Stayed at this hostel for 3 nights, there are goods as well as some bads. The staffs are very friendly, I must say, and for its price range, I shouldn't complain. My room is a single with shared bathroom, for US$18 a night. Its location is somewhere between the clifftop of the Pacific coast, and the center of Miraflores district, both within 10 mins of walk. It is close to a supermarkets and banks. There are lots of restaurants, trendy stores and other going-ons in the center area of Miraflores, sort of a middle class neighborhood, I suppose. I am actually glad that I didn't stay at Centro Lima, where seems to be even more choatic. But, if I decide to go back Lima again, I might choose to stay at Barranco, a much arty and quieter neighborhood, or some quieter street in Miraflores.
Apart from the price, friendly staffs, I also get free wi-fi, TV room with tons of DVD, and some games available if you are up for it, the airport pick up is also nice, remind you that my flight arrived at 4:30am, and they still come to pick me up at that hours. The hostel seems to be safe enough, so as the neighborhood. My room is spacious. However, the traffic noise is a big no no. Pretty much as early as 6:00am-7:00am, the traffic noise would start to screaming in. Maybe because my room is right next to the street, but I don't think the rooms in the main building can avoid that noise. In fact, I asked the two Dutch girls staying in the main building, they said they needed to use earplugs too. I guess that's one of the solution. There is definitely no way to sleep in the daytime. Actually there was one night I was kept awaken by a garbage pick up at 2am. The up side about those traffic noise, there is a bus to Centro Lima passing right by the hostel.
The shared bathroom is another thing I don't care for. There are 3 shared bathroom, but at peak hours (7:00am to 10:00am), there are usually a line to get in the bathroom, and hot water are all gone most of the times by your turn. Solution to this is to either take shower in the late afternoon or at night.
Overall, I would still recommend it to backpackers who pretty much spent most daytime outside, and youthful party animals (cause there are lots of bars and pubs around). But if you want some restful sleeps, no one to fight with bathroom when you need to go, or you want to relax when you are in, find hostels in other quieter neighborhood. In fact, Lima, in my impression, is such a blasting city, it is not a city for relaxation. It reminds me Bangkok, with a spanish touch.
