About

The Racing Mackerel hostel is a place for you to escape the race back home and relax with people who know how to enjoy life! The hostel was the family home for several generations of native Lacobrigans until 2015, when we converted it into a place for you to stay, hang out, meet other travelers, and enjoy Lagos.
We offer a tranquil environment close enough to the fun but far enough to enjoy the quiet mornings and evenings that our side of the city center offers.

We are located within walking distance to all of Lagos' fun and interesting places like the beaches, the bars, and the historical forts. Racing Mackerel Hostel is just within the old town's historical retaining walls. During the day we're a 20 minute walk from world famous beach Praia Dona Ana but just 10 minutes from two beautiful beaches, Praia dos Estudantes and Praia Batata. Lagos' history is also very close by. It's just a short walk to the old churches and the fort that protected the town in the 17th century. Adventure and water activities are everywhere in Lagos. You would be hard pressed to not find a bike rental or a kayak tour! At night, old town comes alive with its numerous bars and clubs welcoming anyone and everyone looking for a good time.

We have four rooms on offer. We have a 4-bed female only dorm, a 2-mixed dorm and a 4-bed mixed dorm. We also have a larger 4-bed mixed dorm. All rooms share bathrooms- a male bathroom and a female bathroom. Our larger 4-bed mixed dorm has a small balcony and all rooms have natural light from large windows. All windows have black out shutters. At Racing Mackerel, we play with the humor of the Portuguese people and their love for fish. Our rooms are decorated with fun and playful sayings about life related to fish. Racing Mackerel offers a full kitchen with washing machine, a common room with large dining table, sofa, and flat screen tv with cable channels.

Racing Mackerel Hostel Policies and Conditions:

Check in from 14:00 to 22:00 . Every guest must give us their arrival time.
Check out is 12:00 .

Cancellation policy: 72 hours before arrival or the full amount of the reservation will be charged in the event of cancellation or no show.
Payment upon arrival by cash, credit cards, debit cards. This property may pre-authorize your credit card before arrival.

NOT INCLUDED:
Breakfast
Towels (available for hire - 1.50€)

INCLUDED:
Bed linens
Free maps
Free coffee or tea
Large lockers in room (bring own lock or hire one from us)

General:
No curfew.
Non smoking.

House Rules

Check In

14:00 - 22:00

Check Out

until 12:00

  • Taxes Included
View House Rules

Facilities

  • Free City Maps
  • Free WiFi
  • Free Luggage Storage
  • Bicycle Parking
  • Luggage Storage
  • Housekeeping
  • Reception (limited hours)
  • Internet access
View all facilities

Reviews

8.1Fabulous(169)
  • Value for Money
    8.6
  • Security
    8.6
  • Atmosphere
    7.1
  • Cleanliness
    7.5
  • Staff
    9.2
  • Location
    9.4
  • Facilities
    6.3
Summary of traveller reviews

Racing Mackerel Hostel in Lagos offers a welcoming atmosphere with friendly, helpful staff. Guests appreciate the excellent location, close to beaches and town amenities. While generally clean, some recent reviews note that bathrooms can be small and lack privacy, and the kitchen sometimes needs tidying.

Stayed in Jul 2026
7.7
R
Rachel
Female, 18-24, Canada
If you want a central and budget-friendly place to stay in Lagos, then this is a decent option. However, the rooms were very small and there was no ac. My biggest complaint was the bathrooms, the girls had tiny stalls for the toilets and showers, but the men’s had none toilet stalls at all. Both entrances could lock, but when the men’s door was locked there ended up being an altercation with another guest over “not locking the door for the sake of others.” This could be avoided with a wc update.
Stayed in Jul 2026
9.4
E
Elinor
Female, 18-24, England
Such lovely lovely people who really made our stay at Lagos enjoyable especially as 2 young girls travelling alone. Thank you so much!!!
Stayed in Jun 2026
8.0
E
Emilie
Female, 25-30, Canada
It was a nice hostel but the restrooms were so bad…
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Location

Travessa do Forno nº13 8600-632, Lagos, Portugal
0.6km from city centre