Pura Vida Hostel

Let me save you the trouble: steer clear of Pura Vida Hostel in Brazil if you're heading to Rio.My experience at this establishment was disappointing, to say the least. The hostel staff lacked basic manners and appeared disinterested in providing quality service. Requests for basic amenities, such as fresh towels and toilet paper, were often overlooked. Additionally, cleanliness standards were not upheld, with the room often left untidy and windows left wide open, posing a huge security risk. Moreover, the room itself was cramped and poorly maintained, with malfunctioning plug sockets, a broken shower, and unstable bunk bed. The bedding did not fit properly, and the lack of safes and inadequate door locks raised security concerns. Inconsistent WiFi further detracted from the overall experience. We booked a room of 5 and were told there would be 3 on a bunk bed but it was a 2 person bunk bed but they just gave a thin mattress to put on the floor - it was far from what we booked. Attempts to address these issues with the staff were met with indifference, further exacerbating our dissatisfaction. Furthermore, the hostel's location necessitated navigating numerous steps, which proved cumbersome. It is worth noting that the hostel is situated near a Favela, a detail that should be disclosed in their advertising to accommodate guests' comfort levels. I have no intention of returning to this establishment in the future and will let people know not to stay here.

A very cool experience. The staff was really nice, everyday you have a different activity you can be a part of: from karaoke and dance lessons to quiz nights or free tours. The location is close to Copacabana beach where you can see the sunrise and the Ipanema beach where you can see the sunset with the favelas literally glittering. Also, Lulu's cooking (the local cook) was really good.

I can highly recommend this hostel. 10 minutes to the CopaCabana, we had a really nice room, there is a daily calendar with activities from morning to evening and the people there are special. Luca at the bar makes the best Caipirinha, Bia and Matteo read your wishes at the reception and Axel takes great photos during the activities... and the best is the party cellar😘

I absolutely loved my stay at Pura Vida! I stayed with a friend and we were able to connect with a lot of the staff, Ivan in particular was the best part of our trip! He was incredibly friendly, helpful, and he showed us the best parts of Rio! Be mindful that the hostel is at the entrance to a favela, but also keep in mind favelas are just places where people live. I’ve seen some reviews from other people claiming they had bad experiences but everyone in and around the favela was very friendly. Just be a conscious traveler, try to contribute to the community while you’re staying there, and overall don’t be an ignorant foreigner :) Partake in all of the events Pura Vida organizes as well, they have something planned everyday of the week and I met a lot of cool individuals in my time there!

I really enjoyed my stay at the Pura Vida hostel. The aesthetic is really nice, with a cool outside bar terrace at the back where they host fun events and have cheap drinks. The Hostel is really social and there are always loads of different day trips/ night outs you can attend. All the staff are really nice, especially Karol who was super helpful and really fun. She always had time to chat and made my stay really enjoyable. I’d defo stay here again.

Wonderful staff - especially Victor, Renata, Ruan, and Ivan. They always made me feel at home. The building is beautiful and close to the beach. The location is very safe, despite being near a favela. I will surely be back!

AMAZING!!! I couldn’t recommend this hostel enough. I had a wonderful time because the staff made the experience so nice - there’s such a friendly atmosphere and always something to do. My trip was absolutely made by Ivan, one of the volunteers at the hostel I’m so happy I got to meet, whose so so wonderful and always made sure we had a great time. Another volunteer, Beatriz, was also really amazing and made our trip just that much better. Overall I’d 100% recommend this hostel to anyone interested in really getting to know Rio - you’ll have an unforgettable time!

Here is the honest truth I wish I knew. 1. The staff is amazing. You will make friends super fast. Very friendly great vibes all around. 2. They say there is AC - there isn’t. They only have fans and like tbh if I knew I would have not stayed there. 3 it’s a party hostel - that means that they are loud and drinking with music on till 2/3 am. I stayed in a room with 10 beds for girls and that room faces the bar and the window was always open for fresh air - bc there’s no AC so it’s literally impossible to sleep. So my thoughts - stay there if you only want to party and make sure you understand there won’t be any or very little rest there. But 10/10 for culture. 10/10 for staff. I did the all day tour, great deal!

The hostel is so beautiful and the people who work there are so kind, they always make sure that you have everything that you need. Especially Victor has been an amazing person, he helped me a lot during my stay at Pura Vida hostel and he was one of the kindest person I have ever met, he was also really funny. It is possible to book tours through the hostel at a reasonable price, they are going to organise everything for you, besides the food at the restaurant of Lulu (which was inside the hostel) was so good and cheap. I totally recommend this hostel!!!