Noma Collective (formerly Hacker Paradise) Reviews 78

TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE!!

I would not recommend booking with Noma Collective based on my experience.

After paying for a trip to Bocas del Toro, I requested a refund as the area had conflict that prevented travel, and have still not received one. What made this situation significantly worse was how difficult it was to get in contact with anyone. There is no accessible phone support, and I had to repeatedly reach out through Instagram and Slack just to attempt communication.

Even more concerning, some individuals I contacted stated they no longer worked there and implied I should not expect timely assistance. That level of disorganization and lack of continuity made an already frustrating situation even more concerning.

Overall, this has been an extremely time-consuming and negative experience. I did not feel supported as a customer, and getting clear, consistent communication has been a challenge from start to finish.

I am currently pursuing further action to resolve this matter.

Noma Collective is a horribly unethical company. DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY!!

Noma was founded by digital nomads who wanted to find a way to make money off of exploiting newer digital nomads' desire for "community." Their business model is basically to charge you to have travel buddies, which their website and advertising claim will turn into "lifelong friendships" and "family." But they're basically a mean girls club where if you don't fit their mold, they'll take your money and then kick you out in a foreign country with no refund or support.

And what's worse is, they make you sign a contract that's designed to allow them to do this. Please GO READ THEIR TERMS AND CONDITIONS!

They also send out four different versions of their contracts to their customers with conflicting terms so that their lawyers can choose the most beneficial contract for Noma when you complain, which is entirely illegal and unethical.

And in my case, Noma and their attorneys threatened to blackmail me and tell my employer that I was working abroad with them if I didn't drop my complaints. What kind of digital nomad company does that?!?!

If you're tempted to write off this review as one bad experience, here's what their contracts tell you, literally in writing:

They aren't providing the coliving space and they specifically disclaim any requirement that the description of the coliving property is accurate. That's literally intended to allow them to lie about the quality of where you're staying. They also say that the terms and conditions of the company that actually provides the coliving space apply to your booking with Noma - but they don't tell you the name of the company or ever provide that contract.

They require you to disclose any disabilities/mental health issues up front. Why do they need that information?..... Just to have a reason to discriminate against people with disabilities. I personally witnessed the Noma leader leaving people behind on tours who couldn't keep up because they were short or out of shape or needed to stop for water or a bathroom. The "family dinners" would serve food items that some people were deathly allergic to and Noma's response was to tell them to go get lunch somewhere else, not with the "family." Same thing with people's choice to be vegan/vegetarian. The Noma group refused to stop at a bathroom that a transgender person could use (literally 1 block away) and instead made them choose between holding it or risk having issues with the bathroom attendant. One girl got in trouble for leaving the dinner table when her PTSD was triggered by another member arguing that snuff films were "art" that we shouldn't judge. Another girl got in trouble for yelling at a man who groped her in a club. And if you're ADHD and take meds that aren't allowed in the EU, Noma can kick you out for violating their drug policy.

Their contract literally uses the term "annoyance" in the Code of Conduct to build in a loophole to kick you out and keep your money if ANYONE (on their staff or another customer) finds you annoying, i.e. not conforming to their mold, or even just complaining about how what you were told about the trip wasn't true.

Their advertising is all a lie. First, they pay money for good reviews, then post them like they weren't paid endorsements. They also refuse to post any bad reviews or reviews that aren't glowing on their website or social media. Some of the other "members" on your trip will actually be paid "content creators" tasked with making reels and posts about how amazing everything is -- of course leaving out the non-amazing stuff like when the wifi is bad, or your room is too small to even open your door--and you don't get to opt out of Noma using your image to sell their product.

Their ads say they curate trips, but their contract literally says they're just a marketing company and not responsible for providing ANYTHING.

And if they do something wrong and immoral or unethical that they didn't already make you waive your rights to complain about, they've structured their company so that you have no recourse and can't sue them. The guys who built the company have no permanent address. There is no office in the U.S. or U.K. and they make you sign an arbitration and mediation agreement which their lawyers will then simply refuse to participate in.

This was my first HP trip, and it was an incredible experience. The location (Playa Grande in Guanacaste, Costa Rica) had some great chill beach vibes; accommodations were accurate to their description, and the group I traveled with was incredibly fun, incredibly diverse people. And the community facilitator (Sam) was very attentive.

My concern going into this was that the group would be made up of a bunch of people who wanted to party all day, but that was not the case. During the workday everyone was very much focused on work but on the weekends we had lots of group adventures

An intangible benefit of traveling with HP vs solo: a support network for when something unexpected happens. During the trip, someone's laptop charge broke... and within 15 minutes of posting it on Slack, they had two people offer an extra charge for the rest of the trip, a recommendation on where to buy a new one in Costa Rica, and an offer to get a ride to the store.

This was my first HP trip, but won't be my last.

I have been on 3 trips with Hacker Paradise - Madeira of Portugal, Kilifi of Kenya, and San Pedro of Belize. I found them well-organized and well-balanced compared to other options. All the facilitators were fun while being professional and helpful. They prioritize things remote workers need to be productive. They were also proactive in researching and making our weekend adventures happen. The weekday programs were a great way for members to have the opportunity to connect daily. I have made friends with whom I will stay in touch!

I've been on five trips with Hacker's Paradise and plan to do more in the future. My most recent adventures were with Misa and Sari who are awesome. All of the facilitators have been fun, helpful and friendly. When I'm on trip, I'm super productive with work, and the trips are long enough to really get to explore, adventure, and get a feel for the local culture. Hacker's Paradise is a high energy way to see the world with a community of fellow travelers and remote workers. I find myself doing and seeing more than I would with solo travel. I highly recommend the experience!

I highly recommend Hacker Paradise trips for anyone looking to combine work and travel in a vibrant, supportive community. They offer a planned program to stunning locations around the globe, providing the perfect environment for productivity and adventure. You’ll meet like-minded professionals, participate in skill-sharing workshops, and have plenty of opportunities to explore new cultures. Whether you’re a freelancer, remote worker, or entrepreneur, Hacker Paradise is the ideal way to balance work with unforgettable travel experiences.

Oh and their facilitators are the best too!

My month in Antigua Guatemala with Hacker Paradise was wonderful. HP had everything arranged including our beautiful accommodations and fun activities for the group like potlucks and evening outings. The facilitators were a huge support system; as Spanish speakers, experienced travelers, and just all around great humans. I will definitely travel again with Hacker Paradise because of the community, support, and sustainable lifestyle as a digital nomad.

I had an incredible experience on my trip to San Juan Del Sur with Hacker Paradise. The advisors were so organized, allowing our entire group to feel safe + comfortable throughout the whole trip. As a remote worker, one of the downfalls is that it can get lonely at times. On a HP trip, the team does a great job of organizing group activities every night that you can opt-in or opt-out of. This allows you to built true & deep connections with other individuals from across the world. Highly recommend, and will definitely be taking another trip.

Facilitators did a great job onboarding and preparing us for our trip. Housing was amazing very spacious with perfect view.

Lot of fun activities planned! Makes trip really easy with itineraries planned days ahead. Group was great lot of fun interesting people on trip.

Would definitely do again. Worth it to have everything set up for you and the knowledge the facilitators have

I wish I could give 4.5 stars. My girlfriend and I did the January chapter to Marrakech in Morocco and really enjoyed ourselves. The community of people was definitely the highlight, everyone was super friendly, welcoming, and we had a blast experiencing a new country together.

The communal events and outings were always a good time. With the group, we explored the desert, local markets, and discovered so much of what this awesome country has to offer.

The co-working space was great for our needs, clean, quiet, and had great coffee & snacks. It was only a 5-minute walk from our apartment which was very convenient.

Our apartment was comfortable, spacious and had all the basics minus a few odd things like dish towels but the facilitators handled that. The only downside of the accommodation which was outside of the facilitator's control was the apartment manager turned out to be extremely rude and caused problems for a few people right at the end. We've been assured the company won't use that accommodation again but I wish the closeout of the trip had been handled a little more smoothly.

The facilitators on trip were great, super nice people who did everything they could to make our stay as comfortable as possible.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Hacker Paradise to a friend or anyone curious about living abroad or trying out a nomadic lifestyle. It's a great way to get an introduction to a country with a built-in safety and group of like-minded people to explore with. It's nice to have everything set up for you and an instant community in a new place!

This was my first HP experience and it exceed my expectations! Phuket was awesome - the accommodation was really high quality and the activities were so much fun.

The other people were incredible and there was instantly a sense of community. The group connected straight away and I immediately felt at home there. There was always something happening, whether it was a meal, brunch, exploring a new place, or just chilling in the pool. At the same time, there was never any pressure for when you needed some downtime.

The HP programme definitely really added to the experience as well - from group lunches and nights out to skill shares run by fellow nomads. The breadth of cool things the other people were doing was awesome - from software developers working remotely to freelancers, professional fencing athletes, individuals that had directed their own films and everything in between. This meant I came away with new perspectives and learned so much from the other travellers on the trip.

Our facilitator, Sary, was amazing. She went above and beyond to ensure that everyone felt included as well as helping to resolve any issues and her endless energy and enthusiasm made the trip even better.

Will definitely be booking another trip soon - only wished that I didn’t have to return home to a cold UK December, having spent a month with an infinity pool!

The people really made it great. I felt so connected so quickly. Ah to luxuriate by an infinity pool talking nonsense with people really making a nomad life work. There were many opportunities to share who I was, both personally and professionally, and talk about what kind of life I wanted to create for myself as an aspiring performer. I came away with new perspectives, inspiration, growth and renewed self-confidence.

I traveled to Phuket with HP, it was my first HP trip and it surpassed all my expectations! 


The group was definitely the highlight of this trip for me, from day one everyone was incredibly friendly, and we instantly connected. I couldn't think of better people to go on this trip with me 😊


Our facilitator, Sary, was great! Her support and enthusiasm made this trip unforgettable. I'm definitely looking forward to joining another HP trip with her as our facilitator.

I can’t recommend HP enough and I can’t wait for my next trip with them! ❤️

I went with HP into a trip in Phuket, Thailand and I really loved the experience.
Most of the group was extremely friendly and the accommodation was amazing (with great infinity pool). The only inconvenients were that the co-working place was a bit crowded with not enough meeting rooms.

Joined HP in Normandy in late October and had a blast. Remote working from a chateau in the French countryside was so magical, even despite the gloomy weather. Sary, our wonderful facilitator, really energized the group for our weekly lunches, engaging skillshares, fun weekend trips and social activities. My fellow travelers were a fascinating and diverse group I enjoyed sharing the adventure with tremendously. I felt lucky to have become a part of such a special community during my time with all of them. Needless to say I am already making plans to join more HP trips in 2024 and can't wait!

The trip I had to Buenos Aires was amazing. Great city, lots to do, perfect location, even better group of people, but I’m not sure the community itself (the main pro of hacker) was work nearly 3000$. To explain, I didn’t really use any other features. The coworking didn’t have a lot of private space that was functional (too hot, booked, too small, etc) so most of the time I worked from our apartment. I didn’t get my moneys worth there but if you didn’t have meetings it would have been fine.

Second. The apartment wasn’t very clean. It needed a through dusting, mopping, etc upon arrival and never felt that clean w our weekly cleanings. It was in a great neighborhood though.

Third, facilitators and logistics. Other than the housing planning, didn’t feel like there was too much value add here. We did have a couple of cool events lined up (la bomba and some theater performance) that I liked. However there are better asado than the one we did and we had a less than stellar soccer game exp due to overselling that wasn’t the hosts fault. Those I talked to felt we could have been much better set up with money expectations. It was covered that you can send yourself money on WU and exchanges however a major point missed that I learned in a week is for BA bring as MUCH USD as you think you’ll spend. You’ll never get as close to the rate from WU but this was something we has to learn on our own even though the hosts have been there before. Also for the price we should also be picked up and taken to the airport, know our group events weekly ahead of the trip for our own planning, etc. If should have also been shared that BA is a VERY reserverion based city and if you went into the best restaurants , to see the opera, etc, you need to make reservations 1-2 months ahead. It felt very lower intern level logistics for a group of professionals who are working hard jobs and like to be on top of things.

Lastly big group dinners didn’t happen as much due to Splitwise. The app is a pain in the butt to use and requires double entry on slack and the app. Most people preferred to just dine on small groups and pay cash to avoid the headache.

Overall the community is amazing. I love the people I met. Would try another company to compare as prices have gone up since this trip. If it was cheaper, would do again. Wouldn’t recommend program only, because being in the same space is worth it, however if you’re just using the housing, it’s pricy.

I recently went on the France trip with HP. We stayed in a beautiful château in Normandy. This was my first trip to Europe and I was a little concerned about traveling to another country with a group of folks I'd never met before. Immediately I got a warm welcome from Sary, our wonderful community facilitator who made us all feel at home. As the month went on and I got to know the folks on the trip it was clear that HP has really built a community around remote work and curates great experiences for us all to get to know each other - from crêpe mornings on Sunday to the weekly shared lunches. I'm so happy I went on this magical trip and I can't wait to go on more!

This was my first Hacker Paradise trip and it was a wonderful experience. I joined the Tokyo trip and I had a really great group which made the trip even better. There were activities planned every day so you always had the chance to meet up with people and explore something new.

A big shoutout to our facilitators Juan and Sary. They did an amazing job organizing fun activities and meals which is a hard thing to do with a large group in Japan.

I'd recommend Hacker Paradise to anyone thinking of trying out the digital nomad life or for those who are already living the lifestyle.

I had my first experience with hp in april 2023 in Thailand. It was a very enriching experience, meeting people from different countries and cultures. We have built a very united group, with which we remain in contact. I recommend living this experience

I went on my first HP trip to Tokyo, and it far exceeded my expectations! We had a great group that balanced work with fun (a lot of it!). There was something happening every day, and people had such enthusiasm and excitement for doing things together. Also our facilitators, Juan and Sara, did a great job coordinating weekly activities (no small feat with a big group) and weekend trips. I'd highly recommend HP if you're looking to meet new people and explore a place together while working remotely.