Waiter or Barista - Join Our Café in Portugal's Surf Haven

Netherlands

5

I stayed at 9 nine the host for 4 weeks. Because it was low season there were not many guest but i still had an great time! I helped in the hostel with the reception and house keeping. This is a great place if you know how to run and help in a hostel!

8 months ago

United States

4

Brad is a welcoming, caring host, and the international restaurant team was very friendly. I met people easily and hung out after shifts. Hours and tasks matched the listing, and training was supportive. The staff meal was good though repetitive. You will not be trained as a coffee barista, so if that is your main goal, this is not the place to go. Lagos is great for beaches, hiking, and surfing. The main/only drawback is the volunteer house: run-down and moldy, with many appliances broken, no door locks, bugs, and unreliable Wi-Fi. Awesome role and people, but housing needs a major upgrade.

16 days ago

Bradley replied

Thanks for the kind words about our team, training, and the overall experience — we’re glad you enjoyed Lagos.

Portugal is very humid in the wet season, and mold is common in housing. During your stay, the house was being repainted and repaired, we arranged paid external accommodation

Door keys are available, though some volunteers choose not to carry them.

The Wi-Fi modem was accidentally damaged by a volunteer; while awaiting replacement, we provided unlimited data SIMs

Italy

4

I had a great time in Lagos. Working at Twin Fin cafe was easy (especially being off season in november) and also very enjoyable and laid back thanks to the friendly staff there! The work was mainly as a waiter, since there is a fixed barista for that position. I was also able to get a discount with a surf school which is a plus. I do have to mention the accommodation needs upgrading especially the lack of a working washing machine but workarounds were set in place for this with some communication. Brad the owner was just a chill guy but being more proactive wouldn't hurt ;)

17 days ago

New Zealand

3

I volunteered at this hostel and found it under-equipped (beddings, towels, organization) and not very professional. The manager was unpredictable—sometimes very nice, but at times rude to volunteers and even guests. The place has potential, but management needs improvement. On the positive side, the agreed hours were clear and respected, which gave me time to enjoy Lagos. It wasn't perfect, but I'm grateful for the experience and the chance to make the most of my stay.

4 months ago

Bradley replied

It's disappointing and disingenuous to label the manager as "unpredictable" without acknowledging the full context. She experienced a significant personal loss, which understandably required her to take some time away. Upon her return, rather than being met with empathy or support, she was treated with clear hostility. Grief can deeply impact a person’s emotional and professional functioning, and it's unfortunate that such a basic level of compassion and understanding wasn’t extended to her.

Argentina

4

The experience was good, I feel like there are things that could be improved since the place has a lot of potential!

7 months ago

Italy

5

I worked as waitress/barista at the cafè. It was a great experience, the team was the highlight of the trip. The job and task are easy if you already have experience working in a cafè/ as a waitress. The living situation is fine for a stay of 1 month, more or less. Overall wuold defenetly reccomend to meet new people from all around the world

over 2 years ago

Switzerland

1

I was supposed to stay for 4 weeks, but left abruptly after 2 weeks (volunteer got injured). What i enjoyed was the contact with other volunteers and new guests. However there are lots of things that should be improved in order to be a good place that hosts volunteers, such as better introduction and communication, renovations of the infrastructure, employing some permanent staff (only permanent staff was the manager). I believe the boss and new manager want to make this an excellent volunteer position but its execution lacks, as the defects have been going on for a while.

about 2 years ago

Bradley replied


We appreciate your review and the feedback provided.

Regarding Catarina's early departure, regrettably, we encountered some disagreements, and her attitude raised concerns during her tenure.

In the unfortunate incident with the injured staff member, it's important to note that the injury resulted from self-harm, which was connected to underlying mental health issues and medication use. This information wasn't initially disclosed to us, and the situation was unrelated to our management or the conduct of our other staff members.

Concerning our business structure, we value your input. Hostels often operate on a volunteer-based model, although it might not be widely recognized outside the industry. We've been successfully hosting staff for over 8 years, and many individuals have returned season after season, contributing to the positive atmosphere.

Our hostel is situated in the heart of a historic Roman town, and our buildings hold significant regional importance. While they exude charm and character, they also pose unique challenges.

We offer staff accommodations within the hostel, but for those seeking a more contemporary setting, we provide a modern villa with over 140m² of living space.

Germany

4

It was a nice expirience and I had a lot of fun with all the people I have met. Also the accommodation is nice.

over 2 years ago

Canada

4

I spent 4 weeks working as FOH at the host Cafe and it was a good amount of time to enjoy all that the Algarve has to offer. The staff is very fun and was the highlight of the experience for me. Working at the cafe was good, but it can get very busy during the high season. It's best if you have previous cafe experience as the training is very brief. The owner and manager were very accommodating to my scheduling requests and giving specific days off. I would say the downside is that the living situation should be improved - don't expect privacy or luxury in the villa. Overall would recommend :)

over 2 years ago

Brazil

4

I stayed 1 month at the hostel and made many friends, the volunteers are excellent people and the work is easy, the hostel is small, quiet and easy to organize, the kitchen is ok, the bathrooms too. The only problem was the issue of not having enough lockers in the rooms and also the internet not working (although it did) The manager was very understanding and flexible and the stay was pleasant.

over 2 years ago

Apply Now