South Hostel Tarifa - Kite Service Center

I recently booked a room at South Hostel Tarifa through their website, and my stay turned into a complete disaster. On the night I was supposed to check in, I arrived at the hostel only to find it completely shut down—no lights, no signs of life. Perplexed and stranded, I sought help from a nearby shop, where I learned that such situations were unfortunately common with this hostel. Many tourists faced similar issues, and my only solution was to call the hostel. Despite my persistent efforts, I called the hostel's phone number multiple times and sent numerous text messages, but there was no response for over an hour. Frustrated and with no place to stay, I had to make a last-minute decision to catch a bus at 21:00 to the nearest city and find accommodation elsewhere. [Attached are screenshots of both calls and text messages sent to the hostel.] To add to the ordeal, two days after my unsuccessful attempt to stay at South Hostel Tarifa, I discovered an unexpected charge on my credit card for the supposedly nonexistent stay. This raised serious concerns, as hotel charges typically occur either in advance or during check-in, certainly not two days later. I have since initiated a dispute with my card issuer to address this suspicious activity. It's disheartening to see that a hostel with a seemingly high rating on TripAdvisor could behave like scammers. My experience at South Hostel Tarifa was not only inconvenient but also financially burdensome, and I urge fellow travelers to exercise caution when considering this establishment. The lack of accountability, unresponsive communication, and questionable billing practices have left me deeply disappointed.

Great Hostel. Super good setup for kite surfing, great facilities, and epic location. Good for big groups. Full of very friendly and interesting people. Hostel owner is really friendly and helpful too. Beds were comfy, bathrooms were clean, and kitchen was well stocked, though I imagine it'd get busy if the hostel was full.