Tag Hostel — Hotel in Lagos

Ohhhhh Tag Hostel, I am so glad I stumbled upon you! ||||If you are going to Lagos to party your head off, the Tag hostel might not be for you. However, if you want to experience magnificent Lagos while feeling like you're at home with a very warm family, sleep well, and be close to everything, then Tag hostel is definitely for you. Be careful, you might want to extend your trip, and extend again, and again, and... ;p||||I don't know what does it, but the Tag hostel does feel like a home. The building is set up like a house, no huge bathrooms (and no lines either), no 20-bed dorms, no restaurant, etc. Breakfast is served in a sun-soaked living room where you can sit at a table with fellow guests, or find your little bubble of calm in one of the sofas, while drinking as much coffee as you'd like :p The kitchen is perfect, just like home, everything is so clean, and the terrasse is the perfect place to chill, have dinner and wine with new friends, or even play some music under the stars. And then, common areas close at midnight, so everybody can enjoy a perfect night of sleep. Other than that, everything is really close by, supermarket, restaurants, bars, incredible beaches just minutes away.||||So there's all this, but really, what makes the Tag Hostel a perfect home away from home is its people. The owners, Filipa and her husband, are such wonderful people. I got to know them during the family dinners that are held twice a week. Their kids (teenager) are so cool too! And Ursa, the family dog... awwww miss you Ursa :p These people have so much to offer and deeply want the guests to have a great experience in Lagos. Finally, the staff, Maura and Bianca, are the nicest girls around. I was so impressed at check-in when Maura took like, 20 minutes, to tell me about the hostel, about Lagos, show me a map, answer my many questions about activities, etc.! ||||So thank you so much wonderful people of the Tag Hostel! You made my stay in Lagos a magical experience, and I will be back for more sun and fun with you guys hopefully very soon!...

At first, I would have easily given this hostel 4 or even 5 stars. Everything was clean, well-kept, and tastefully decorated. Bathrooms were always available, the facilities looked great, and almost every staff member we met was friendly and helpful.

I stayed in a four-bed room with a sea view, which sounded wonderful, but it was extremely loud at night. Since there’s no air conditioning, you have to keep the door open, which lets all the street noise pour in. Even with headphones, the traffic was impossible to ignore, making it very hard to sleep. On top of that, my bed wobbled, adding to the discomfort, and the blanket and pillow were polyester, which in summer only makes you sweat more.

The real reason for this low rating came on our last day. When we checked in, we were told we could store our luggage until 5 PM after check-out and take a shower before leaving. I understood this to mean the €5 fee only applied if you used one of the hostel’s towels. So, I brought my own towel, showered, and thought everything was fine.

It turns out the €5 fee applies regardless. Fair enough, my misunderstanding, and I paid immediately without argument. However, instead of a polite clarification, I was met with one of the rudest and most unnecessarily hostile reactions I have ever had while traveling. A particular staff member, an older woman with glasses, spoke to me in an aggressive, dismissive tone, as if I had been caught trying to cheat the system. Minutes later, I watched her warmly greet other guests, proving she can be friendly, but simply chose not to be with me.

Her justification was that the rule is written on a small sign at reception. In my view, relying on tiny print instead of clear communication at check-in is poor practice, and using it as an excuse to treat a guest rudely is completely unprofessional.

This single encounter erased all the positives of my stay. Between the noise, the wobbly bed, and the unfriendly treatment, this hostel left me with a lasting...

My opinion. I stayed there one night.

The hostel seems to be very tidy. The owner / manager Filipa is very friendly, but also seems to be very strict and careful to communicate your house rules clearly. At check-in, she makes it clear that it is not a party hostel and that a lot of emphasis is placed on quiet, respect and cleanliness.

All in all, that's good.

What I completely fail to understand, however, is what a huge dog is doing in a hygienic place like the kitchen. I am really an animal lover, but a dog that feels like the stature of a wolf and smells so much and has long hair has no place in the kitchen. I wouldn't say anything if strict house rules are not communicated beforehand.

Furthermore, I was told rules that it was not a party hostel. On the night I stayed at two o'clock in the morning, the other hostel visitors came home and made such a noise by talking loudly and screaming that it was not possible to sleep at short notice.

Regarding the rooms, it can be said that the rooms, especially the dorms, are really very, very spartan and carelessly furnished. The showers and sanitary facilities are clean, but much too small in my opinion.

In my opinion, it did not live up to the claim that Filipa conveyed at check-in that night. The biggest downside, however, is the long-haired dog in the kitchen and the loud party people. Although, in my opinion, the clearing of house rules is consciously mentioned.

The location of the hostel is really good. Not far to the beach and also very central to restaurants and the bus station.

All in all, I would give it 3...