Amigo’s Hostel, Cozumel, Mexico – Review

Note: all thoughts are my own and my accommodation reviews are not sponsored unless otherwise stated. 

The Details

• Where: Amigo’s Hostel, Cozumel, Mexico
• How Long: 5 nights
• Number of persons: 1
• Cost: $21 AUD a night
• Link: I couldn’t find a website, but you can book through TripAdvisor or HostelWorld

Location

The hostel is about a 20 minute walk from the ferry and main tourist strip. When I first arrived I thought it was too far away and that it was going to be annoying going anywhere. However, I quickly realised that Amigo’s is perfectly located to see a local side of Cozumel. With really great shops and tacoria’s all around. It’s actually a blessing to be away from the main tourist strip which is built to service the cruise ship community that comes into port nearly everyday. It is definitely cheaper, nicer and tastier to be a few blocks back from the overpriced cheese burgers and Starbucks.

Accommodation/Rooms

Room Size: Large enough to fit four bunk beds and lockers for everyone. Also each room has it’s own ensuite.

Comfort: The beds are large and sturdy – and the mattress is comfortable. Air-conditioning is turned on every evening just in time for everyone to fall asleep in the cool, but then goes off in the morning to save on electricity. Makes for a comfortable and cozy nights sleep.

Cleanliness: Very clean – each day your bed is made for you, the bathrooms cleaned and the floors mopped. Coming home after a long hot day at the beach to a nice clean and tidy room is a little touch that makes you sigh with happiness.

Noise: It’s a quiet chilled out hostel. It’s set back from the road and situated inside a giant garden which is surrounded by a wall so street noise is pretty hard to hear. As for fellow backpackers, as most people are on the island for diving late nights, loud music and carousing aren’t really the thing. Though if people do stay up late in the common area having a few the noise doesn’t reach the rooms.

Security: At the entrance to the hostel is a large gate with a deadlock, then each room has a lock, and then you have lockers within the bedrooms. Gives the feeling of a secret safe oasis.

Writing this post in a hammock… does life get any better?

Bathrooms

Size/amount: Each room has a bathroom and then there is one in the common area as well. so there are plenty to go around. Haven’t had to wait for a shower once.

Water pressure/temperature: You have to wait 10 minutes between showers for the hot water to re-heat, but as it’s so hot here that isn’t really a problem, cool showers are actually more welcome. The pressure is ok, for Mexico it’s really good.

Useability: They could use a few more hooks to hang towels and clothes and things, but they are large with huge showers, which means that your clothes don’t get wet no matter where they are – and if you feel like swinging a cat… go ahead!

Cleanliness: Very clean, they are cleaned daily – and not just a surface wipe down. I didn’t see any mould or build up anywhere.

Early morning creeping into the hostel

Kitchen

Equipment: There is a great and random assortment of equipment. loads of pots and pans and some Tupperware containers as well.

Size: It’s a pretty huge kitchen, with a great work space, which allows several people to be in there cooking and preparing at the same time. It’s also in the heart of the common area so there are usually a lot of people mingling around. 

Useability: Very easy to work out how to use everything, and if there is a trick to anything the owner Kathy has put some helpful signs around the place.

Cleanliness: Not as clean as the bedrooms and bathrooms… but this is mainly due to backpackers not cleaning up after themselves enough. Get in the kitchen early in the evening after it has been cleaned by the hostel and its pretty sparkly. 

Staff

Kathy is the owner of the hostel and is what makes this place a really great hostel. She greets everyone personally and somehow remembers everyones name and where they are from. She can give you great tips on everything from where to dive to where has the best happy hour. She has made several huge binders PACKED full of information on things to do and places to see. These float around the hostel and are well worth a flick through. 

Facilities

Internet: Can be a little patchy, but there are two “branches” so just switch between the two depending on which one is strongest in the area you are in.

Tour Desk: As mentioned Kathy has a couple of huge folders which has everything you could ever wish to know about. She also has a great partnership with the dive shop Deep Blue which gets you discounts on dives and snorkels.

Breakfast: Isn’t included but there is a great place across the road whose menu is hanging in the common area. Also apparently there is a delicious bakery around the corner… every morning a couple of the other guests have amazing pastries and they told me that they came from this bakery… I have yet to find it though.

Extra’s: Theres a pool, a beautiful garden, hundreds of board games, every National Geographic for the last 5 years, books, an exercise bike and plenty more. 

Overall

When you first open to the gate of Amigo’s and walk off the humid hot street of Cozumel it’s like entering a little oasis. The amount of vegetation and the pool all create a lush and cool atmosphere that dries the sweat right off you. As you walk through you nod easily at a couple of backpackers who are splayed out by the pool, they smile back – no words are needed. You head into the common area, everyone either nods or says “ola”. Kathy may be around, chatting to everyone – giving advice where needed or just sharing a joke or life story. You instantly feel at home and understand how so many people come to Cozumel for a holiday and then never leave. This is one of those great hostels that you dream about finding. I definitely recommend it.