I read the reviews and I thought it would be alright; but it wasn't. Basically, you wake up in the morning, you hastily grab breakfast, and then you are (sometimes rudely) chased out of your room, the door is locked, and you are stuck with no where to go for 6 hours. After they lock the door, you can't go to the bathroom here - the staff will coldly point you to public restrooms 5 blocks away - and then you are allowed back in at (not a moment before) 5pm. Just at dark.

The hostel would rank with one of the best in the world, in my opinion. Good kitchen, good mattresses, quaint setting, good location. But I HATE not being able to take a nap in my room; not being able to drop stuff off and pick stuff up as I go from one activity to another. Forget stuff in your room? That's too bad for you dude - you can get it at 5pm.

Having asked several of the staff, no one can tell me why they do this. I have concluded it is simply so they can work shorter days and have everyone out to clean it. If you stay here, you are basically buying a bed - sleep here, and do practically everything somewhere else. Oh yeah, and there is an 11pm curfew if that's a problem for you too.

If it wasn't for the fact it was half the price of the hotels, I wouldn't have stayed here - and I don't think I would stay here again, even so. If you're traveling with a partner, stay in a hotel - it will be the same price (~50$ for 2), and you can actually use your room when and how you want.

The private room we had was a good size, simply decorated, and clean. The kitchen was well kitted-out, and there was plenty of space to cook and eat without stepping on other guests' toes. There was a slightly annoying 11pm curfew, and during the day you weren't allowed in your room between 11-5pm, which, again, was slightly annoying. But it was a stone's throw from the beach, in a nice, quiet residential street.

The hostel is in a quiet residential street.It is near the beach and close to the shops. It has a no alcohol policy and has a cerfew. If you want a party hostel this is not the one for you. The cottages and gardens are beautiful and allows for a relaxed atmosphere. Each cottage has a communal area for socialising outside of the dorms. The kitchen is well equiped.

The hostel is closed during the day so you need to plan ahead and be out and they do not run any tours/socials which can make it more difficult to meet people.

You would expect that a hostel was packed, noisy and dirty but Carmelita Cottages is exactly the opposite. We stayed there in two days with our two kids and really enjoyed the place. We got a private room with a bath and used to huge kitchen for breakfast and lunch. The room was simple but clean and worked fine,

There is a small garden where you can sit and relax and the hostel is 30 seconds from the beach. The people at the Hostel were great hosts and much more friendly and service minded that what we later experienced in 4 and 5 star hotels.

Santa Cruz as such was a bit of a disappointment and it seems like it is overpopulated with homeless people, drug addicts, criminals and drunks. Not a place for a family vacatiion. Carmelita Cottages felt like a safe haven in the midst of all the misery of Santa Cruz. Can highly recommend if you must go to Santa Cruz.