Outdoor pool
Check availability

Reviews of Villa Viva Hostel

2 out of 5
Villa Viva Hostel
74 New Church Street, Cape Town, Western Cape

Reviews

8.8

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 61 out of 106 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 30 out of 106 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 11 out of 106 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 106 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 3 out of 106 reviews" "

8.8/10

Cleanliness

8.8/10

Staff & service

9.2/10

Amenities

8.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

mauricio

Liked: Staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Noreen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I LOVE this place!!! Architecturally & environmentally so pleasant, flowing interesting. Kind & friendly staff. Clean, quiet. I could stay forever
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Rumbidzai Everjoy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

8/10 Good

Isaac

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
I like the wonderful breakfast.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kanya

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

8/10 Good

talha

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2019
Response from Mary on 18 Oct,2019
Thank you so much for your review. We appreciate it. We are happy that you enjoyed your time with us.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Green vibe. Lovely friendly staff . Excellent breakfast.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2019
Response from lee on 27 Aug,2019
Thank you so much we are delighted you enjoyed your stay with us

10/10 Excellent

Lew, Maryland

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Well kept, beautiful view of Table Top Mountain. Parking for a small fee on site was very useful. I thought there was a laundry room on site, but I was wrong, they can send laundry out to be done and returned the next day.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019
Response from The Backpack Team on 1 Aug,2019
Hi We are happy that you enjoyed your stay with us and hope to see you on your next visit to Cape Town.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Amenities
Excellent location and nice staff. It’s overpriced and overrated as well. I expected more based on the reviews. The room seemed old and had a weird smell. The breakfast is only cereal and bread. It’s supposed to be an eco friendly hostel but is more to save money than anything else. Encourage you to not flash the toilet and saved the water you used after taking a shower! That was odd to me.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019
Response from lee on 31 Jul,2019
Thank you so much for your review. Our hostel prides itself on our responsibility to the planet in general and Cape Town in particular. We had a drought last year which now thankfully has broken however we are constantly reminded that looking after clean water is something we will always have to do to ensure fresh water for future generations.We have been told by many guests that when they go home they will adopt some of our water saving methods. Our buffet breakfast consists of porridge, cereal, croissants, bread - white and brown either cheese or eggs, fresh tomatoes, jams, peanut butter and fresh fruit. The Backpack Team

10/10 Excellent

Meghan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2019
Response from The Backpack Team on 26 Jun,2019
Hi Meghan Thanks for the great review. We are happy that you enjoyed your stay at The Backpack.

8/10 Good

Thiago

Liked: Staff & service
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2019
Response from lee on 18 Feb,2019
thank you so much for taking the time to review our hostel. so happy you enjoyed your stay with us

10/10 Excellent

Mary

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
great, really clean location with a fun vibe. very easy to meet other travelers. The breakfast was awesome!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2018
Response from Mary on 24 Oct,2018
Thank you for the great review. We are happy that you enjoyed your stay at The Backpack and hope to see you on your next visit to Cape Town.

10/10 Excellent

Niki

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Hotel is very close to all the bars and restaurants, has a cozy environment that’s easy to meet people. There’s also a lot of tour options. I would definitely stay here again. Only down size is it’s a bit more expensive than the other hostels.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2018

10/10 Excellent

Chloe

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Christopher

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fabulous friendly hostel
Fabulous friendly hostel across three converted neighbouring houses in the safe and walkable Gardens area of Cape Town, and worthy of their reviews and awards. Great location for bars, restaurants, supermarkets (KwikSpar and Woolworths 5min walk away on Kloof Street) and transport to the popular tourist spots. Friendly staff, who are able to recommend and arrange tours and car rentals for you. Affordably priced bar spread across an indoor and exterior covered terrace with TVs for sport, and pool tables. Private rooms are well appointed and away from the bar so noise is not an issue. Water cuts are not a problem and they have solar panels so you won't be affected by any power outages either.
Response from Leelee on 16 May,2018
Many thanks for your review. We are so happy you loved our hostel and our friendly service. The Backpack Team

6/10 Okay

Laura

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good central hostel
This is a good hostel in a central location. Pros: fair trade, with a social mission; spacious room (I had a private single); close to restaurants and bars; clean Cons: wifi didn't work several times, including once overnight; close to busy road (noise); noisy guests; hostel itself doesn't organize social events
Response from Leelee on 11 Apr,2018
Thank you for your review. We were having issues with our wifi however it has now been sorted out. We have a BBQ here once a week usually on a Tuesday night, games night on a Friday and Sunday nights movies and popcorn and of course anything sport is shown on our big screen especially football, rugby and cricket and any other special sporting events. We have to leave some nights open to explore our fun city so sorry if your stay did not coincide with one of these days. The Backpack Team

10/10 Excellent

Alexander

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Absolutely amazing place... the owner, staff, ideology and layout make this better than other hostels i’ve stayed at that seem to have higher ratings... by far a much better experience!! Book directly with The Backpack to save some money and help give a bigger percentage back to the community!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2018
Response from Lee on 9 Jan,2018
Thank you so much for your awesome review we are so happy you enjoyed your stay. Have a wonderful 2018 with lots of travels The Backpack Team

10/10 Excellent

Ching , Kent, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful friendly hotel close to Table Mountain.
Super friendly staff especially Clare the intern and Jabulani the bartender. Loved the eco-friendly nature of the hostel. For example we had bins to put bath water in due to the shortage in CT. Also the lounges were comfy and the free breakfast was a feast! Highly recommended!
Response from JadeCPT on 28 Aug,2017
Hi Ching, Thank you for the fantastic review. We loved getting to know you and wish you all the best for the future. Kind Regards, The Backpack Team.

10/10 Excellent

Yasaman

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Best backpackers ever!
Spacious room, very great atmosphere in communal areas, *amazing* breakfast, helpful and friendly staff, can't recommend this place enough.
Thanks so much Yasaman for your great review. The Backpack Team

8/10 Good

Kevin, Malaysia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful Hotel with Perfect Staffs
It was recommended by my friend to stay in this hostel and it was definitely a great choice without regrets. The actual environment is exactly the same as the photos published in the web, well, I stayed in a single room and it was cozy! Nice dining place and reception area, as well as the pool (though I did not have time to use it but just walked by). The staffs were all friendly and nice, it really felt like at home.
Response from lee on 14 May,2017
Thanks so much Kevin we are so happy you enjoyed your stay with us. Happy travels The Backpack Team

8/10 Good

Sachin, Dallas, TX

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Amazing location, great people
Overall, an amazing hostel. A fantastic way to meet people, and wonderful staff. The facilities were clean, but not pristine. I guess it was what I expect at a hostel. Overall, I highly recommend it for anyone looking to meet people and have a great time.
Response from JadeCPT on 8 May,2017
Hi there! Thank you for coming to stay with us and we are so glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay! See you next time :)

10/10 Excellent

joseph, 74 new church St, Capetown

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
My Stay
Very comfortable
Response from General Manager on 25 Jan,2017
Thank you for the feesback :)

10/10 Excellent

allyson

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Response from General Manager on 20 Jan,2017
Thanks for choosing to stay with us :)

10/10 Excellent

ori, Santa Barbara, ca

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great location
Hostel is whithn a 5-10 min walk to ling street. bree street, and loop st, popular hang outs i cape town. it is clean, quiet, and safe. Breafast is free and actually good! They have 24 hrs security guards and a parking lot for those who rent a car. Just a great place!
view of table mountain from the hostel's pool area.
view of hostel from parking lot.
Response from Jade on 20 Jan,2017
Hey there! It's great to know that you had a pleasant stay with us and you were able to explore Cape Town after kick starting your day with our delicious breakfast :)

10/10 Excellent

b, e

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very nice, no frills but very well done.
Great location. Very nice accommodation. Comfortable.
Response from The Backpack on 20 Jan,2017
Thanks for staying :)

10/10 Excellent

Jessica Marie Louise, Silver Spring, United States of America

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Solo traveler, short visit
I had a wonderful stay at The Backpack recently. A week before arriving they helped me arrange airport transfer and book some tours. The staff was great, very helpful, and a pleasure to speak to. It was a friendly atmosphere and easy to meet and talk to other travelers.
Response from Jade on 25 Jan,2017
Hi there, we are glad that you had a good stay and enjoyed meeting other travelers that we were hosting at the time. Kind Regards, The Backpack Team.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Response from General Manager on 20 Jan,2017
Thanks for staying with us :)

6/10 Okay

Dawn

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service
It will do.
Main staff could be nicer, they consistently seemed put out any question I had and sometimes even my mere presence. Not the most welcoming of feelings. Room was clean and fine although it didn't look like the photos. Neighbors were quite noisy even late but that can't be helped - it's a hostel. Overall not the worst one I have stayed in but also not the best, but certainly works if you just need a place to stay for a bit on your travels.
Response from General Manager on 20 Jan,2017
Hi there, we do apologise for this response you received from the staff. This is definitely not the way we want to make our guests feel and we have taken this up with front desk staff immediately. We hope you will come back and stay with us in the future so we can prove to you the effort we have put in to improve the experience. Kind Regards, The Backpack.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

6/10 Okay

Laura

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Average
Nice communal area. Noisy at night from other guests which is of course variable but also noisy from trucks going by on the road as the windows don't shut. No aircon. Room smelt damp. Good staff service behind reception. Limited space for parking but you just have to block in. Average for price.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Well run, clean, friendly, excellent breakfast and very convenient location - walking distance to downtown.

10/10 Excellent

Natasha, Bellingham, WA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great hostel
Great location! Easy to walk anywhere in Cape Town. Breakfast was fabulous and fresh everyday. Staff was helpful and set us up on tours within a short notice. Clean, safe, fun! Free parking available if you decide to rent a car like we did. I would definitely recommend this hostel and stay again!
Response from JadeCPT on 25 Apr,2016
Hi there, thanks for choosing to stay with us! We are happy to know that you enjoyed our hostel and that you got the chance to book some tours through us and explore Cape Town! Kind Regards, The Backpack Team

4/10 Poor

Peter Pokorny, Prague, Czech republic

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Bad stay in studio
Upon arrival we were greeted by slow staff, which told us, that our studio is 5 minutes drive from the Hostel. Unfortunately, in the studio there was a problem with water temperature control - only cold or hot. With Wi-Fi could connect at one point only 1 equipment and and finally in the room dripped A/C. All the problems at the Studio we called the staff on the day we arrived, who promised to solve the second day repaired it. The following day, after breakfast, I again agree with a promise resolve continuing on the same day morning. Throughout our stay with problems which we reported nothing happened.
Response from JadeCPT on 23 Mar,2016
Hi there. We do apologise that you did not enjoy your stay at our studio apartment, just down the road from The Backpack. However, we did get the plumber in immediately the next morning to sort out the water temperature issues. The WiFi works as a hotspot; so one device will connect and allow for connection to other devices. The A/C works but unfortunately it had been dripping lightly, which we have since had repaired. Kind Regards

6/10 Okay

Magnus, Gothenburg

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Clean, fresh.
Response from JadeCPT on 23 Mar,2016
Thanks for choosing to stay with us :)

10/10 Excellent

Hannah, England

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice place, close to the centre
Staff are really helpful in recommending activities and booking things. Very sociable environment, really easy to meet and talk to new people.
Response from JadeCPT on 27 Jan,2016
Hey there, it is great that you stayed with us and made the most of your experience in Cape Town; meeting locals and booking onto the many tours we offer. Kind Regards, The Backpack Team.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We've stayed here 2 years ago and it did not disappoint this time either. We had 2 children traveling with us this time and they loved the pool. It was located conveniently to some good restaurants that we were able to walk to and not too far from Table Mt. The staff was helpful and friendly.
Response from JadeCPT on 18 Jan,2016
Hey there, Thank you so much for the review. Well, welcome back to us! It is great to know that after all this time you still had an awesome stay. Perhaps you will come back for a 3rd time! Kind Regards, The Backpack Team.

8/10 Good

Christopher, USA

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A good stay at The Backpack
We enjoyed our stat The Backpack. Great location, clean rooms and common areas, and the place does a lot for the community. The gift shop is nice to pick up small gifts for those back home. We would stay here again!
Response from JadeCPT on 18 Jan,2016
Hey there, thanks for the review. We are so happy to know that you loved your stay here with us - especially that you were able to take some gifts from our shop back home with you. Kind Regards, The Backpack Team.

8/10 Good

Christopher, West Virginia

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A few small negatives, but overall, a nice stay
This is our second stay at The Backpack. We stayed in October, 2014 as well, and were happy to return for the fun, laid back atmosphere. We love the decorations, the cleanliness of the rooms and common areas, the central location (close to great restaurants), and how The Backpack gives back to those in need. Having free breakfast was a nice touch, but the wifi was spotty every evening of our 3 night stay. Our room this time was small, and although the sky light did open for a partial view, our room was lacking the natural light and beautiful views that some of the other rooms offer. The only negative was one of the front desk attendants, while helpful, was not very friendly and made us, the customers, feel like we were an inconvenience. Overall, we were happy with our stay and would stay again.
Response from JadeCPT on 18 Jan,2016
Hello there, and welcome back to The Backpack! It is awesome that you learnt a bit more about our community projects during your stay. We do apologise for the WiFi, it is something we are still trying to figure out as it is very frustrating when the system always need to be rebooted. And it is concerning that you feel our staff lacking enthusiasm. We will be addressing this is the next meeting. Kind Regards, The Backpack Team.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Reasonable hostel
Good hostel nice atmosphere, little far from the centre of town but manageable
Response from JadeCPT on 18 Jan,2016
Hey there, thanks for choosing to stay with us. Being away from the busy centre means that you have a chance to settle down and chill in our quiet communal areas. Kind Regards, The Backpack Team.

8/10 Good

Tam, California, usa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
This is a best place to meet and make friend with
Overall, it is very good.
Response from JadeCPT on 18 Jan,2016
Awesome!! Kind Regards, The Backpack Team

10/10 Excellent

Jessi, Calgary

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great hostel
Best hostel I've ever stayed at staff were very helpful . Great people stayed there . Was never bored
Response from JadeCPT on 18 Jan,2016
This is such great news! Thanks, hope this means you will come back to stay with us again one day! Kind Regards, The Backpack Team

10/10 Excellent

Samuel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Response from Toni on 27 Jun,2015
Thank you for your 5 star review. We hope to see you. Toni (Owner)

10/10 Excellent

Martha, Vermont, USA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
outstanding place to stay in Cape Town
The Backpack is a charming, relaxing, safe, and pleasant place to stay in Cape Town, right at the base of Table Mountain. It is conveniently located near shopping, great restaurants, and night life, and with easy access to the waterfront. There is plenty of free parking available. The rooms are colorful, spacious and spotless, and there are plenty of quiet places to sit and relax indoors and out. The staff are helpful and friendly and are happy to arrange tours and provide information about getting around. There is an excellent cafe that serves coffee and delicious home-cooked breakfast, (and I believe also lunch, and dinner), and well equipped kitchens. The Backpack has beautiful gardens, a small library, and even a swimming pool!
Response from Toni on 22 Apr,2015
Thank you for your review. We hope to see you again soon at The Backpack. Toni (Owner)

8/10 Good

Jonathan, Toronto

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
As advertised!
Great stay. Staff very friendly and building very charming. Pool area was a real treat. But pricey for a hostel but happy to support such a great company supporting the local community.
Response from Toni on 27 Jun,2015
Thank you for your review and choosing to stay at The Backpack. Your choice has made a difference to our staff and our community project. We hope to see you again soon. Toni (Owner)

8/10 Good

enama christel frank, Windhoek

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
overjoyed
Safe clean pleasant and very much secure
Response from Toni on 27 Jun,2015
Thank you for your review. We hope to see you again at The Backpack! Toni (Owner)

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Room comfort
Response from JadeCPT on 23 Mar,2016
Thanks for the review!

2/10 Terrible

Lane, California

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Weird place
Very weird staff and tenants. Also felt very unsafe in the area of the hostel and would not recommend walking anywhere.
Response from JadeCPT on 27 Jan,2016
Hi there. We are disappointed to know that your stay was unsatisfactory. We do have 24/7 security guards and after dark, we do not recommend our guests walk about town. Kind Regards, The Backpack Team.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Response from Toni on 27 Jun,2015
Thank you for your 5 stars. We hope to see you again soon. Toni (Owner)

10/10 Excellent

Detlef

Rzvc
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024