Four years, countless friendships, and a place I keep coming back to.
How It All Started
I first arrived at Tower Bridge Hostel in Puerto Escondido in 2022. Back then, Caro was managing the hostel and looking for volunteers to help with content creation. I was also starting to work on what would eventually become La Fête Sauvage, so the timing couldn’t have been better.
I ended up staying for five months.
Since then, I’ve returned to Puerto Escondido several times, sometimes for shorter stays, sometimes for longer ones. And somehow, Tower Bridge always ends up being part of the plan.
I’ve met some of my closest friends here, worked on different projects, attended countless parties, and watched the hostel change quite a bit over the years.
But there’s something about it that still feels exactly the same.
Maybe it’s the people, maybe it’s the atmosphere, or maybe I’ve just spent so much time here that walking through the entrance feels strangely familiar.
Whatever it is, Tower Bridge has become one of those places I never really get tired of.
A Little Oasis in Puerto Escondido
If you’ve ever been to Puerto Escondido, you know how hot it can get.
One of the things I’ve always liked about Tower Bridge is that the moment you walk inside, the atmosphere completely changes. There’s plenty of greenery, a swimming pool, hammocks, and different spaces where you can just hang out.
It feels like a little oasis.
And it’s surprisingly easy to spend an entire day here without realizing how much time has passed.
My ideal morning starts with waking up, putting on my swimsuit, and heading straight to the bistro for breakfast. Then it’s usually time for a swim, followed by doing absolutely nothing in one of the hammocks.
Well, not exactly nothing.
Sometimes I’ll read, listen to music, get some work done, or end up talking to someone for hours.
That’s another thing about Tower Bridge. You can sit down somewhere with the intention of spending a few minutes alone and suddenly find yourself in a conversation with someone you’ve never met.
By the afternoon, it’s usually time to head to the beach with friends or whoever happens to be around.
Carrizalillo and Manzanillo are two of my favorite options, and stopping by El Cafecito for something to eat is always a good idea.
Then it’s back to the hostel, a shower, a few drinks at the bar, and the usual question:
“Where’s everyone going tonight?”
Puerto Escondido is funny that way. News travels fast, especially when it comes to parties. Somehow, everyone always seems to know where everyone’s going.
And before you know it, you’ve made plans with half the hostel.
It’s Always About the People
I’ve stayed in quite a few hostels over the years, but there’s something about the people Tower Bridge attracts that I haven’t really experienced anywhere else.
It’s an interesting mix.
People from completely different countries, backgrounds, and personalities who somehow end up getting along.
Some are traveling for a few weeks, others have been on the road for years, and some arrive in Puerto Escondido planning to stay a few days and end up staying for months.
I guess I was one of those.
Over the years, I’ve made some of my closest friends here.
There’s Patricio, my Chilean friend, whom I’ve continued meeting up with throughout the years.
Majo, who’s Mexican, welcomed me into her circle of friends and family. We’ve spent time together in different parts of Mexico and even reunited in Berlin.
Then there’s Trish, from the United States, who eventually decided to move to Mexico. We’ve built a great friendship over the years.
And Lucía, from Spain, who lived in Puerto Escondido for quite some time and worked on helping different brands grow, including Tower Bridge itself.
These are just a few examples.
The funny thing is that we’re all quite different. Under other circumstances, I’m not even sure some of us would have met.
But somehow, we ended up in the same place, sharing the same experiences.
And years later, we’re still part of each other’s lives.
I think that’s probably my favorite thing about Tower Bridge.
You never really know who you’re going to meet.
The People Behind Tower Bridge
Something else I’ve come to appreciate over the years is getting to know the people who actually make the hostel work.
Erick, the owner, is originally from Germany. He came to Mexico, fell in love with the country, and eventually decided to build Tower Bridge.
One thing I’ve noticed is that the hostel is constantly changing.
Erick and Mario, who takes care of maintenance, are always working on something, fixing things, building something new, or improving different areas.
And they do much of that work themselves.
I actually like that about the place. It feels like a project that’s never really finished.
Over the years, I’ve seen different people contribute to what Tower Bridge is today.
Caro was managing the hostel when I first arrived in 2022, and she’s part of the reason I ended up spending so much time here in the first place.
More recently, Memo has taken over as manager, bringing a different energy and some interesting new ideas.
What I appreciate about Memo is that he’s genuinely invested in what he does. He cares about the hostel, the people staying there, and the experiences they’re having.
And he’s been particularly focused on creating connections beyond Tower Bridge itself.
Instead of treating other hostels as competitors, he’s been working on collaborations with different properties and communities across Puerto Escondido and Oaxaca.
That includes places like Strawhat, Viajero, and Vivo Escondido.
Which brings me to one of the projects we’ve been working on together.
Hostel Fest: From One Hostel to a Bigger Community
One of the things Memo has helped develop is Hostel Fest, a party that brings together travelers, volunteers, locals, and people staying at different hostels around Puerto Escondido.
It happens every other Sunday, from 3 PM to 8 PM.
The idea is pretty straightforward: a pool party, open-format DJ sets, and a bunch of people coming together for the afternoon.
Afterward, everyone heads to Punta Via to keep the party going.
Memo invited La Fête Sauvage to become part of the project, and it made perfect sense for us.
When I first arrived at Tower Bridge in 2022, I was still figuring out what I wanted La Fête Sauvage to become.
I knew I wanted to organize experiences where people could meet, listen to music, and have a good time together.
And honestly, a lot of that inspiration came from living in places like Tower Bridge.
Now, four years later, we’re collaborating with the hostel to organize those kinds of experiences ourselves.
It’s pretty cool to see how things have developed.
Especially considering that it all started with me arriving as a volunteer.
Should You Stay at Tower Bridge?
Obviously, I’m a little biased.
I’ve spent months living here, made some of my best friends, and have plenty of reasons to keep coming back.
But I also think I have a pretty good idea of who would enjoy staying here.
Tower Bridge is located in the Bacocho area of Puerto Escondido, relatively close to the airport and beaches like Carrizalillo and Manzanillo.
It’s not in the middle of La Punta or Zicatela, where much of the nightlife happens, so you’ll probably need to take transportation when heading out at night.
Personally, I don’t mind that.
I actually enjoy having somewhere more relaxed to return to after a long day or night out.
The hostel has a swimming pool, hammocks, common areas, and a social atmosphere that makes meeting people relatively easy.
Accommodation prices change depending on the season, availability, and type of room, so it’s worth checking the current rates before booking.
Would I recommend it to everyone?
Not necessarily.
If you’re looking for a completely private experience, or you want to be within walking distance of La Punta’s bars and clubs, there might be other options that suit you better.
But if you’re traveling alone, enjoy meeting people, or want somewhere you can spend a few days without feeling like you have to constantly go out and do something, I’d definitely recommend giving Tower Bridge a try.
Just be careful.
You might end up staying a lot longer than you originally planned.
Why I Keep Coming Back
It’s been four years since I first arrived at Tower Bridge.
A lot has changed since then.
Some of the people I met during those first months have moved to other countries. Others have stayed in Mexico, and some of us keep running into each other in completely unexpected places.
The hostel has changed too.
There are new faces, new projects, and new things happening all the time.
But whenever I return, I still recognize the feeling I had when I first arrived.
I know where everything is. I know where I like to sit, where to get breakfast, and where I’ll probably end up spending most of the afternoon.
And even when I don’t recognize everyone, it usually doesn’t take long before I’m having a conversation with someone new.
I think that’s why I keep coming back.
Not because every visit is the same, but because every visit ends up being different.
New people, new stories, new memories.
And occasionally, another friendship that follows me somewhere else in the world.
I came to Tower Bridge in 2022 looking for a volunteering opportunity. Four years later, I’m still finding reasons to return.
And I have a feeling I’ll be coming back for quite a while.
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