Island Life Hostel in Santo Domingo

Nice staff, very well located in the Zona Colonial and at walking distance from the bus stop to/from Punta Cana. The couch upstairs was nice to chill out and so was the seating area in the patio. Pancakes and the juice for breakfast were nice too. Only thing to improve would be the cleanlineness. The bathrooms were a bit dirty in the mornings and there was some old dirt next to the bed.

I love the hospitality of the staff! Everyone is so welcoming and easy to talk to. I also like how safety is important to the staff and the presence of security. I stayed by myself in a private room and it was very clean and cozy. The wifi didn't work so great, but the area is so beautiful and full of life that I didn't want to spend much time in my room anyway. The size of the hostal combined with the amenities, such as the pool table, made it easy to socialize and make friends with other travelers. Breakfast is great as well. The bar is great. The dogs are so chill and friendly. There was a great mixture of people available to speak Spanish, English, French, and even Italian. I definitely recommend staying here.

Lovely, friendly atmosphere in a convenient location close to everything. Great happy hour specials. Clean and stylish rooms with a safe and towels supplied. Hot water! 😃 Chris and the team were excellent. The dogs were sweet. We will be back for sure. Highly recommend!

Great place to stay

I stayed here for 4 nights. Met some amazing people from around the world. The owner is great and made me feel very comfortable. There was a glitch initially but he sorted it out in no time. Nothing was too much trouble for him. He made me feel well looked after. I'll definitely visit again!

Exactly for what you need: a night close to the airport

It was good enough for what I needed. Just to crash for a night. People staying there were really nice and all the staff there helped me with everything that I needed.

Great location! It’s right at the zona colonial so most attractions in Santo Domingo are within walking distance. It’s pretty close to several bus stations too. The WiFi worked great, and the free breakfast was delicious and filling. There’s a bar downstairs where you can easily meet people. The staff were all friendly and helpful, though some volunteers don’t seem to know much about the city. Also most of the lockers in the dorm rooms are broken. These should be repaired/ replaced for security.

I recently stayed at this hostel and had a great experience! The location is fantastic, and the staff are friendly and helpful. The breakfast was delicious, and the atmosphere was perfect for meeting other travelers.

While the hostel does need some investment in its structure, like fixing leaks, and improving cleanliness, it has great potential. The dorms are a bit humid, and the WiFi could be better, but the comfortable mattresses and pillows made up for it.

I hope to visit again in the future once these improvements are made. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a sociable and well-located stay!

Stayed May 9th - 11th.
The 12-bed dormitory is located next to the street and the street is quite loud at night time, so if you don't sleep easy, I don't suggest choosing that room to stay.

They provided free breakfast in the morning (I think between 7 - 9ish) which consisted of pancakes, eggs, toast, some other foods I can't remember and coffee, water, and orange juice.

There are several places to sightsee around the area if you wish, but if I were you I would take motoconcho uber or van with your friends and go explore out further.

You will only make of this hostel what you put in. At the time of writing, as the only notable hostel in the Dominican Republic, it proved to be a mecca for social travelers who want to gather to have fun.

My biggest recommendation is to befriend the workers living there and to go out with them at least once or twice cause they should know some of the local people and places.