Enjoy the unique island of Crete while helping out at our hostel!

United States

5

I volunteered at the Matala hostel and had the adventure of a lifetime!!! After working my reception shifts, I would explore the quaint village with the other volunteers and guests. The locals were friendly, the ocean was warm, and the memories were beautiful. 10/10 would recommend to anyone who hopes to make lasting relationships, grow in hospitality skills, learn more about Greek culture. And a special thank you to our manager, Gaïa, for all your kindness and support along the way!

over 2 years ago

Apollo replied

Thank you so much Lauren for your time with us! Safe travels!

Canada

5

Beautiful hostel in a beautiful beach town where I've made really beautiful memories with very beautiful people both inside and out. It was an experience of a lifetime! I learned a lot about hostel front desk duties during my experience. I also had the pleasure to lead fun events like Dinner Night, Game Night and Pub Crawl. Gaïa is a phenomenal manager; she is always ready to share her insight and knowledge about the hospitality industry, and I learned a great deal of wisdom by working alongside her. Guests and volunteers are now my family; the locals are now my friends. I am so, so grateful!

over 2 years ago

Brazil

5

My stay at the hostel was amazing, everybody is so welcoming and social, it's very easy to make friends all over the world! It's not a big hostel so it's very cozy, and the tasks are very easy! Hector is super helpful, always there if you need any support. Honestly the best experience I've had so far!

over 2 years ago

Canada

5

My stay at the hostel was great, this was my very first work trade experience and I'm so thankful to hector for accepting me. The hours are well respected with an easy workload, your days off are grouped together making it easy to explore the island. The hostel itself is super clean (thanks to Nia) and in a great location. I'm sad that my month here has already come to an end but I'm sure I will make my way back.

over 2 years ago

South Africa

5

This was my first worldpackers experience and it was such a nice way to settle into long term travelling. The town itself is great if you are prepared to be a beach bum, and the locals are so lovely! It is a very small little town, so I definitely recommend renting a car to get around Crete. The work hours were respected and all the tasks were manageable. I definitely would recommend volunteering here!

over 2 years ago

Austria

5

I volunteered at Matala Hostel which is run by the same host. It was my first time volunteering and I couldn't have chosen a better host! The tasks were easy and I had a lot of free time to explore Crete. Gaia is a great manager and easy to talk to. The other volunteers were amazing and Matala is a nice place to stay!

over 2 years ago

United States

5

Matala hostel was so great to work at!! The hours/work was exactly what was written on their profile! Matala is a great town and the hostel provided opportunities to meet locals in the area and enjoy many different experiences!

over 2 years ago

Brazil

5

The hostel location is great. I made really nice friends and I had a lot of fun. The work was fair and the hours respected

over 2 years ago

Ireland

5

I had a great experience volunteering at the hostel! The manager and the other volunteers were very friendly and they were always willing to help. The tasks are also very manageable, so I had plenty of time to explore Crete. Thanks for everything!

over 2 years ago

United Kingdom

3

The hostel was great and the other volunteers really made the experience. The town of matala is lovely small but beautiful and you never really get bored. It's a well equipped place and very easy to spend time here. The manager however seemed to be very unkind towards myself in particular where she would blame and accuse me of things. She made me feel uncomfortable around the hostel and like I was not welcomed. She shouted at me and was verbally abusive numerous times, which other volunteers noticed, over small things or things I was unaware of.

over 2 years ago

Apollo replied

Unfortunately Tom didn't have the right attitude toward the hostel and didn't fulfill the tasks asked, even if repeated multiple times. He simply didn’t care or wasn’t mature enough to understand that there is hard work behind a business, and by his actions he clearly was affecting the reputation of the hostel. It's not acceptable having guests complaining about one of the staff members, nor is leaving the safe open -with the money inside- when finishing the shift, after almost a month volunteering. Tom came for free holidays and totally forgot about the volunteering part. Matala is also a small community and shop owners had complaints about him with his behavior, extremely rude and careless, but also regarding stealing. I would definitely not recommend Tom.

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