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Located at the far end of the small town opposite the minibus terminal, you won’t miss the large grey and white double-storey building. On offer are a host of mixed dorm rooms with from four to 12 beds, doubles with private bathrooms and family rooms (two doubles) with shared amenities. Rooms themselves are somewhat modest, but Tani Jiwo’s common areas that include a large open kitchen, workspaces, outdoor lounge and rooftop are excellent.

A bright and airy private room. Photo: Sally Arnold

Dorm rooms come in configurations of four, six, eight, ten and 12 bunks, however the rate is the same regardless, so if you’re not travelling in a group, request a smaller room. Wooden bunk beds are purpose built with the lower beds very low to the floor, allowing a good deal of head height. Upper bunks have safety rails and built in ladders although we found them a bit squeaky. Thin foam mattresses are comfortable enough and are made up with a clean white bottom sheet and doona. Request an extra blanket or towel if you need it.

Bunks provide individual lighting and power sockets along with curtains for privacy. Large lockers should fit most bags, with locks supplied. The dorms we viewed had windows, though some were internal, and those with external windows made the room very bright in the morning. Family rooms are spacious and large windows flood them with light but with only a low double bed and a double mattress on the floor, they are very bare bones.

Wood-framed dorm bunks. Photo: Sally Arnold

Share bathrooms are separate for men and women, with individual cubicles for showers and toilets. Although clean and modern looking, with rainfall shower heads in some, the showers are abysmal. In the upper floor bathrooms none of the showers worked as they should with water spraying everywhere, and on the lower floor the thermostat for the hot water was either scalding or freezing.

The best deal, though pricey for what you get, is the private double room, though small and cosy, it is light and bright and along with a private hot-water bathroom adds a TV and low cupboard to store your bags.

Tani Jiwo’s spacious common areas are very congenial for meeting other travellers and chilling out up after trekking around Dieng. A shaded outdoor terrace is furnished with picnic style tables and benches, as well as comfy cushion-strewn futon lounges, and a cosy nook inside offers similar comfort, so grab a book from the library or vege out in front of the TV. But if you must, a bank of work desks with individual power outlets would feel right at home in any co-working space.

Plenty of room to check your email. Photo: Sally Arnold

The fully equipped kitchen will able you to cook up a storm if you’re so inclined. And if you’re not sure what to do, good local info and maps are pinned to notice boards to help with your planning. If it’s getting too crowded, head to the roof with more places to chill and a not-yet opened (January 2018), but soon to be cafe.

A tasty local style breakfast is included, but unhappily on the first day of our stay it was served in environmentally unfriendly polystyrene boxes, although on the second morning it was from self service platters. Staff range from very helpful with good English to as thick as two bricks. The former can help arrange tours and transport.

Tani Jiwo is by far the best option in Dieng, and although relatively new when we visited in January 2018 (opened July 2017), it was already showing signs of wear. Cleanliness in general could be a lot better and maintenance seemed not to be a priority, and though it’s pretty good now we don’t know how it will hold up after a couple of years.

Plenty of space. Photo: Sally Arnold

On a side note, the hostel requested our phone number at check-in, and have been spamming us via WhatsApp ever since—whoever thought that was a good idea needs a new job? If you don’t wish to receive unsolicited messages, leave that section blank.

If the hostel scene is not for you, you may enjoy the old-school travellers’ vibe (and very basic rooms) at Losmen and Restoran Bu Djono or for the price of a dorm, Homestay Flamboyan 2 (on Jana Telaga Warna—there are two) offers simple and clean private ensuite rooms on their second floor.