I stayed in one of the best-rated hostels for backpackers in the Philippines, and it turned out to be a complete letdown

Nacho Hostel has a 4.9-star rating over 614 reviews on Google. Backpackers have nothing but good things to say about the hostel — one guest who stayed there in July said it's perfect for a "summer getaway" while another guest who stayed in the same month said the staff was "very friendly" and the space was "super clean."

Photos of the hostel online showed luxurious amenities — as far as hostels go — including a sparkling swimming pool and spacious bar and lounge. The hostel looked like a lot of fun, so I booked a night.

As I had assignments in Cebu's city center, I had to travel around 40 minutes to reach the hostel in Talisay. The hostel is located on a narrow street by the side of a busy road, right next to a medical clinic.

It's relatively far from Cebu's beaches and business districts, so it's not the best location for travelers. But one backpacker said on Google Reviews that it's "directly on the bus route to Oslob and Moalboal," two of the most popular tourist attractions in the province, where people can spot whales and go diving. Another upside is that it's just across the street from a local mall, so buying food and supplies was convenient.

At first impression, the hostel's lobby looked basic and minimally furnished. There was nothing but an old couch and a large desk where travelers checked in. It wasn't as glamorous as Luk Hostel in Bangkok, which had a lobby with a cafe and lounge. But it also wasn't as run down as The Explorers Guesthouse, the cheapest hostel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The dormitory had six mattresses spread across three bunk beds. When I checked out the room, only three of the beds were occupied, and all by female backpackers, which immediately made me feel more comfortable. Previously, during my stay at The Explorers Guesthouse in Kuala Lumpur, I initially had to share a dormitory with three men.

The dormitory just had the basics — apart from the beds, there was a metal locker and air-conditioner. Guests staying at the dormitories needed to use the shared bathrooms.

As the nightly rate is cheap, I could see how this would be a great choice for backpackers who want to stretch their dollars and don't mind no-frills accommodation.

The private room was the same size as the dormitories, but there was just one double bed instead of multiple bunks. It was more furnished than the dormitories, with a dining table and full-sized cabinet.

The space was huge, but a strong smell of bleach lingered in the air. While I appreciated that the room had been thoroughly cleaned, the pungent smell was unpleasant.

But the worst part of staying in the room was the lack of access to Wi-Fi — my phone, which had a local SIM card, had no access to calls or the Internet, and the hostel's Wi-Fi was extremely slow, making it impossible to work on my laptop. The room didn't have a television either, so I couldn't watch movies or catch the news either.

The bathroom was clean enough, especially when compared to some other hostels I've stayed at. True to its no-frills nature, things like soap, towels, and dental kits were not provided, so I had to stop off at the nearby mall to buy some.

Fortunately, the heater functioned well, and the water pressure was strong. In many parts of the Philippines, water pressure is an issue, but I didn't face any problems with that at the hostel.

While I didn't expect a duvet, I was hoping for something more substantial than a translucent bedsheet. A friend of mine, who I was traveling with and who lives in the Philippines, told me this was common among hostels and budget motels in the area — turns out thin blankets aren't unique to this hostel.

As I wasn't feeling well that night, I decided to call it a night early. While the bed wasn't the most comfortable, the surrounding area was quiet, so I still managed to get some rest.

Many of the reviews said the hostel was "super clean" and "fresh." But my experience was the exact opposite — insects were almost ubiquitous in the hostel, despite smelling like bleach everywhere.

Inside my room, there were ticks on my bedsheet (pictured above), and fruit flies and gadflies buzzing around the space. And at the hall where the rooms were located, I spotted a dead cockroach next to a door.

The pool and bar area was as nice as the photos online showed. At night, I spotted half a dozen people chilling at the pool, and they looked like they were having a good time. While the hostel had a good atmosphere among backpackers, I don't think it's something that's particularly unique. I've stayed at other hostels which had parties for backpackers and pub crawls, and was much cleaner than this one.

While the nightly rates are cheap, I think travelers can get better value elsewhere. For example, popular motel chains like SoGo costs as little as 1,400 pesos, or $25, which is the same as a private room at the hostel. It's likely to have a much stronger Wi-Fi connection and hopefully fewer pests crawling around.