Best hostel I ever stayed! The team was super warm and welcoming. I was traveling solo and I was able to make many new friends. The place itself is really clean and very well decorated. It got everything you need and lots of space. You can be social at the front bar or take a little break/nap in the backyard.

Free breakfast is amazing . Private rooms are great . Dorms are close to bar but private rooms are well secluded. Very clean and good beds

This is probably one of the best hostels I have ever stayed at. I booked it pretty far in advance not knowing anything about it only that it looked great online, once we got to central America, every person we met ranted and raved about it. It's beautiful, super chill, clean, spacious, comfortable. Nest beds I've slept in in a long time. The employees are SUPER nice and helpful. They make it really easy to book tours through them. Free breakfast is included and it's soo good. I can't recommend this place enough and I can't wait to come back.

Absolutely fantastic Hostel. I unfortunately sustained a knee injury in Antigua and the reception staff (Oscar and Christian) went out of their way to help me extend my stay without the need to change beds and ensured I had a bottom bunk which made things so much easier while I waited to see Doctors in the city. The hostel itself is very conveniently located and the facilities are absolute class. Strongly recommend!

By far my favorite hostel I stayed out on my vacation . Warm and bright . cozy decor . Beautiful. Cameras and the doors are manned and locked . Rooms aren’t locked but I didn’t have issues during my stay. Bunk beds are so comfy, literally like clouds even on a twin bed. Clean bedding, I could smell the bedding was just laundered which I appreciate . You’re able to rent bath towels for $25 quetzals and you receive 20 back at checkout. The staff always were cleaning all the time , hostel smelled amazing . Loved coming in to fresh swept and mopped floors. Your rooms are also cleaned daily , trash emptied and bathroom deep cleaned which is helpful when rooming with others especially as everyone isn’t clean. Cons- no variety in breakfast . Same thing everyday either egg options or fruit option. no restaurant onsite to buy food throughout the day not enough tables inside to dine at, at times it’s either to hot or cold to eat outside. the overview speech they give you at arrival is very rushed . I understand a lot of people are checking in, but first impressions are everything. I didn’t notice any social events to bring other travelers together other than beer pong at night ? Seemed like a clique-ish type of vibe at the hostel. I enjoyed my stay and would stay again

My partner and I spent 5 nights at Maya Papaya and loved it! We booked our stay very last minute, as we had heard positive things about the place but it looked fully booked online. So we showed up at the reception and asked if they could somehow accommodate us for the week. The staff was super kind and made it happen - we had to change room three times but that was absolutely fine and a smooth process, simply moving our things from one room to the other. Having seen three different rooms (both with shared bathroom and ensuite) we loved all of them. Clean, spacious, comfortable beds, powerful hot shower, nice simple decor, quiet. The garden and cafe area are perfect to relax and chill in the sun or shade after visiting the city and to enjoy breakfast (one savoury and one sweet option to choose from - we loved the oatmeal with fruit, yogurt and macadamia nuts). The location is also great, a 10-min walk from the main square, and close to many shops, cafes, the street food by the Iglesia Merced, a laundromat, a pharmacy with a cash machine. The staff is super kind, all nice and friendly people who are happy to help with any logistics and planning you might need. Definitely recommend, and we would love to go back!

Really lovely hostel! Very clean rooms and charming common spaces. Really kind staff too - I had an early morning ride to the airport at 4am and thought I left something behind in my room. Due to this, I was a bit panicky when speaking to the staff who didn’t understand English but he was still so gracious and kind, letting me go back to the room to find my stuff after I checked out. Highly recommend!

Overall, an excellent hostel experience. Employees were friendly and helpful with arranging transportation from the hostel & any questions we had. Breakfast and bar offerings were good as were the common areas provided. We didn’t stay too long in Antigua so we can’t speak too much of social atmosphere of the place. As far as the rooms itself, clean, minimal noise, really comfortable bed for a hostel, contains a larger locker space (must bring own lock). No issues with the bathrooms or showers… typical hostel set up, but really clean. Only issue was the room was quite hot. Would have helped to have more fans going.

Great hostel with high quality beds. My only complaint was that the showers were a little cold but apparently there’s a technique getting them to warm up - definitely ask if you’re having the same issues I did. Staff were all super friendly and helpful, nothing bad to say about that. I do wish there were some more social activities to make some friends but that is dependent on the type of people who are currently staying there of course.

Nice and friendly hostel, good rooms and beds. You can book every tour or guide here as well. If you like I quietly, choose another hostel or a hotel. Folks in the yard or community room talk until 11/12 pm. But it’s your chance to connect and inform. Up to you ✌️

Really nice, simple hostel. Good WiFi, and the free breakfast was great! The bedding was soft, everything felt clean. Staff were super friendly and helpful. I didn't really stay long enough to get involved, but I know there were community events. The only minor gripe is the showers are a bit small but I think they're working on that. All in all I'd say it's up there with the best hostels I've stayed in. Would definitely recommend.

Overall fantastic stay. Particular call out to Cristian, who was a great host and bartender. Room - I stayed in the 12 person dorm. It was extremely spacious and clean. Sheets were clean and comfortable. Staff made the bed everyday. Each bed had a small shelf, outlet, and light. Decent sized lockers and space to put bags. Never had to wait for a toilet, sink, or shower, and the bathroom was cleaned thoroughly everyday. Guests were friendly and respectful. Lots of common areas and places to lounge and socialize (or work). Kitchen was in line with a hostel kitchen. Nothing fancy, but seemed like it had everything. Cleaned everyday. Location - close enough to most things in Antigua. 10 min walk at most.

Great hostel with beautiful decoration! Individual cabin showers and nice bathroom area, the dorm is also perfect with curtains and big lockers. Nice outside area with a bar, the barman was super nice!

Best hostel in Antigua. Friendly and helpful staff. Best facilities I’ve ever had in a hostel and a very comfy bed

Fantastic place to stay. Facilities are very clean, staff are super friendly and it looks beautiful! If you’re looking for a more lowkey place to have a good night of sleep, I definitely recommend! They tend to get booked up so book in devance.

I just really wanted to write a review to say thank you to Maya Papaya. My partner and I stayed here in September 2023 and I unfortunately slipped in the hostel shower and broke my arm (requiring surgery and 100% my fault!). The hostel staff were so helpful with calling an ambulance, made it possible for us to extend our stay in the same room and without hesitation wrote a supporting letter for my insurance. One particular staff member even recognised my partner a week later in Antigua and asked if I was doing okay. The hostel itself is also great, amazing breakfast, comfy beds and great chill atmosphere. Only suggestion would be include anti-slip mats in the bathroom for clumsy people like me… 10/10 would recommend staying here. Thank you!

Lovely hostel: clean rooms, nice staff, and a good free breakfast. Definitely a good place to base yourself in Antigua if you’re looking for something not too loud and that isn’t a party hotspot, but can still give you the opportunity to meet other travellers. The bar is also good with a range of daily cocktail offers (2x1 on a range of drinks depending on the day), and activities going on at the hostel. Games room is also a big plus!

We booked on Hostelworld on arrival they said they had double booked our room. We were told to cancel our booking in hostelworld and rebook a different room with them. They didn't account for the hostelworld deposit that we lost due to their double booking, which I found unfair. The deposit isn't a lot of money but the principle of it left me with a bad impression of the place. Privates are over priced the the King room that we had to upgrade to had loads of street noise.

Protests happening in Guatemala. Cannot even reach the property, very dangerous right now. Property kept all of my money and then afterwards lied to me and said the roads were clear. They weren’t, and I was not told this until after my check in date. Absolutely disgusted with the service and lack of care.

Prior to coming here, I read reviews saying that this was the best hostel people have ever stayed at. Okay. So now I’ve been here, I could not help but to repeat that sentiment. Where do I even start?! Well people is what makes the world go around so I will start there. The people here are INCREDIBLE!!! They literally make you feel like you ARE family. I couldn’t get the names of everyone but everyone who works are nothing but incredibly kind. But I will do a few special mentions. David was the first person I met. Immediately, he was sweet and helpful. He also seemed very intuitive with what the guests needed all the while being incredibly genuine and sincere. Oscar goes above and beyond. He is energetic and welcoming. He makes sure everyone’s needs are met even during a rush of check ins. He has a gift in making sure everyone feels good and he’s a wonderful story teller. Hector (but don’t pronounce the “H” in his name;)) loves Maya Papaya like it’s his own family. That love for sure translates into the way he treats guests and makes us feel like we are a part of the Maya Papaya family. For the people alone, I will continue to stay at Maya Papaya again and again. Next I’ll talk about the facility. It’s actually the cleanest, brightest, most spacious hostel I have ever stayed at. Someone (nice) is always cleaning. The space is modern while bright. Desert chic vibes. Speaking of vibes, the vibes of this place is very calm and relaxing with a dose of fun at the bar. It’s also feels incredibly safe. Dogs: the cutest sweetest ones were there when I stayed. They’re treated like royalty by all the staff and guests. From what I understand, they are only ever rarely there though. I’m sure this review will continue contribute to Maya Papaya always being sold out in advance. I guess I better book in advance next time :) Particularly in the competitive world of hostels. Maya Papaya sets itself apart. And I feel like I’m a part of the fam now.

Would recommend it. The patio, breakfast, staff, cleanliness, atmosphere. Staff was particularly helpful when RoadRunner messed up and forgot us. Rooms are (very) basic. Small, with a somewhat hard bed. Less comfortable rooms than others, but everything else is cooler. All in all, still one of the best hostels I've seen in that price range !

This was one of the best hostels I’ve ever stayed in— the staff were very friendly and accommodating, the amenities (game room, kitchen, garden, etc) were beautiful, the rooms/bathrooms were clean and well-maintained, and the traditional breakfast was incredible! Would definitely stay here again.

Hands down one of the best hostels in Antigua! Located in proximity of everything (markets, the ruins, tour companies). Great bar and not too noisy past 10pm. Good wether you’re looking for a quiet evening for the volcano hike or to enjoy their happy hour. Christian definitely made our stay worthwhile! A++

I stayed in the 4 bed dorm for 1 night and a private for 2 nights. Would not recommend the 4 bed dorm. The bar is blaring music until 11pm and then at 7am they start the music again. Annoying as hell. You also have to walk so far to the bathroom. On checkin they told me the wrong bed number and didn’t even show me to the hidden bathrooms. Upon transferring rooms the guy rudely told me “check in isn’t until 2pm.” Even though I had already seen all of the bunks in my 4 bed fully cleaned which means likely the private was already fully cleaned also but he didn’t bother to check with the cleaning staff. Overall very rude vibe from the staff here and not social hostel at all. Not sure why it’s so well rated. Maybe just the privacy curtains?

Amazing space with comfortable beds. The atmosphere is fun and social but nice and quiet in the bedrooms. The beds all have curtains and plugs and the female dorms are spacious

Amazing atmosphere. Clean and has good food. The location is also very close to many of Antigua's sightseeings. However there was no hot water in my room

Great hostel within the city center of Antigua, such lovely staff, very clean rooms/dorms with a lovely garden and inner courtyard to relax in. Breakfast was great perfect, and also some coffee and cookies in the afternoon have been included.

maya papaya is really a great place, very calm and nothing like a party hostel so dont expect it. too expansive, i think price can and should be a bit lower but still 5 stars and will still sleep there if im in antigua.

Great staff super friendly and helpful! The dorm is super comfy with curtains on each bed 😍 I did private too and the room was great! The breakfast included is also a plus! Very yummy thank you ☺️

Maya Papaya was a great stay in Antigua. Staff is great, breakfast and coffee is tasty, and the rooms/outdoor spaces are all clean. Diego was incredibly friendly and did an excellent job making us feel like family. We'll definitely be back.

We loved our stay here. Everything was very clean and the staff were very attentive and sweet. I personally loved the hammock garden. It’s a great central location and walkable to everything in Antigua. And very affordable! The drinks at the bar were also delicious. They have lots of social activities going on every day of the week and the house pups are angels! Maya Papaya Was really the cherry on top of our experience in Antigua! Thank you!!!

Maya Papaya is a super nice hostel. The staff were incredibly helpful and friendly. Communal spaces are great. I booked a private room which was very noisy and lacked privacy - not worth how much it cost at all. You could hear doors slamming, TV room, courtyard etc. At all hours. Perhaps staying here in a dorm is worth it…