About
Location :
Added by Jopie, at 10 December 2016
Opening Hours
- Monday 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
- Tuesday 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
- Wednesday 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
- Thursday 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
- Friday 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
- Saturday 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
- Sunday 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
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19 Reviews
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02 April 2018
Very cool place to visit in Guatemala. You could try surfing here. They offer great lessons for beginners. Good luck surfing!
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25 February 2018
I love this hostel! One of my all time favorites. The hostel has a swim up pool bar for the afternoon as well as a full kitchen for breakfast lunch and their amazing all you can eat dinner. The town of El Paredon doesn't have much, but you really don't need it here. Just chill out on the beach, rent a surfboard or hangout in the pool. It is a great place to hangout. Just watch out for getting stuck here.
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29 January 2018
Perfect lazy beach spot to relax. Wonderful food and daily specials. Comfortable rooms and a really friendly staff. Can't wait to come back!
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23 January 2018
Our crew of nine spent a few days at the Driftwood Surfer with the goal of both resting and having a great time. I can't imagine a better place to do both. The black sand beach was wonderful for relaxing and playing in the ocean. There was always a party going on around the pool. The food was excellent, especially for the price. Rooms were also great for the price. We can't wait to go back!
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20 January 2018
A party hostel with an amazing setup. The kitchen kicks out great food for “relatively” decent prices(for Guatemala). The Dorm beds are terribly uncomfortable but that’s not why you stay here. The tab system here seems to be quite effective although adds up very quickly. Since there is no kitchen use, you’re forced to eat here basically. The staff are all rather friendly and usually drunk, but all around good vibes. Just be sure to stay away from Samantha, she seems to be quite deranged and socially inept. There is Yoga here every morning here as well. Although I am not too sure on the quality when the instructors were up late drinking and smoking.
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20 January 2018
As a traveler I’ve moved around and traveled the world for the past 8 years- in those year The Driftwood Surfer has felt more like Home than anywhere else in this world. The staff is amazing, food delicious and accommodations outstanding. The private rooms are unbeatable with brand new beds and gorgeous indoor/outdoor showers attached. Nate, the manager, will make you feel taken care of and for while you’re here with his big warm smile and bear hugs. Rusty, Jan and Brandt have done an incredible job at making their dream become a reality here in El Paredon. Whether you’re looking for a party or a relaxing weekend getaway, you’ll find It here at The Driftwood Surfer. I’ll definitely come back to this place time and again as a home away from home.
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20 January 2018
Driftwood is a great beach hostel worth taking the shuttle to. The food is amazing and the staff is super friendly. It is also a great place if you are looking to learn to surf! I stayed for several days and left feeling like family, thanks for everything guys!
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12 December 2017
What to say.
I had a good time at driftwood, but something was off.
It's a party hostel for sure, offering a low price to backpackers who want a laid back beach hostel. Where you can walk around inside with wet Shorts and sandy feet after relaxing in a hammock. The pool is awesome, and there is even an aqua bar! However! Once you endulge in the party pace that the hostel environment brings on, it will cost you. Surf rentals aren't cheap. Food and drinks are not guatamalan prices and they forbid you bringing your own. Money is clearly more of their focus than actually being their image than they portray.
-Go to Yolis for food (nearby), she gets 5 stars!
-There is a chicken bus directly to guatamala city from El paradon at 5am. (Contrary to what the staff member said at reception, she said shuttle was the only way)
So, as you can tell. I loved the place. I just felt mislead. If I was on a $50 per day budget I would have been able to endulge more.response / report this review -
06 December 2017
This is a really nice place to learn surf, they rent surfboard. You can also bring your own so you won't miss the fun. The have a nice pool bar to keep you fresh!!
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08 November 2017
We had a private room and it was great! They have upgraded the rooms very nicely.
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26 October 2017
Best place to socialise in el paredon, & the family style dinners are the best in town! Unfortunately they don't let you rent a board if you're not staying there though & no wifi
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21 October 2017
If you enjoy getting sloppy drunk all day then this is the perfect place for you. The setting is a beautiful volcanic sandy beach, without much around it. Very convient location to surf the medicore beach break. The best part about surfing here is the lack of a crowd. The staff was somewhat friendly but seem to be more concerned with partying then anything else. One thing they do right is the family dinner at night, buffet style. Leaves you full and satisfied. Your stay here ends up being expensive, as there are few other options for food and drink. This hostel does not have a kitchen, so you are stuck eating at the hostel restaurant. If you are looking for a good place to go surfing I would recommend skipping El Peredon and continuing on to Mexico or El Salvador.
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28 August 2017
A friend of mine contacted me a month ago about checking out this hostel in El Paragon called The Driftwood Surfer. Had no intention of visiting Guatemala but decided to go ahead with the trip as there is a direct flight from Fort Lauderdale to Guatemala city for roughly 369.00 roundtrip.
From the Guatemala City airport, El Paragon is roughly 3 hours away. You can take a taxi there for 25-30 US dollars or contact the hostel to arrange some kind've shuttle. I spent almost a week there and I have to say that my friend was 100% right. The Driftwood Surfer is by far the coolest hostel I've been to. Travel frequently and I've been to awesome hostels all over the world. There is no other place like this that I've been to.
Traveled solo on this trip and stayed in the dorm room. Price is very fair for a place that is less than 20 meters from the ocean. Dorm room was incredibly clean and so were the public bathrooms. They have a large staff of maids, cooks, volunteers and managers that ensure the operation runs as it is supposed to. Dorm room has A/C at night and is very cool. No mosquitoes and the walls are quite thick. Bed is a twin sized mattress.
The reason why I like this hostel is the fact that you can socialize and party if you want to or you can have a lazy day reading in the shade while swinging on a hammock on the beach. Some guests went surfing, swimming, horseback riding or hung out at the pool bar. Others were like me and passed the days lost in books while enjoying the calm and quiet surroundings. To be clear, this is a public beach that has relatively few people there. I'd say that during the entire time I was there, I never saw more than 20 people on the beach at any given time.
The food offered here is a Western style menu that has popular dishes from all over the world. Vegetarian, Vegan and gluten free options are available. This surprised me the most since even in the US this isn't so common. I personally have a dairy allergy and once I notified the staff, it seemed that the entire kitchen knew about my allergy during the entire time I was there. Free coffee for breakfast and healthy options available. Breakfast starts at 7am which is nice as other hostels that I stayed in during this trip didn't offer breakfast til 8am. Definitely recommend the smoothies. Lunch is offered a la carte from the menu and dinner is a “family style” buffet. After dinner, there are frequent social events from 8PM to midnight. There were 2 pub quizzes when I was there and I was told that karaoke, speed dating and movies are frequent events. The staff went out of their way to try to get everyone included in these events, which I thought was pretty nice.
The village of El Paragon is quite small. There are only a few hostels and hotels in the area. That means that it is incredibly quiet and the air is quite clean. Guatemala City and Antigua have higher rates of air pollution than this area and I also noticed that at night you can clearly see the stars. I personally have lived in areas that either had moderate levels of air pollution or were rainy/cloudy like Florida. It was really nice glancing up and seeing the entire universe. That maybe a personal preference though.
At this hostel, I met quite a few long term guests who stay for several weeks to several months. I now understand why. Also if you are a couple or travel with a small group of friends, you may want to opt for the private room. Pretty nice set up and comparable to what you'd find in a 2 star hotel. May consider returning in the future.response / report this review -
16 June 2017
Great hostel, good surf and the food is amazing! It's a big family meal and cooked by locals.
Worth visiting!response / report this review -
09 March 2017
This place is paradise on earth! It brings to mind the movie The Beach with Leonardo di Caprio. Beautiful beaches, beautiful people, and great food and booze. All tucked away at the end of a dirt road on Guatemala's Pacific coast.
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14 February 2017
The driftwood surfer is a place for anyone searching for uncrowded waves and a unique party community. Definitely off the beaten path but well worth the treck. It is unlike any previous hostel experience, the staff and guests really come together for a special stay. FOOD IS AMAZING
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01 February 2017
Best vibes in Guatemala. Great surfing, awesome food, and afordable drinks. You can hang out at the pool bar, relax in a hammock, catch some rays on the beach, and hit the volleyball court or pool table. So many things to do, but also plenty of space and areas to relax and take it easy. Waves galore directly in front of the hostle fit for all levels. Fantastic place to meet other people, surf and enjoy some quality night life!
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25 December 2016
One of the best hostels I have ever visited. Great location at the beach, extremely friendly and helpful staff, really nice people and good food. Perfect mix of fun and relaxation!
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17 December 2016
Great place right on the beach! The volunteers are willing to go an extra mile by getting fresh coconuts from the trees and chopping them open! Really relaxed atmosphere with great bar and good food. When craving beach in Guatemala, go to Driftwood!
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