Spanish by the Sea - Bocas

I recently stayed at this hostel, and it was one of the worst experiences I've ever had. Initially, upon entering the room, I was greeted with a strong, unpleasant smell of mold, which made the space feel unclean and unwelcoming. When I brought up the issue with the owner, their response was super rude. Instead of addressing the mold problem, they insisted we pay for the room immediately, despite the receptionist previously telling us we could settle the bill in the morning. This was especially frustrating since they didn’t accept credit cards, and we needed to use a pin, which we planned to do the next day. The room was also extremely noisy, located right next to the common area and reception. The constant noise from other guests and the reception made it nearly impossible to get any sleep. The gaps in the walls made it feel like people where speaking next to your bed, making it a very uncomfortable night. The worst part, however, came after I left. The day after checking out, I discovered that I had weird red bumps all over my body. Now at home I have found out that I have brought home bedbugs from this place. The only slightly positive aspect was the breakfast, which was okay, but it hardly made up for the overall dreadful experience. I would strongly recommend that everyone avoid staying here at all costs. This hotel is not worth the risk or the trouble.

I took Spanish classes at Spanish by the Sea in Bocas after the school I was originally supposed to go to changed the class schedule last minute. This was all super last minute and I’m really thankful to Richelle for helping with finding me a spot. I took classes with Patricio and it was a very good experience. We focused both on grammar and speaking and he tied these two together easily. Would definitely recommend taking Spanish classes there.

I would definitely recommend Spanish by the sea hostel. I’ve stayed there a great deal of time in total, for pleasure and for taking the Spanish classes! It’s nothing fancy but the vibes are good and everything there is to expect of an hostel and a little more is provided. There is a big kitchen which is well equipped, the price is good, the rooms are fresh, everyone that works there are super nice, they have a ping-pong table and a lot of hammocks etc in the common room and well yeah the price is good💫 The location according to me is really perfect, because it’s close to everything but it’s also a little bit away from all the clubs and noises - best of both worlds! Don’t hesitate to book it, Bocas del Toro is an amazing place and Spanish by the Sea is definitely the best hostel in town.