Viral Instagram block saves Ubatuba hostel

How did a viral Instagram stunt save a struggling hostel?

On 18 July, Luiza Vedovello, 26, created a brand-new Instagram account, blocked her business partner and boyfriend Marcelo Soares, 27, and posted a video with one goal: prove that organic content could rescue their hostel, Golden Garden, in Ubatuba on the North Shore of São Paulo state. Soares was sceptical; Vedovello was not.

The video quickly racked up 629,000 views. The new account @ourgolden.dream grew to 25,000 followers, while the Golden Garden's own Instagram jumped from roughly 4,200 to more than 11,000 followers — all within days.

What is the story behind Golden Garden?

The idea was born on a Valentine's Day trip to Ubatuba in 2022. At the time, Vedovello was an engineering student and English teacher; Soares worked in IT. The road to opening was rocky: landlords repeatedly refused to rent to them because of their age, a perfect property was sold out from under them, and the deadly floods that hit the North Shore in February 2023 forced a pause.

They regrouped, kept studying hospitality regulations, costs and bureaucracy, and eventually found the right house later in 2023. Their own savings amounted to around R$30,000, but a R$100,000 investment from Soares's brother covered the deposit, equipment and everything else needed to open.

How is the business performing?

In its first year the hostel generated roughly R$57,000 in revenue. To date it has hosted more than 5,000 guests from over 50 countries. In June 2025 monthly revenue was about R$8,400 — solid for a small independent hostel, but not yet enough to keep the lights on without new bookings. With only 20 days of cash reserves and no reservations on the calendar, the viral gamble was a last resort that paid off.

What can other small-business owners learn?

The Golden Garden case is a textbook example of low-budget social-media marketing: an authentic personal story, a dramatic hook and zero ad spend. The hostel was already listed on Airbnb and Booking.com, so the sudden spike in profile visibility translated directly into potential bookings.