Santiago 31 Hostel

Super friendly and informative host, great location in the old town, comfortable room with private bathroom & terrace

We were a group of 13 people that was suppose to stay at Hostel Santiago 31 in the town square of Guimaraes. We had booked 5 nights through Hostel World during a school trip in two separate dorm rooms. When some of the group arrived Sunday, they found mildew all over one of the dorm rooms for the 6 people. This was on the walls, next to the beds that was wet from the cold weather and mildew in the room. Further on they also found mildew in the kitchen and leftover rice sticking to different kitchen appliances. We went and told the staff that the was mildew all over the room, which they acknowledged at first, telling that they had try to clean it with bleach, because they didn’t know how to handle it. We wanted to cancel our stay and talk to the staff, that get a hang of the owner, that it was not acceptable and that we wanted our money back. The owner proceeded to yell at us, that we were privy spoiled snobs that wouldn’t be able to stay anywhere, if we couldn’t stay in a room with mildew (?!?). They where very aggressive, and scary - we felt very uncomfortable. They charged us the deposit we made and a cancellation fee of one nights sleep. Hostel world was no help to us, even though the Hostel world is all the money went through them, so they couldn’t give us any money back, but Hostel world told us the same but the other way around. Hostel world did provide us a 90€ voucher for the one the 6 dorm room, that has to be used in 6 months, but as we are 6 different students, a voucher doesn’t do much in our strict budget, let alone to trust a service that recommends and facilitates a Hostel with mildew AND unpleasant owner and staff. I can not recommended anyone to stay at this Hostel, let alone to book through Hostel world.

Excelent host and employes!