I stayed at both the Black Cats in Antigua and make sure you go to the Inn, not the hostel around the corner. The Inn is much nicer. They have actual HOT showers and while there's a serious lack of housekeeping and general cleanliness, it's a great option for Antigua. I came out of there once with some nasty bug bites though, possibly bed bugs? Nothing major though and I didn't get them since. The free breakfast off the menu is wonderful!

Pros: free wi fi, nice breakfast included in the price, super close to the main square.

Cons: we stayed in a double room with private bathroom. As far as i remember it was room number 3. It was very dark and because it was just in the hall way there was no privacy

All toghether an okay place to stay. I suppose it is a good value for money

I am writing about the Inn not the Hostel. We booked a private room for 3 nights but had to cancel due to the level of mould, stench and filth in the room. The room was a good size with a tv and good beds however there is a huge dampness problem which filled the room with an overpowering stench. The bathroom was very dated and the room lacked maintenance. Staff were friendly and maintained good email contact.

I've stayed in 3 hostels in Antigua in the last year, including Black Cat, Kafka, and Jungle Party. Out of those, Black Cat has the best breakfast and is the most social. It's relatively clean, with big rooms, but dorm beds are just ok with mattresses that are a bit too soft. Bathrooms could use better cleaning and some remodeling. That said, I liked it better than the other two. Jungle Party has a better common area, but the rooms are pretty awful and the layout is bad. Their breakfast also sucks compared to Black Cat. They'll also pack you a free lunch instead of you're leaving for a tour or a bus early.

I also checked out Yellow House, which has the cleanest facilities and cheapest rates for buses and tours, but Black Cat definitely has a better social vibe even though the only hangout area there is a cramped restaurant/bar/lobby.

Be aware that there is a loud bar across the street that may play loud music with bass until around 1-2am sometimes.