Green Belly Surf Lodge — Hotel in Escuintla

This hostel is a work in progress. Noisy construction going on. I like peace, quiet, and comfort and didn't find that here with consistency. The current rating here on Google, currently 4.9, is probably inflated due to the free beer they offer in exchange for a review.

Pros: friendly & helpful staff, nice pool, rad climbing wall, group lunch and dinner cooked by the chef for only 30Q (open to non-guests too). Nice yoga platform with workout gear and they're building another on the roof of the dorm. AC in one of the dorms. Beautiful trees with hammocks underneath. Affordable for budget travelers. Yoga classes twice daily.

Cons: A few construction projects are going on with loud power tools that make it hard to relax or sleep in late. It would've been nice to get a heads-up about it before i booked. Overwatering the grass makes big mud puddles. There's a bit of a party hostel vibe with lots of cigs, beer, and on one night a Bluetooth speaker on high volume past 9:30pm just outside the dorm where I was attempting to sleep (they turned it down when i asked). The dorm feels cramped; very little space between the beds and the lockers, some of the lockers don't stay closed, some of them don't lock. The meals weren't vegan/gluten-free. Kitchen not available for use by guests.

Overall there's a lot of potential here and it's clearly shaping up to be an awesome hostel, it just left a lot to be desired in...

A big compliment to the volunteers and employees. They absolutely do a great job here! They are super friendly, helpful and make you feel comfortable. The location of the hostel is perfect near the beach with a relaxed atmosphere. Pool is a nice plus.

However, there is potential for improvement.

Security: Unfortunately, there is no way to keep valuables safe. The existing lockers can be easily opened by hand and there are not enough lockers for all guests.

Drying clothes: There are only three short clotheslines available for drying clothes, which is clearly not enough.

Atmosphere among the staff: While the volunteers and employees are great, the impression of the owner is unfortunately not very positive. One gets the impression that he is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. His interaction with guests, volunteers and employees is not particularly friendly.

Conclusion: With a bit of luck, when the owner isn't there, you can still have a great time at the Green Belly Hostel. The location and atmosphere are great and the prices are right. However, you have to be able to live with the...

This review is for the volunteering position ONLY! As a guest this is to ignore since you get a entirely different experience and have a nice chill environment at Green Belly. Volunteering at Green Belly was not enjoyable for me and also for my co-volunteers. Mainly coming from the hostel owner it was several times made clear that us volunteers were not wanted at the place. And so it felt like. It may have played a role that it was off-season and not the financially best time for the hostel, but for every broken thing (even if it was an old chair giving up it‘s legs) the volunteers were blamed and asked for money to replace. Moreover, talking with the other volunteers, no trust from the owner was felt, doing for example cleaning tasks. All in all we all agreed that the vibe was very off between the staff. Happy to have left the place after I saw a WhatsApp chat between a working staff and the owner, talking badly and in a verbally insulting way behind my back. Summed up: Definitely go there as a Guest, not as a Volunteer (At least under...