Hostel Mundo Joven Cancun

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.  

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. 

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. 

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.