Gaia Hostels — Hotel in Goa

FOR THE MANAGING GAIA HOSTELS TEAM WHO HAVE BECOME OUR FAMILY : THERE ARE NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE GIVEN US!!!||||FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING THIS REVIEWS TO KNOW IF TO STAY AT THIS HOSTEL OR NOT : THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE MOST AMAZING HOSTEL TO STAY IN AT THE WHOLE ENTIRE GOA!!! ||
||We came to this hostel at the very difficult times when the virus COVID-19 began spreading around India. Jai Jea (read Jay Jay) and Sharon, who are the most helpful, kind, open minded, caring, loving, funny managers took us with their arms opened by taking the risk as the government already suggested not to take any new customers. They gave us shelter when we needed it the most. ||If you will have any chances of meeting the amazing, creative, loving team without who this whole experience would never be the same - you will be very fortuned. For two months we stayed at this place during the lockdown - they provided us with EVERYTHING. With food, with amazing live performances ( they are so good, it’s a gem to the ears ), with creative handcraft workshops, with fun, with entertaining evenings around deep talks and a lot of fun, but most of it all - with an amazing kind acceptance and love! Besides all of this, this place is unbelievable BEAUTIFUL. There are amazing wall paintings everywhere, that kind of art that will give your soul rest. 
The owner Roy is so kind, so helpful and anything you would ever need he was ready to help. His wife Agnes has made this whole place so beautiful, with all the plants, flowers, veggie garden. We saw many different hostels around Goa and none of them was as beautiful as Gaia hostels. For a few times we went to check different places, and we always came back with a feeling that we have the best place in the whole world where to spend the quarantine. PLENTY of outdoor space to do anything you wish, calm and quiet surrounding with no noice of the traffic. Amazing birds that sing all the time. Two sweetest dogs, two cute geese, rabbits. From this place 5min walk - and you are in the abundance of the sea / ocean. Everyone who stayed there said almost every day how lucky we all are to be in that place. Now I have another home in Goa and it is Gaia hostels. I will never forget how special it was what we experienced there. 
Jai Jea, Sharon, Kitu, Boss, Aki, Akil, Saiboi(man), Chef, Rakesh, Daniel, Roy, Agnes, watersport guys, Sniper, Ginger and a THE Chiku tree - the team. If you will have them taking care of you - you are a very fortuned human being. 
We ( Anita and Martin ) thank you from the bottom of our hearts.. We love you, and cannot wait to see you again as the...

FOR THE MANAGING GAIA HOSTELS TEAM WHO HAVE BECOME OUR FAMILY : THERE ARE NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE GIVEN US!!!

FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING THIS REVIEWS TO KNOW IF TO STAY AT THIS HOSTEL OR NOT : THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE MOST AMAZING HOSTEL TO STAY IN AT THE WHOLE ENTIRE GOA!!!

We came to this hostel at the very difficult times when the virus COVID-19 began spreading around India. Jai Jea (read Jay Jay) and Sharon, who are the most helpful, kind, open minded, caring, loving, funny managers took us with their arms opened by taking the risk as the government already suggested not to take any new customers. They gave us shelter when we needed it the most. If you will have any chances of meeting the amazing, creative, loving team without who this whole experience would never be the same - you will be very fortuned. For two months we stayed at this place during the lockdown - they provided us with EVERYTHING. With food, with amazing live performances ( they are so good, it’s a gem to the ears ), with creative handcraft workshops, with fun, with entertaining evenings around deep talks and a lot of fun, but most of it all - with an amazing kind acceptance and love! Besides all of this, this place is unbelievable BEAUTIFUL. There are amazing wall paintings everywhere, that kind of art that will give your soul rest. 
The owner Roy is so kind, so helpful and anything you would ever need he was ready to help. His wife Agnes has made this whole place so beautiful, with all the plants, flowers, veggie garden. We saw many different hostels around Goa and none of them was as beautiful as Gaia hostels. For a few times we went to check different places, and we always came back with a feeling that we have the best place in the whole world where to spend the quarantine. PLENTY of outdoor space to do anything you wish, calm and quiet surrounding with no noice of the traffic. Amazing birds that sing all the time. Two sweetest dogs, two cute geese, rabbits. From this place 5min walk - and you are in the abundance of the sea / ocean. Everyone who stayed there said almost every day how lucky we all are to be in that place. Now I have another home in Goa and it is Gaia hostels. I will never forget how special it was what we experienced there. 
Jai Jea, Sharon, Kitu, Boss, Aki, Akil, Saiboi(man), Chef, Rakesh, Daniel, Roy, Agnes, watersport guys, Sniper, Ginger and a THE Chiku tree - the team. If you will have them taking care of you - you are a very fortuned human being. 
We ( Anita and Martin ) thank you from the bottom of our hearts.. We love you, and cannot wait to see you again as the...

I absolutely do not recommend this place.

Short story - the place was very unhygienic and was stinking everywhere. Was fooled by photos on Google

Would request to not choose this place unless you have no other option. Seeing the reviews and photos via google, we had booked a stay here for 6 days (non AC dorm) and reached this place in the morning to checkin. As part of checkin we were requested to pay an amount of 6.5K INR (remaining amount for the stay). When we requested to pay this in parts since we would be staying for 6 days, the manager denied and asked for the entire money to be paid upfront. We paid a total amount of 7.5K (1K advance via the booking website).

When we entered the room, it was stinking and was very dirty. It definitely did not give us the ambiance that we were expecting. We couldn't even stay there for 30 mins. The entire place has only 2 washrooms (for about 20-25 people if fully occupied) and were outside the dorm rooms. These looked like they were cleaned like weeks ago.

We were truly disappointed with the place and decided to cancel the booking and asked for the refund. We even insisted to deduct 25% of the paid amount and refund the remaining amount (we were in a state to just leave that place as soon as possible). Initially the manager at the stay told there is not concept of refund and after taking to the owner couple of times, they agreed to pay back 4.5K as a refund. But they told that this would be payed after a day. Eventually they only refunded 3.5K and when asked for the remaining amount they told us to check with the booking website.

Recommendations to the stays - Show the rooms/dorms to the guests before you demand the money and please do not cheat them Please try to keep the place clean and tidy, This is something people expect irrespective of these pandemic situations Please give justice to the money paid by...