Casa Seibel

I really enjoyed my stay at Casa Seibel. I arrived early in the morning and was kindly offered an early check-in. The staff/volunteers were all very friendly and helpful. The building itself was beautiful, the kitchen was clean and well-equipped and the bed was probably one of the most comfortable beds I’ve been sleeping in for a long time! Would highly recommend :)

Nice accomodation in a good location! There's even a cute cat 🥰 Something that annoyed me was that the door of my private room kept opening when I was inside because of the wind, despite putting the small lock 😅 Important to know that there is karaoke next door most nights until 10-11PM and that it gets extremely cold at night in the rooms (but they provide a lot of blankets, which is appreciated!). Also, the staff is a bit confusing. I spent a week there and only after a couple of days I realized foreigners were volunteers, because none of them really talked to us or looked like they were working there 😂 I found it weird that they take volunteers who don't speak spanish since a lot of people staying there only spoke spanish, it should be a requirement

Rooms were basic but had a comfortable bed - no curtains to shut out the light & because everyone smoked outside the stable like doors the smoke would seep through. Next door hostel has techno music from around 4pm until around 9:30pm which can be a distraction. Communal areas have board games, books, basic necessities for cooking, however these areas were not kept clean & unfortunately the bins in the kitchen & bathrooms were overflowing each day during our stay. WiFi worked well although we did have a power cut & water shortage during one of the days. Courtyard has a few tables & chairs but no lighting at nighttime so it’s difficult to enjoy the outdoor space. Location is walking distance from the main park which was convenient.

Very basic private room, damp smelling. But to be fair it is an old building. Rooms are located around a central courtyard/kitchen area. Kitchen is a bit grim. Volunteers just chain smoking in the middle so a lot of the rooms get a whiff of it throughout the day. “The best hostel in Xela” only because there aren’t that many.

Decent hostel in a good location but there are more volunteers than guests, who are friendly but do very little. The bins were often full, kitchen often a mess. Loud music each day from the adjacent hostel until 10pm. The washing machine can't be used even for a fee. Deposit for towels required. Power cuts can cause a lack of hot water for a shower. The smoking area needs moving away from the washing line & private rooms. One volunteer would frequently smoke in this area day & night.

I hate to say it but when hostels are run by foreign volunteers who can't even speak Spanish, acting as if the building is their own private house where they hang out, don't do anything and are frankly, rude and arrogant, then you have a problem and I'm long not the only one thinking this, many just don't bother writing a review. Much respect for the Guatemalans working there and the cleaning lady, but this needs work.

Congenial volunteers/staff. Good wifi. Decent shower. Ample refrigerator to accommodate guests' food items. Kitchen has a dedicated filtered-water faucet. Very close to municipal market for fresh produce. Sleeping rooms have the bare essentials albeit with dim lighting. Bed comfortable. The two courtyards are sunny. As a side note, and not part of my review of the hostel itself: I don't recommend the inter-city shuttle operation promoted by the hostel.

We had a wonderful stay at Casa Seibel. We booked it late in the evening not knowing anything about it and it was a great decision, one of the best places we’ve stayed on our travels. Comfortable bed, a well equipped kitchen, hot showers and lots of places to relax. The staff were all so friendly, helpful and accommodating. We felt very at home here! Thank you Casa Seibel.