Simabo's Backpackers' Hostel

Perfect, great vibe. Nothing else.

Gaétan·منذ 3 أسابيع

“Amazing vibe which sucks you in”

The vibe was truly wonderful (almost intangible) and brought together many friendly and interesting guests. The staff are very relaxed and genuinely try to keep everything clean. After a few days it feels like home. Only one or two of the staff speak English.

Archer·منذ 4 أسابيع

“Pour une nuit pas chère.”

Close to the port and the beach. Friendly and helpful staff (they even carried my bag spontaneously). The bathroom was only moderately clean (the shower mat). The toilet seat was broken.

Jeanne·منذ شهر

“Un séjour pas cher si vous avez peu d attente”

The price and location are good. The staff are very rude when you leave in the morning and walk past them without saying hello. The house has a lot of small woodwork issues, like a broken shower head that you have to hold to avoid it hitting your head. The place has great potential but isn’t fully utilized. The staff could offer tours, organize outings, and provide breakfast since the nearest restaurant for lunch is 10 minutes away and opens very late. They could offer croissants, some fruit, and coffee juice. I think the owner spends too much time with the dogs and neglects the inn. The mattress is very hard and there’s no water pressure.

Sebastien·منذ شهر

“A basic but comfortable stay with a meaningful social purpose.”

The hostel is close to the city center and convenient for walking around Mindelo. Some staff could speak English. Once checked in, you can enter and leave with a key, so you don’t have to worry about the time you return. Wi‑Fi worked well throughout and was fast enough. The room, bed, toilet, and shower were generally clean. Noise wasn’t an issue; most guests were quiet and respectful, and I never felt uncomfortable. There’s no air conditioning. I stayed in September, and São Vicente was cooler than Praia, so a fan was enough to sleep comfortably. If you’re staying in a private room, I’d pick a third‑floor room if possible, as it was more convenient. The hostel’s income also supports the rescue and care of dogs and cats in São Vicente, so staying here can help their work while traveling, especially if you know what they do. The private rooms are arranged in a slightly unusual way inside the building, so the layout was confusing at first. The level of service varied a lot depending on the staff member; some understood what I needed right away and resolved things quickly, while others took longer to communicate and it was sometimes hard to get things done smoothly. The dormitory had single‑level beds, but the space between neighboring beds was quite limited. There were toilets on each floor, but some were out of order during my stay. Since the toilet and shower share the same space, it can be inconvenient when someone is using the shower and the toilet is unavailable. There was a terrace, but it wasn’t particularly well maintained or cleaned, and the space was fairly small, so when other guests were using it, it was hard to use comfortably. I ended up not using it. The area around the hostel gets quite dark at night. It wasn’t noisy, but if you’re walking around after dark, it’s a good idea to stay aware of your surroundings.

Naoki·منذ شهر