A stay at Island Life Hostel places you in the heart of Santo Domingo, within a 15-minute walk of Calle El Conde and Malecon. .This hostel is 4.3 mi (6.9 km) from Assembly Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses and 2.3 mi (3.7 km) from Sambil Santo Domingo.
Island Life Hostel offers 9 accommodations with safes. Guests can make use of the shared/communal kitchen. Bathrooms include showers. Housekeeping is provided daily.
Recreational amenities at the hostel include an outdoor pool.
Make yourself at home in one of the 9 guestrooms. Prepare your meals in the shared/communal kitchen. Bathrooms with showers are provided. Conveniences include safes, and housekeeping is provided daily.
Take advantage of recreation opportunities such as an outdoor pool or take in the view from a rooftop terrace and a garden. Additional amenities at this hostel include complimentary wireless internet access, an arcade/game room, and a television in a common area.
Quench your thirst with your favorite drink at the bar/lounge. A complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast is served daily from 7 AM to 10 AM.
Featured amenities include dry cleaning/laundry services, luggage storage, and laundry facilities. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available 24 hours).
A complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast is served each morning between 7 AM and 10 AM.
Property amenities
Internet
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Parking and transportation
24-hour roundtrip airport shuttle (surcharge)
Food and drink
Free cooked-to-order breakfast available daily 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM
A bar/lounge
Things to do
Arcade/game room
Billiards/pool table
Outdoor pool
TV in common areas
Conveniences
Laundry facilities
Limited-hour front desk
Luggage storage
Safe at front desk
Guest services
Dry cleaning/laundry service
Housekeeping (daily)
Tour and ticket assistance
Outdoors
Barbecue grill
Garden
Picnic area
Rooftop terrace
Accessibility
No elevator
More
Designated smoking areas
Room amenities
Bathroom
Shampoo
Shower
Towels provided
Food and drink
Shared kitchen access
More
Safe
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 1 PM; Check-in end time: midnight
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out
Check-out before 11 AM
Contactless check-out available
Special check-in instructions
The property charges 4 percent for credit card payments
The front desk is open daily from 6 AM - midnight
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property ahead of time using the information on the booking confirmation
If you are planning to arrive after midnight please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
All guests must show a valid passport. This is the only form of identification that is accepted at this property.
Access methods
Front desk (limited hours)
Pets
Pets not allowed
Children and extra beds
Children 18 and younger are not allowed at this property; All guests older than 18 are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available
Property payment types
Important information
Optional extras
Airport shuttle fee: USD 35 per vehicle (one-way)
Credit card charges are subject to a surcharge of 4 percent
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, and a first aid kit
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property
We should mention
This property does not have elevators
Children 18 years old and younger are not permitted at this property
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms
Property is also known as
Island Life Backpacker's Hostel Santo Domingo
Island Life Backpacker's Santo Domingo
Island Life Backpacker's
Island Life Hostel Santo Domingo
Island Life Santo Domingo
Island Life Backpacker's Hostel
Life Hostel Santo Domingo
Island Life Hostel Santo Domingo
Island Life Hostel Hostel/Backpacker accommodation
Island Life Hostel Hostel/Backpacker accommodation Santo Domingo
Island Life Hostel Reviews
Reviews
8.4
Very Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
The staff were amazing and helpful . They seemed to work so hard. The room was very clean . The hostel was a great layout with large communal areas and surround to pool was nice to relax by .
Island Life Hostel is in a perfect spot of Santo Domingo that made it easy to walk around town. The hostel itself is clean, good amenities, and friendly staff!
The staff is very welcoming, it is a place that makes you feel at home right off the bat!
I will recommend this place, for sure!
eric
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022
Verified
8/10 Good
Mylene
Mar 17, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
It was good enough for what I needed. Just to crash for a night. People staying there were really nice and all the staff there helped me with everything that I needed.
Very nice hostel in a great location. Right near the top attractions, restaurants and bars. The staff is absolutely amazing and the nicest people. They are very helpful in giving tips and advice on how to navigate the city and answer any questions. Would highly recommend.
I love the hospitality of the staff! Everyone is so welcoming and easy to talk to. I also like how safety is important to the staff and the presence of security. I stayed by myself in a private room and it was very clean and cozy. The wifi didn't work so great, but the area is so beautiful and full of life that I didn't want to spend much time in my room anyway. The size of the hostal combined with the amenities, such as the pool table, made it easy to socialize and make friends with other travelers. Breakfast is great as well. The bar is great. The dogs are so chill and friendly. There was a great mixture of people available to speak Spanish, English, French, and even Italian. I definitely recommend staying here.
Brianna
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Nayna
Apr 20, 2025
Liked: Staff & service
I stayed here for 4 nights. Met some amazing people from around the world. The owner is great and made me feel very comfortable. There was a glitch initially but he sorted it out in no time. Nothing was too much trouble for him. He made me feel well looked after. I'll definitely visit again!
Nayna
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025
Verified
2/10 Terrible
kurt
Dec 20, 2022
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities
No hot water. Smelled bad. Dirty mattress. Dogs living on the property barked all night.
This was my first ever experience in a hostel . At first when I arrived I thought as though I may of made a mistake from the entire environment. Very different from a hotel . I was here on a couples visit . But as I settled in I realized I was getting exactly what I paid for and I got the hostel experience. The owner and manager are really great guys and will do everything within their power to make you feel welcome and feel like a home away from home . Hostels unlike hotels really push for a more social atmosphere and I meet some really great people .Had a lot of fun at the bar and one day had there Nachos (and they are very good ) I ended up loving this place . But know exactly what you are getting .
Ronald
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023
Verified
4/10 Poor
Arjun
Dec 20, 2023
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service
Loved the property and the people I met there - just had a big complaint about the owner. I've stayed in dozens of hostels while travelling through over 30 countries but this has been the most incosiderate hostel owner I've ever seen.
He likes keeping his dogs on property both of which like barking really loudly at random noises throughout the night which kept me up. He also just brings his friends over on weekdays from out of the hostel to e party right in front of the rooms (they didn't even go to the common area) which also kept me up. Also someone got sick in my dorm and was asking the owner if he could get some medicine or some help from the owner who was on property, but the owner refused to even go to the room to see him.
I wouldn't recommend booking this property because I think it's a bad idea to give money/support a bad hostel owner like this one.
Arjun
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023
Verified
4/10 Poor
carla
Dec 3, 2025
Disliked: Amenities
Internet que não chegava no quarto, segurança que não fala o idioma e trata mal por não ter o cartão, falta de indicações
La limpieza y muebles de la propiedad deja mucho que desear, al igual que la atención al cliente, el personal fue inaccesible con la reserva desde antes de llegar a la propiedad. Al igual que la comunicación fue limitante ya que no todos hablan bien el español.
Constanza
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025
Verified
6/10 Okay
SEBASTIEN
Apr 7, 2024
Disliked: Cleanliness
Bien placé
L'hôtel est bien placé pour visiter la zone coloniale a pied
On a tout fait en une demi journée...
La pasé muy bien en el hotel , el personal muy acomedido y las instalaciones en buenas condiciones y sobre todo la ubicación para ir a los diferentes lugares turísticos ... excelente .