Madagascar Underground

The staff were super friendly and helped with many things, but some utilities like water didn’t work properly.

Leon·3 minggu lalu

“The room was cold and impractical. There are better options if you look for just room without tour.”

They offer airport transfer for 70k and it went well. The location is central and the receptionists were responsive during pre‑arrival organization, but they didn’t help with the events I wanted to attend, which felt intentional. The Wi‑Fi didn’t work in the room, only in the common area. There was no shared kitchen, so going out for dinner was risky. The area around the hotel is unsafe at night, with prostitutes—including underage—around, and the market nearby was dangerous; I carried only 5k and a full dinner cost 3k. The room was very cold at night, no heating, so I had to ask for a second comforter that was hard to find. The toilet was next to the bed, and the room is sold for two, so it’s embarrassing to use the toilet with the other person lying in bed. I stayed in the bungalow upstairs, but there’s another one on the ground floor right in front of the workers’ kitchen, making it even noisier; I had to keep curtains closed. They provide a driver with car and fuel, which I chose over other options because he was kind, but he couldn’t speak English and we lost each other sometimes because he didn’t stay in a fixed spot. They first said you could pay for the excursion in euros, then said only in ariary, forcing me to wait an hour at the bank for a 10k ariary (2€) difference on a 100€ total price for both tours. This was a bad impression.

Worldglobetrotter·Sebulan lalu

“Great location and super friendly staff, but the bungalows can be quite noisy.”

The staff were genuinely one of the best things about my stay. Everyone was very friendly, helpful and welcoming. They all spoke very good English and were always quick to help whenever I had a question or needed something. Especially when I had just arrived in Madagascar, this made my first days much easier. The location is another big advantage. The hostel is very centrally located, and you can reach many places easily on foot, so I hardly needed to take a taxi. My room in the back area was also quite comfortable and nicely furnished. Overall, I liked the atmosphere of the hostel. It has a lively, local feel, and I can understand why many locals enjoy spending time there and attending the events. The main downside for me was the location of my room. I stayed in one of the bungalows in the back, right next to the kitchen, so it could get quite noisy. Especially on my first night, there were several staff members sitting and eating directly outside the room. I completely understand that staff need a place where they can take their breaks, have a cigarette, chat and simply relax. I actually think it is important that they have that space. However, having this area directly next to the rooms, separated only by a glass door, meant that the noise was quite noticeable. Because of this, if I stayed again, I would probably choose a dorm rather than the bungalow. The dorms are located on the other side and might be a better option if you are looking for a quieter stay. The hostel could also get quite loud during events. This is more of a personal preference, though. The hostel seems to attract quite a lot of locals, and I think the events are a great way to create a lively and social atmosphere. It just wasn’t always ideal for me when I wanted to relax or sleep. I also expected to meet a few more international travellers during my stay. I met relatively few other travellers who were staying at the hostel, although this may simply have been because I stayed in the bungalow and therefore wasn’t spending as much time in the dorm/common areas

Lakisha·2 bulan lalu

The staff were amazing, kind and nice, but we ran into a lack of water, which was a problem throughout Tana.

Ronit·2 bulan lalu

Le petit‑déjeuner était bon et le personnel était bienveillant ☺️.

Tancia·3 bulan lalu