This is small hostel. The 6 bed dorm room left me literally climbing over people and their gear each time I came or went. The bunks are pretty high and no ladders, so you better be nimble if you don't check in early enough to score a lower one.
The staff was helpful. The taxi from the airport was only $4, and the free ride back at 6am was good. It's only a couple minutes walk to la radial bus stop, and there were bus helpers there, which made our connection to monteverde easy.
There are two bathrooms for at least a dozen ppl, and one is at the kitchen and everyone sitting around can hear/smell what is goin on inside, which was less than awesome. I wouldn't say it was bad, since it is cheap.... Just too compact for my comfort level.

We stayed here for one night before flying back to the USA. It was a comfortable, clean room and the shower was fairly well kept. The area didn't feel particularly nice but the free shuttle to the airport is a great idea.

This was my first stay at a Hostel. For the cost, I don't think you could find anything better. What made me choose this Hostel was 1) the low cost, 2) proximity to the airport 3) free one way shuttle. I only needed a place to sleep for a few hours before my flights arriving and then leaving Costa Rica. I would not recommend staying here more than 1 or 2 days. The Hostel is small. I'm not sure what you would do to entertain yourself for a longer stay.

The sleeping quarters were adaquate and the linens were clean. The towels were very hard, but I think things get air dried in CR. Never saw any dryers. For health reasons I wore shower shoes. There are only 2 shared bathrooms.

Breakfast is bananas, coffee, tea, and cookies. There is a supermarket 1 block away. The airport has a nice selection of food too. A few restuarants within walking distance. I ate by myself at a place 3 blocks away, Hacienda Sierpe Bar and Grill. Decent food menu. Very cold beers and Karaoke on Sunday nights. No one really spoke English but I was able to watch an NFL play-off game (they switched one of the tvs to American football from a soccer game for me). Ask if Raphael is working. He speaks some English. Don't worry, Kentucky Fried Chicken is across the street.

Overall, I would stay at Maleku if I needed a short stay. This is not a "party hostel". Also, I paid between $4 and $7 USD for an orange cab from the airport. The $7 cab was taken at 10pm while the cheaper cab was 2pm.

I love Maleku for several reasons. As noted by all reviewers, its close to the airport. They have a free shuttle that brings you to the airport. The beds are new and nice. The hostel is family owned and ran - its nice to support locals in the tourism industry! The hostel is close to the bus station too. The staff are awesome and super helpful. The hostel is clean. It feels like home away from home. I travel into Costa Rica a couple of times a year and I would never consider staying anywhere except here when coming or leaving the country. It is, hands down, your best option in Alajuela.