioning, it was colder outside so some people slept at reception(outside) instead of the room. The dorm looks like it was built by a child with gaps in the walls (mosquitoes). There’s 2 plugs & 1 shower/toilet between 10 people… The owner was drunk on arrival, him and his friend also got aggressive with me for eating grapes...

AVOID AT ALL COST. After complaining to the owner about a noisy guy in the room, he did nothing and the drunk guy started to shout at me, told me in spanish he would strangle me with the socket wire. Since it's against the rules, the owner should have forced him out but did nothing to avoid losing the money. Extremely dangerous place, far from everything, noisy beds, broken sockets, no AC, nobody at reception after 5pm.

The sheets are synthetic and it’s more of a curtain fabric. The european owner was a bit bossy. I didn’t know who he is because the stuff checked me in and he acted that I should know. You are not allowed to bring food or drinks in the hostel. There are millions of signs like they really don’t want that somebody is trying. Not what I like in hostels. Too many rules that make you feel unwelcome.

I ordered some food and the the owner came up to me in a very confrontational manner asking if I didn't see the sign that there is no food allowed from outside. I apologised and told him I haven't seen it. He proceeded being rude and repeating himself telling me " I run a restaurant here". I told him I haven't seen it and it's enough for him to tell it once and that there are nicer way to say things. This is a rule that is not the norm and should be pointed out at check-in.

So I booked the hostel in the evening, but nobody ever responded to my messages. Once I arrived, nobody was there to let me in, all the doors were closed. I called the number 5 times, nobody answered. I asked for a refund, still no answer. I pressed the door bell 10 times, no response, although lights were on. I ended up sleeping in another hostel which I had to book at 11h30pm..

We have been telling everyone we met in the Philippines not to stay here if they are visiting Puerto Princesa. We arrived early and had no anticipation to check in early but rather drop our bags and chill - the owner had a huge issue with this. The way the owner spoke to us was disgusting. He has misinformation about a 24 hour reception on hostel world and was extremely arrogant when shown this. It’s run like a home stay rather than a hostel- this should be advertised correctly.

I would never stay here again.

I guess la Vida is okay for a quick overnight hostel, but I would definitely not recommend it if you’re spending any time here. It’s just as expensive as other hostels that are much nicer but it’s quite lacking in all amenities. They turn off the AC during the day, they try to limit showers, you have to pay to fill up your water, and the rooftop restaurant looked extremely unprofessional when we went up there. The rooms were hot, the wifi doesn’t work and it’s out in the middle of nowh...

I had booked a private room with personal toilet&bath for 3 days. - rooms are too small, dingy and ill-lit - the AC does not work properly. Literally the person sleeping on top bunker bed can die of sweat -no wash basin in the bathroom, no proper shower - water supply was not proper because of which we had to use public toilet downstairs and outside the building. This defeated the entire purpose of taking a private room - the cafe serves very little food option -location is not good. The streets...

The air conditioner wasn’t working well, it was extremely hot, we couldn’t sleep. There was just one toilet and shower for 10 people and we had no locker. The common area was cozy though. However, please never try to take a glass from the counter, because this place is equipped with cameras and the so far friendly owner can switch easily. He called us complaining rude guests and threatened us to not dare to write a bad review. I think it’s just fair to share our quite uncomfortable experie...

Nice hostel, but not very social however staff was very friendly

One of the most charming hostels I’ve ever visited. The staff went above and beyond to make our stay lovely. The food was amazing (specifically the burger), the dog was so cute, and the chill area was infact chill couldn’t recommend more

Nette Gastgeber.

The ladies who work here are so lovely! Marian took time to teach me about the Philippines and they were also so warm and welcoming. Not the most social hostel but very nice place to chill on the hammocks on the rooftop. Only issue is there is no lock on the bedroom doors and no lockers to keep belongings safe and only a cold shower in my room.

Nice quiet hostel near the airport. Good spot to come stay for a night if you need to catch an early flight out the next morning. Stayed in the private room and it was not too expensive, clean, & AC worked — nothing to complain about!

honestly, all the makings of a great hostel only issue is noone really goes to Puerto Princessa so the hostel was a little dead. but the hosts do their best to make it a great place. bar is open until 11pm and we stayed just in the hammocks after. helped us organize a bike for the day for a beach trip. would definitely stay here again

Overall a nice hostel, I liked the rooftop patio. It wasn't very social though. You had to walk a bit to get to food/restaurants, but the lady working was able to recommend good places to eat. Our room was clean.

Heel rustig gelegen en met een rooftop gemeenschappelijke ruimte die leuk is ingericht. Zelfs zonder andere gasten was een een aangename plek en het bleek ook een prima plek om medereizigers te treffen. Als ik weer naar Puerto Prinscesa ga, dan boek ik zeker weer dit hostel

Wonderful staff, delicious food, clean, comfortable, and relaxed accommodation . A little bit out of the way but easy enough to get a tricycle out front. And Rita the dog is the sweetest dog to greet you as you come and go. Hope to be back again some day! Thank you La Vida Hostel

Loved the hostel vibe, everyone was friendly and social. Staff was very accommodating and full of useful tips. Hostel has a beautiful sunrise that can be enjoyed with breakfast made with their own free range chicken eggs. Highly recommend. Owner is opening a Mexican restaurant in el nido which I definitely intend to visit also. Thanks again La Vida!

Very beautiful hostel, outside the crowded area of puerto princesa, so barely any traffic on the road at night (enough tuktuks) surrounded by trees and a nice garden. The roof terrace is very cozy and mosquito-free cause apparently they don't fly that high. So nice to chill up there at night. The bed was comfortable, the bathroom was clean (not the most modern but quite comfortable). Don't expect too much of the included breakfast, it's a small one but there's restaurants and cafés nearby.

Einrichting ist einfach, aber alles, was man braucht ist da (Bis auf Schließfächer, was noch ganz schön wäre...). Das Hostel liegt etwas abseits, aber dadurch kann man sich schön entspannen und kleine Spaziergänge in die Innenstadt machen. Das Personal ist mega lieb und organisiert einem die Weiterreise!

I stayed two nights at La Vida Hostel in Puerto Princesa. The hostel works with tour agencies, so it’s convenient to book tours directly with them. The location was very quiet, partly because I stayed on a Monday and Tuesday. It may be more social on other days, but for me it was great since I could properly rest. At night it can feel a bit intimidating if you’re alone, but I didn’t have any safety issues. The owner is a super friendly guy from Canada who is always looking for ways t...

Value for money. Just a 15 minute walk or quick tuk tuk into downtown. Helped sort the underground river boat trip out. Couldn’t ask for better host. Would recommend.

Really convenient location near the airport, and really helpful and friendly staff.

Nice hostel with very friendly staff

We loved La vida! The personell is super nice and so helpful with great tips reg what to do in the area! We did the La Vida Loop and had a blast! Everything was arranged for us and the experience was so authentic and local! Could not recommend it enough!! 10/10 would recommend!!

Je recommande à 100%, l’hostel est très propre et paisible ! Le patron est super sympa et au petit soin, il m’a donné plein de recommandations dont un tour de scooter magnifique dans la région où on peut voir de belles plages cascades etc Et petit bonus, goutez son burger le meilleur que j’ai goûté au philippines !!

Super nice hostel with very peaceful chill area/bar on the roof. Hostel is in a quiet, green area not far from the town center. Owner is super helpful with recommendations about things to do around the area and Rica the dog is an amazing addition to the property. The burger made in house is also a must try!

If you’re staying in Puerto Princessa and are debating where to stay, I can’t recommend La Vida Hostel enough. The owner, Reed, will go above and beyond the call of duty to make you feel at home. This place was clean, quiet, comfortable and not to mention the food is all made in house and is fantastic. From fresh coconut water to eggs straight from his 12 chickens, La Vida hostel is a hidden gem- And Reed will make sure you have plenty to do and see with his moto bikes for rent. Awesome stay...