Vacationing in a hostel can be one of the best experiences you have while traveling. You can meet a ton of new people if you want to be social, or be a little more reclusive depending on the layout of the hostel itself. La Negrita Hostel in Tulum is the latter. Located 10ish minutes away from the busy center of Tulum, this is one of the best kept secrets in Tulum aside from the amazing Tacos Kukulkan not too far away. I love hostels and highly recommend everyone try staying in one once! Let’s get into my experience at La Negrita.
My Trip Itinerary with La Negrita Hostel
Stay: January 3rd to January 6th, 2019 (3 nights)
Room: Standard 6 Bed Female Dorm
Trip Type: Girl’s Trip (one friend)
Booked With: Hostelworld
Get my entire budget-friendly itinerary for Tulum and Playa del Carmen here!
Why I chose La Negrita Hostel
How to book a hostel is a life skill and I definitely used all my tips and tricks to find La Negrita. I initially wanted to stay in another hostel, but my budget was telling me otherwise. As I put in my available dates and price range, La Negrita Hostel popped up. After doing some social media stalking on Instagram and Facebook, I found out it was really cute and further away from the busy center of Tulum. With breakfast included, hammocks, bright colors, and AC available, I booked La Negrita and didn’t look back. It was a welcomed, yet unexpected surprise.
La Negrita Hostel breakdown
Price
I went to Tulum after New Year’s, so all accommodations were more expensive than my first trip back in May. I paid $67 for 3 nights at La Negrita Hostel. Again, this is more expensive than non-holiday time yet extremely cheap for housing! The price also included breakfast and you could easily walk to the city center if you didn’t want to rent one of their bikes. My friend and I walked into the city center most of the trip!
Location
Since I went to Tulum right after New Year’s, lots of hostels in the city center were booked. La Negrita is further away on the city limits of Tulum and Kukulkan, however it’s walkable by foot to the center. It takes roughly 10-12 minutes. I ended up loving the location more than I initially thought because I got to see the differences between the touristy stuff (as a tourist myself) and the locals. Also, there’s way more street food around this area, which I love too.
Dorm style and bathroom
La Negrita’s dorms are pretty standard. The beds are bunk bed style and my room housed 6 people, though it was not full every night. Oh and air conditioning was in the room AND we could control it, which I loved. Lockers were also included in the room and perfect for storing my stuff. The bathrooms were downstairs or outside, depending on your preference. I used the one on the inside the most and never had problems waiting for people.
Meals
At La Negrtia Hostel, breakfast is included in the price! This makes it a perfect, budget-friendly choice. Every morning, there were eggs, fruit, juice, cereal, and toast you could choose from for breakfast. The eggs were prepared by the cook in the kitchen that’s connected to the lobby and all guests ate in the back eating area. There was ample space and tons of sunlight as it is a sheltered attachment outside.
Common areas
La Negrita Hostel has the most beautiful “common area!” It’s not the usual hostel with couches and a TV (because neither exist here). The hammocks outside immediately made it a beautiful environment to connect with other guests, all while enjoying the fresh air. It’s not a super social hostel, which worked for me on this trip. But if you’re literally hanging out in a hammock by the lobby entrance or under the trees, someone is bound to speak to you.
Cleanliness and comfort
A mix of being half inside and half outside, La Negrita was very clean. From the sheets to the floors to the bathroom, I felt the hostel itself is kept super nice. I also felt comfortable in the beds and walking around. No complaints here!
Internet/Wi-Fi
There is free Internet use. The password is on a flyer in the hostel so you can look at it whenever, or if your phone “forgets” it. I don’t recall having any terrible connection issues, though it did get spotty sometimes because I was on the top bunk. Overall, it was good.
Safety
I felt 100% safe while staying at La Negrita Hostel. It’s gated and you need a key to get in after 11pm or 12am. I know some people may be hesitant since it’s not in the Tulum Beach area, or even in the center of Tulum Pueblo, but don’t be! I had no issues. Though I will say knowing some Spanish will be better to converse with the locals you meet in the area.
Staff, check-in, and check-out information
The staff was extremely accommodating and relaxed. The environment was chill, so I’m not surprised the staff were chill too. We checked-in and checked-out on time, and the breakfast cooked by the staff was delicious as well. I didn’t have too many issues out of the ordinary, so nothing to extreme to report.
Aesthetics
Y’all know I loooooove Instagram-worthy spots and La Negrita Hostel did not disappoint. The bright-colored pink and orange walls made it pop and the entry-way was stunning with the rocky path. At night, the lights lit up and made it look very ethereal. A 10 out of 10 for sure!
Would I recommend La Negrita Hostel?
La Negrita Hostel was an unexpected gem and perhaps my favorite hostel EVER! I know, that’s a big thing to say, yet I think it’s true at this point. Even though it’s not in the heart of Tulum, I loved having the balance between the busy center of Tulum Pueblo and the local life around La Negrita. Also, the outdoor space, hammocks, and swimming pool, added to the welcoming and tranquil atmosphere. And the bright colors were a nice, aesthetic touch. I recommend La Negrita Hostel to those who are looking for a more quiet hostel with some areas to meet new people, just not in the same “party hostel” way.
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