The Purple House International Backpackers Hostel (David, Panama): See 48 Reviews and 13 Photos

Address: Calle C Sur y Avenida Sexta Oeste | San Mateo, David, Panama

Region: Panama > Chiriqui Province > David

Amenities:

Free High-Speed Internet Free Parking Kitchenette Wheelchair access

Hotel Style:

Ranked #3 of 3 Speciality lodging in David

Price range (per night): RM39 - 106

Official Description (provided by the hotel):: Welcome to the Purple House International Backpacker Hostel! We encourage you to visit us here in the wonderful city of David, Panama, a convenient jumping off point to many of the most popular tourist areas in the country. Use us as your home base as you explore the regions! We have all the amenities that most travelers need and want, in a very safe convenient neighborhood of the city.The Purple House is a fun hostel and a great place to meet other travelers. It's homey, with a friendly staff, and it's very clean and comfortable because it is owned by experienced travelers who know what other travelers are looking for! Our theme is purple, and most guests are surprised to see just how many things we have managed to find in the color purple!We offer :Private rooms from 1-4 people with air-conditioning and TVDorm rooms from 6-10 peopleInternet access including WIFIFree Coffee and Tea all day.Fully equipped kitchen.Common Area with cable TV, stereo, DVD,Book Exchange (guests only!)Reference guide books, 24 Hour Check-in/Security.Unique Refreshing SPLASH PAD in our Outdoor Sun GardenLaundry service.International phone callsEco-friendly and socially and community conscious atmosphere.A deep and abiding love for all things PURPLE! ... more less

Reservation Options:: TripAdvisor is proud to partner with HostelWorld, Booking.com and Priceline so you can book your The Purple House International Backpackers Hostel reservations with confidence. We help millions of travellers each month to find the perfect hotel for both holiday and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.

Diego B

Soloy

2 reviews

Reviews in 2 cities

3 helpful votes

“Great people = great place”

Reviewed 23 March 2013

My girlfriend and I stayed at the PURPLE HOUSE for three nights in January 2013, and had a great stay! I've been reading some of the comments below and they are simply unjustified, close-minded and self-absorbed. 1. Andrea is a very nice and welcoming lady. Perhaps she might seem a bit "intense" as some of you have pointed out, but... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 1

Problem with this review?

Thanks for your nice comments and thorough descriptive review. One thing we'd like to mention is that our DVD's have been completely free for the last couple of years. We must have forgotten to remove an old sign. Also, thanks for noticing (and acknowledging) that the members of our staff are all Panamanian. We believe that they are beyond compare... More

gemwho

Glasgow, United Kingdom

Senior Contributor

37 reviews

32 hotel reviews

Reviews in 32 cities

7 helpful votes

“Great stay at the purple house”

Reviewed 16 February 2013 via mobile

I arrived by taxi and was greeted by Andrea who showed me around, I found her to be very friendly and informative. I stayed in a six bedded dorm with three fans keeping the room cool. There's a good kitchen with everything you need, lots of travel information, great wifi and a tv sitting area. Yes there are signs up... More

Was this review helpful? Yes

Thank you very much for your nice comments and feedback regarding your stay with us. It is always appreciated when someone takes the time to focus on the positive and let us know what they liked about their experience here. Wishing you happy and safe travels! More

Sean B

London

Reviewer

3 reviews

3 hotel reviews

Reviews in 3 cities

2 helpful votes

“SMILE, Ignore the bad reviews and enjoy the purple house”

Reviewed 22 January 2013

We dropped into the Purple House for 2 nights looking for a budget place in David and it was a great place to stay. Andrea, the ever-present owner of the hostel, is a treasure trove of information on David and Panama, and she tells you how it is. We NEVER saw this as a problem, because she is friendly and... More

Thank you so much for your kind words and observations about your experience here at The Purple House and your personal interaction with me. It is truly heartwarming and encouraging. It was nice to have you here also! Wishing you safe and healthy travels. More

honest_dude_ca

california

Senior Reviewer

6 reviews

6 hotel reviews

“least favorite hostel in david”

Reviewed 18 January 2013

I have stayed at this hostel on three separate occasions. My initial impressions were that is was similar to any hostel. As other reviews state there are many different rules and Andrea the owner charges for every little thing. It is understandable but here it is a little too much. extra for hot water showers, extra for a fan, laundry... More

See 2 more reviews by honest_dude_ca for David

In the 11 years that we have operated the hostel we have never once charged extra for a fan. In fact that is simply an outrageous and absurd statement. Could we really tell some guests in a dorm room to not use the fans because they didn’t pay extra? Would we not allow the fans to oscillate towards non-payers? It... More

Tim H

Santa Catalina, Panama

“Rules”

Reviewed 3 December 2012

Theres alot of rules for a hostel, somewhat understandable cause some travellers can be inconsiderate, however here, it's a little overboard. The owner/manager can be a little suffocating, although trying to be helpful its also a little bit much. The color gets a little heavy too, everything being purple. The rooms are okay, however the pillows are leather, which get... More

Oh please. You come to a place called The PURPLE House International Backpackers Hostel, where everything is clearly advertised as being PURPLE. We have been in business for 11 years, contributing to the local economy and becoming famous in the traveling community for being PURPLE. Our entire marketing approach has been to emphasize our love of the color PURPLE. So... More

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Karen L

Oceanside, California

39 reviews

5 hotel reviews

Reviews in 14 cities

10 helpful votes

“Lonely Planet Fail”

Reviewed 15 November 2012

The place is okay except that the beds and pillows are covered in plastic like your grandma's sofa in the 1950s...not very comfortable. The owner is a little high strung and intense. We hid in our room to stay out of her way and left as soon as possible. Read through her responses to negative reviews; you'll get the picture.... More

As Karen mentioned, we do use lightweight, washable, vinyl mattress covers and hygienic pillows in our most inexpensive dorm rooms in order to prevent bed-bugs, foul odors, and contamination due to bodily fluids such as urine, vomit, saliva, blood, etc. Of course we provide full clean cotton-blend sheets and pillow cases for guests to use over these protective covers. Most... More

Diverdan28

Ottawa, Canada

Top Contributor

66 reviews

34 hotel reviews

Reviews in 39 cities

38 helpful votes

“Safe clean hostel- doesn't come cheaper than this”

Reviewed 28 October 2012

Basic backpacker hostel run efficiently and strictly by former Peace Corp volunteer. I mean strictly as a complement. The rules are made clear and they are enforced. It ensures a secure, clean, and reasonably comfortable overnight stay at a rock bottom price. The manager kindly loaned us a couple of beers until we had a chance to get out to... More

Thanks to Diverdan for his kind words and acknowledgment of the effort that our entire staff makes on a daily basis to keep our hostel clean, safe and orderly. We've already commented in other responses that our only serious concerns are: the treatment of our dog and illegal drug use at our hostel. Otherwise, it is assumed that the majority... More

JennyBern

new york, new york

15 helpful votes

“Very strange place and unwelcoming”

Reviewed 13 August 2012

My boyfriend and I stayed here for one night. Defenetly the worst and the weirdest hostel I stayed in while traveling throughout Latin America. Too much purple, too many unnecessary and annoying rules. Andrea, the owner probably means well, but you can't be relaxed or comfortable here with so so many rules and her watchfull eyes. The pillows had a... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 4

Thanks to Jenny for her review because once again it gives us the opportunity to clearly explain that there are only 2 rules that are strictly enforced here: 1) Please don’t let Cute-si (our beloved dog) out into the street where she could get hit by a car or lost and 2) Please don’t use illegal drugs on hostel premises.... More

Epilover86

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

1 helpful vote

“Neither warm nor welcoming (but definitely purple!)”

Reviewed 30 June 2012

We decided to stay at the Purple House based on Lonely Planet's apparently out of date review of the place. They describe the owner as warm and welcoming, but from the moment we arrived we felt more like troublesome intruders than valued customers. We arrived a couple of hours before check-in time (after taking a night bus from the capital),... More

This reviewer had a three night reservation that she made 3 weeks in advance. When she arrived, she immediately cancelled the third night because she explained that she’d met someone on the bus who offered her a free home-stay. She was not charged for this cancelled night. After a day of exploring David, she came back in the evening and... More

Dougtoni

Moscow, ID

1 review

“Won't be going back”

Reviewed 7 June 2012

I read a good review of the Purple House in a Moon travel book so I thought I would give it a try when traveling through David. I was traveling with my girlfriend so I wanted a private room. I was considering either staying in the city in a hotel, or in the purple house (which is about 10 blocks... More

Thanks to Doug for his review. As he mentioned we had some repair work going on in the hostel on the morning of his departure. Although I don't remember any specific interaction with him asking about tourist information, I can acknowledge that things might have been hectic at the very moment he approached me, and it's possible that I was... More

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The Purple House International Backpackers Hostel Reviews, David

The Purple House International Backpackers Hostel

48 reviews from our community

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