With a stay at Island Life Hostel, you'll be centrally located in Santo Domingo, a 2-minute drive from Malecon and 9 minutes from Blue Mall. .This hostel is 0.1 mi (0.1 km) from Church of Saint Barbara and 0.1 mi (0.1 km) from Iglesia de Santa Bárbara.
Manuel de Jesus Abreu Galvan Station - 3 min drive
Las Americas Intl. Airport (SDQ) - 27 min drive
Restaurants
Curcio Pizza al Taglio - 4 min walk
Casa Barista - 6 min walk
Casa de los Dulces - 3 min walk
Pat'e Palo European Brasserie - 3 min walk
Sabina Bar - 3 min walk
About this property
Island Life Hostel
Hostel with free breakfast, near Malecon
Island Life Hostel offers 9 accommodations with safes. Guests can make use of the shared/communal kitchen. Bathrooms include showers. Housekeeping is provided daily.
Recreational amenities at the hostel include an outdoor pool.
Make yourself at home in one of the 9 guestrooms. Prepare your meals in the shared/communal kitchen. Bathrooms with showers are provided. Conveniences include safes, and housekeeping is provided daily.
Take advantage of recreation opportunities such as an outdoor pool or take in the view from a rooftop terrace and a garden. Additional amenities at this hostel include complimentary wireless internet access, an arcade/game room, and a television in a common area.
Quench your thirst with your favorite drink at the bar/lounge. A complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast is served daily from 7 AM to 10 AM.
Featured amenities include dry cleaning/laundry services, luggage storage, and laundry facilities. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available 24 hours).
A complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast is served each morning between 7 AM and 10 AM.
Languages
English, Spanish
Property amenities
Internet
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Parking and public transport
24-hour return airport shuttle (surcharge)
Food and drink
Free cooked-to-order breakfast available daily 7 AM–10 AM
1 bar
Things to do
Arcade/games room
Billiards/pool table
Outdoor pool
Conveniences
Front-desk safe
Guest services
Daily housekeeping
Dry-cleaning service
Front desk (limited hours)
Laundry facilities
Luggage storage
Tour/ticket assistance
Outdoors
BBQ grill(s)
Garden
Picnic area
Rooftop terrace
Accessibility
This property does not have any lifts
More
Designated smoking areas
TV in lobby
Room amenities
Bathroom
Shampoo
Shower
Towels
Food and drink
Shared kitchen access
More
Safe
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 1 PM; Check-in end time: midnight
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out
Check-out before 11 AM
Contactless check-out available
Special check-in instructions
The property charges 4 percent for credit card payments
The front desk is open daily from 6 AM - midnight
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property ahead of time using the information on the booking confirmation
If you are planning to arrive after midnight please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
All guests must show a valid passport. This is the only form of identification that is accepted at this property.
Access methods
Front desk (limited hours)
Pets
Pets not allowed
Children and extra beds
Children 18 and younger are not allowed at this property; All guests older than 18 are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available
Payment types
Important information
Optional extras
Airport shuttle fee: USD 35 per vehicle (one-way)
Credit card charges are subject to a surcharge of 4 percent
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a security system, and a first aid kit
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property
We should mention
This property does not have elevators
Children 18 years old and younger are not permitted at this property
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms
Property is also known as
Island Life Backpacker's Hostel Santo Domingo
Island Life Backpacker's Santo Domingo
Island Life Backpacker's
Island Life Hostel Santo Domingo
Island Life Santo Domingo
Island Life Backpacker's Hostel
Life Hostel Santo Domingo
Island Life Hostel Santo Domingo
Island Life Hostel Hostel/Backpacker accommodation
Island Life Hostel Hostel/Backpacker accommodation Santo Domingo
Island Life Hostel Reviews
Reviews
8.6
Excellent
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Rating 10 - Excellent. 43 out of 74 reviews" "
10 - Excellent
43
Rating 8 - Good. 17 out of 74 reviews" "
8 - Good
17
Rating 6 - Okay. 7 out of 74 reviews" "
6 - Okay
7
Rating 4 - Poor. 5 out of 74 reviews" "
4 - Poor
5
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 74 reviews" "
2 - Terrible
2
8.4/10
Cleanliness
8.8/10
Staff & service
8.0/10
Amenities
8.4/10
Property conditions & facilities
8.2/10
Eco-friendliness
Reviews
10/10 Excellent
Larry
15 July 2024
Excellent staff and even better price
Larry
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024
4/10 Poor
Arjun
20 Dec 2023
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service
Loved the property and the people I met there - just had a big complaint about the owner. I've stayed in dozens of hostels while travelling through over 30 countries but this has been the most incosiderate hostel owner I've ever seen.
He likes keeping his dogs on property both of which like barking really loudly at random noises throughout the night which kept me up. He also just brings his friends over on weekdays from out of the hostel to e party right in front of the rooms (they didn't even go to the common area) which also kept me up. Also someone got sick in my dorm and was asking the owner if he could get some medicine or some help from the owner who was on property, but the owner refused to even go to the room to see him.
I wouldn't recommend booking this property because I think it's a bad idea to give money/support a bad hostel owner like this one.
La pasé muy bien en el hotel , el personal muy acomedido y las instalaciones en buenas condiciones y sobre todo la ubicación para ir a los diferentes lugares turísticos ... excelente .
Island Life Hostel is in a perfect spot of Santo Domingo that made it easy to walk around town. The hostel itself is clean, good amenities, and friendly staff!
This was my first ever experience in a hostel . At first when I arrived I thought as though I may of made a mistake from the entire environment. Very different from a hotel . I was here on a couples visit . But as I settled in I realized I was getting exactly what I paid for and I got the hostel experience. The owner and manager are really great guys and will do everything within their power to make you feel welcome and feel like a home away from home . Hostels unlike hotels really push for a more social atmosphere and I meet some really great people .Had a lot of fun at the bar and one day had there Nachos (and they are very good ) I ended up loving this place . But know exactly what you are getting .
Very nice hostel in a great location. Right near the top attractions, restaurants and bars. The staff is absolutely amazing and the nicest people. They are very helpful in giving tips and advice on how to navigate the city and answer any questions. Would highly recommend.
This place is like an oasis in a desert of sulking, scowling misery. Pedro is an excellent manager and super helpful. The staff are smiling and extremely pleasant. This has an amazing effect on the travelers mood. The young Frenchman is an amusing character. The Hungarian volunteer who showed me to my room was especially awesome. The small rooms are really all one needs and the colonial character fits in with the zone. All of the important sites are within ten minutes walking distance. Free wi-fi and about 150 pesos for an Uber to the bus station. A little noisy in the courtyard at night but the cacophony of conversation is constant like white noise on the TV so I slept well. Don't waste your money - stay here!
Located in an a stuning building, having a great atmosphere with the guests and staff. The breakfast is good and you'll have everything you need. Dont skip this one while travelling around the D.R.
this place far exceeded any expectations I had. The person who checked me in gave me all the info I needed about the property. All the staff and volunteers were so friendly and helpful. They made me feel really welcome. Having a free buffet breakfast is a treat in a hostel. Also, there is a chef who prepares an evening meal if you want to have it at a fairly reasonable cost. (Though the portions could be a little bigger). The food was very tasty. I was in a private room. Room is very small, but had AC and a private bathroom and was completely serviceable. The bar prices are not bad at all. 100pesos for a cuba libre cocktail. The volunteers took me to see the local dance show on the Sunday night and another took me on a free walking tour of the city on the Monday. Overall, the positives far outweigh the negatives at this hostel. The amazing volunteers give this place so much credit. The general feeling here is great and it takes only a few minutes to find some new friends for life. A great place for solo travellers to stay. I cannot comment on the dorm rooms as I was in a private one, but can say the communal bathrooms were well maintained. Clean and tidy.
The property was as expected. The downside is that there is no wifi access in the room rio dd Janeiro. If I knew this before booking, I wouldn't have stayed there.
Also the power cuts out at times. It happened in the middle of the night and I woke up because my room was so hot, I could barely breathe.
The combination of Hostel and Bar is nice. The have free drinking water and the breakfast is fantastic with eggs, pancakes, juice and coffee. They have lockers in the rooms and the staff is nice and helpful.
Huge hostel with a pool. The staff was super friendly and help me to plan a Trip to Haiti. They offer free water and an all you can eat breakfast. The owner has traveled the world and we had a nice chat. Kitchen is well equipped and my bed had a fan, light and power plug to charge my phone. Location is good and close to a big supermarket.