It sounds backwards, but a 9.6-rated hostel usually means a small, brand-new property with under thirty reviews, mostly from people who booked during a quiet week. A hostel sitting at 8.7 with two thousand reviews has survived busy season, noisy dorms, and a broad range of travelers, and still holds a solid score.
I started reading the three-star reviews specifically, not the five-star ones, because that’s where the real complaints show up: thin walls, slow wifi, a shared bathroom that gets crowded at 8am. If those complaints don’t bother me, I book it regardless of the overall number.
The perfect score isn’t the same as the right fit.