Rooftop terrace, bar, and whirlpool area open late
Free
breakfast in the downstairs restaurant
Restaurant
serves all three meals
Downtown location just around the corner from the ADO bus terminal
Full
alcohol service
Free Wi-Fi throughout the hostel
Dorms have lockers
Noise
from festive guests on the rooftop can go on until the wee hours
Directly
on Uxmal Avenue with constant traffic noise
Dated, with visible wear and tear in every area
Guests must wear plastic bracelets,
The Hostel
Mundo Joven in downtown Cancun is a no-frills budget hostel with a
festive party atmosphere and a central location, and provides exactly what
it advertises. The hostel staff do what they can to add activities and flair for the
guests, with free walking tours and hand-painted decorations on the walls, but
some guests complain about the dated hostel's grime and wear and tear. Guests have a range of accommodation options, from segregated men and women dormitories,
to shared dorms, to private rooms, to a room with its own whirlpool and
fold-out sofa. Mezcal Hostel has a small pool and a bit more character, but tends to be slightly pricier.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
A budget hostel in downtown Cancun near the bus station
The Hostel
Mundo Joven in downtown Cancun is a fine choice for budget travelers seeking hostel accommodations. Many travelers party with their group or make friends, and the restaurant, rooftop
bar, whirlpool, and terrace contribute to the social atmosphere. The hostel has only been open since 2010, but the sister hostel in Mexico City has been operating since 1995, and some of the staff regularly hop between the two
locations.The
entrance to the hostel is just off Uxmal Avenue,
and guests are greeted by staff upon arrival. Interiors have a bit of a grungy warehouse
feel, with visible pipes along the ceiling, but hand-painted quotes and doodles along the walls of
the stairwell landings add some personality. An independent tour agency is adjacent to the offices
of the hostel, and the restaurant is at the end of the hall. The stairway
leads up to the dorms and private rooms before reaching the rooftop, the main hangout space where
guests can lounge in chairs, hammocks, the whirlpool, or at the bar. Also
available on the rooftop are a self-service kitchen, bathrooms, showers, and in a small room off the deck, computers. The hostel culture of shared space permeates everything. While the views aren’t the most majestic over the
downtown sprawl of the city, if you enjoy a multicultural spot with booze
and backpackers, this is the place to be.
Location
In the heart of downtown Cancun with transportation, restaurants, and markets in all directions
If guests
have a desire to head out into the surrounding countryside, the ADO bus station
is just around the corner from the front door of the hostel, with buses to most
destinations in Mexico, and throughout the entire Yucatan and Riviera Maya. Taxis are also readily available, both along Uxmal
Avenue, or at the bus station. The local
fish and fruit market, known as Market 23, is less than five minutes north on foot
from the hostel, and roughly 10 minutes in the other direction is the
Parque las Palapas, the downtown park and plaza where weekend events take
place, from concerts to plays to local festivals. The surrounding streets are lined with street food vendors. Tulum and Yaxchilan Avenues are both less than five minutes away on foot
and offer a full array of restaurants, clubs, shops, and supermarkets.
Rooms
The bare minimum for a budget traveler
Mundo Joven
has space for up to 94 people in total, spread out between public dormitories,
semi-private dorms, private rooms with shared bathrooms, private rooms with en-suite
bathrooms, and even a single suite-like room that features a whirlpool tub and
fold-out sofa. Rooms are available in both gender segregated
and shared format for the dorms. The rooms
are simply furnished. The dormitories feature standard metal lockers and bunk
beds, while the private rooms have simple beds along with desks and chairs.
Visible wear and tear is seen throughout
the building, especially in the rooms, where cracked paint and shoe smudges on
the walls are common themes. Many rooms have AC, and those without have fans. Flat-screen TVs with basic cable are included in the private rooms.The
bathroom showers feature marble and tile walls and floors, but grout is missing
in many areas. Water damage is visible in most of the toilet areas along the
walls.
Features
A restaurant, rooftop terrace with a bar, whirpool tub, and plenty of daily activities
The on-site
restaurant serves free basic breakfast every morning (expect fruit, cereal, bread, yogurt, and coffee), and also serves lunch and dinner; the menu is international. The rooftop bar
and terrace are open late (until 2 a.m. during our visit), which suits the many party-oriented guests. The terrace includes
a self-service kitchen with a coffeemaker, toaster, microwave, stove, plates, and utensils. Guests also can use the
whirlpool, exterior showers, and bathrooms. Inside, there's a room with three computers for public use.
There are a couple of parking spaces out front, and a few more out back, perhaps for four or five cars, but the parking in the rear is only available upon request, and is behind a gated area. Although there is an independent tour agency in the front of the hotel
where guests can schedule tours around the Yucatan and Riviera Maya, the hostel
also operates free walking tours daily for guests, taking them to the most famous
beaches in the Hotel Zone and some of the more popular destinations in the
tourist zone. Excess luggage can be stored for free in a storage area on the main
level behind reception for up to three days. After that, it costs 30 pesos per
day. Wi-Fi is free throughout, though service is patchy or unavailable in some rooms.
