Casa Bambu

Location:
Solano 17 58 y Av. Colombia (up a steep hill from the southernmost corner of Parque el Ejido)
Centro Histórico, Quito, Ecuador

Hotel

V!VA User‘s Description

Casa Bambu is one of Quito's best values with clean dorm rooms at $4/person and private rooms at $7. This small hotel is full of character and homey touches. The lounges are spacious and full of comfy couches, flowering plants, a collection of books, games and DVDs and several outdoor patios provide excellent views of Quito.

We recommend you take a cab when you first arrive, the hotel is located up a steep hill not conducive to luggage. Its just a block from several main bus lines, so transportation isn't a problem once you stash the heavy stuff.

Room Prices:
Lower:$4
Higher:$7

Contact Information:
Phone: 593-2-222-6738

Traveler Reviews of

The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Rating: 50%

Jan. 08'
I arrived in Quito to a terrible hotel and due to it's good reputation, I went instead to Casa Bambu. The first week I was there, I was very happy. I lucked out with a $7 private room with shared bathroom. Everything was fine. But when I returned after a week away, my reservation for a similar room was not honored and all that was left was an $18 room which seemed to be always empty due to the lack of a view and it being very poorly situated under the (loud) hang out area. I left again and tried to make another reservation. I returned a week later and again, the type of room i reserved wasn't available. This was happening to a lot of travellers. The reservation system is a messy notebook where staff scribbles in requests. They don't seem to check if there are reservations before giving the rooms away. Upon arriving for my 3rd visit, the receptionist, a very rude young woman who was new and drawing many complaints, was wearing one of my shirts. When she saw me she ran upstairs and returned with a sweatshirt on. I told her she was wearing my shirt and she didn't deny it, she gave it back. Several guests spoke to the owner about these issues and the girl was immediately fired. The owner was really nice and he and his family started working in the hostel, apparently to put things back into order.

The Good: location, view from patio, equipped kitchen, easy to meet other travelers, clean.

The Bad: not much garden or outdoor space to be alone, very social atmosphere, rooms can be great or suck, it's all luck.

The ugly: theft, one robbery by gunpoint occured outside on the street while i was there (which is not the hostels fault, of course, and could happen anywhere in quito), reservations are not honored. One worker actually walked into my room with new guests while I was sleeping to give my room to someone who had a reservation.

I do think the owners are concerned and working on these issues.

By V!VA user from New York City, Jan 31, 2008

casa de bambu

Rating: 50%

Basically the cheapest place you´ll find in quito, good kitchen, really cool people who stay there. The staff however is NOT helpful. Expect to recieve contradicting or even flat out wrong information from them. Generally not friendly.

By V!VA User from Hawaii, Dec 14, 2007

hostel bambu

Rating: 100%

Awesome hostel, Cheap, good location between the old and new towns. Super clean, you even get your bed made every day!
2 good kitchens, internet, bbq and awesome roof top terrace. Best hostel i have stopped in in South america in the last 5 months.

By V!VA User from UK, Sep 16, 2007