Smack dab in the middle of all the action, the Green Tortoise is the perfect deal for weary, cheap travelers. The price was right - about $32 a night in an 8-bed room., $20 deposit for your room key, and $1 for towels. The staff was fun and friendly, no curfew, plenty of info on what to do and discounts to do it, computers and a daily continental style breakfast - nothing fancy, but all I really need to get started in a coffee and a banana! You can get all jiggy with it and fry eggs and bacon in the huge, clean kitchen and there's a large communal fridge - so, yeah, you can definitely bring back last night's nosh to have for breakfast! It was clean in the main common area and sleeping rooms, each bunk had privacy curtains, a mini fan, a reading lamp and a large, lockable storage space! I'm not giving out 5-stars because the bathrooms were a little stank as far as I'm concerned - and climbing into bunkbeds is certainly not for everyone! . There are no windows in the restrooms and the doors close automatically, so no matter what you needed to do - pee or shower, you were gonna be sitting or standing in someone else's hot shower or ass sweat. And the trash cans were itty-bitty, so they are always overflowing trash everywhere! Do not, I repeat, do not forget to bring your shower shoes and your ear plugs! Oh, and the entire place smelled like a stale ashtray. There was no smoking inside by any means, but all the ghosts of cigarette past were still there. On the whole, we had a great stay and it didn't hurt that there were honey's working the front desk. read more

The hostel desk guy was great! He was handling 4 people all at once, and efficiently getting everything accomplished. I booked same day, got exactly what I asked for. The bed was relatively comfortable, bathrooms and showers were plentiful and spotless. And the breakfast included was over and above. They have 2 great gas ranges with everything you need to make eggs, plus coffee, tea, juice, fresh fruit, toast, granola .... I may have missed something - there was so much. Check in and out was easy. I highly recommend and would return myself! read more

It was really clean so I felt comfortable even though the place looked abit old. Atleast they also have free breakfast and it's close to everything and the trees around are beautiful and amazing read more

This place is really awesome, despite some of the minor problems it has. You can't complain about spending thirty dollars a night in the heart of Seattle, and the experience is unbeatable. Location: Five stars, easily. You are within walking distance of every major attraction in Seattle, and right next to a Target City. It is also right by several major stops for the King County Metro, the light rail system and many great restaurants. It's one of the best located hostels I have stayed at so far. Staff: Curt, but do their job. Some say they are rude, but when you are handling dozens of budget travelers, you'd probably be angry too. You'd be surprised by how rude some of the guests were, complaining about the free dinners and breakfast. Come on now...it's FREE. If you wanted something more, go stay at the Hilton and pay a couple hundred a night. Common Areas: I didn't spend a lot of time in the common areas, since I spent barely any time in the actual hostel (I spent most of my time exploring the city and just crashing here). There was a lot of space to sit down, to use the internet and chat with other people. Most people seemed too occupied on their computers and TV so I barely socialized, but it does the job. Food: I had one of their dinners (spaghetti), and it was delicious. Again people...don't complain about free food. Everyone works hard to make a great dinner, and give them some credit for doing something for you. Breakfast is on the light side, being fruit and toast, but there are plenty of options around here for breakfast. Rooms: I stayed in a room with six beds, and was quite comfortable. Mattress and sheets were clean, and the privacy shades really helped. Having electric outlets and fans for each bed is also a huge plus. Some people in the room were loud, but it's not the hostel's fault. Definitely worth it. Bathrooms: Probably the weakest point of this place is the restrooms. There aren't quite enough of them, and are all very steamy since they are in the center of the building. They do seem to be well stocked and clean, however. If you need to use the restroom, go to a different floor. This place is definitely worth the money staying at. It's not as private as a hotel, but it will save you quite a bit of money. Also remember to bring twenty dollars in cash, for the key deposit. read more

This is an excellent hostel! I stayed here 3 nights, the first night I got there, the hostel was hosting an open mic night. The host Emery Carl a street busker musician and guitar acrobat was excellent and made my first night a lot of fun. The next night a big group of us and one of the managers went to a piano bar in queen anne which was a lot of fun. The night after I left they were having a zombie party. Basically this place has a lot of great activities going on, they also have pub crawls and kayak tours among other things. 95% of the staff was very friendly, helpful, fun, cool and seemed glad to have us there. Breakfast is free and includes eggs, toast, waffles and fruit, You must get breakfast by 9:30 as it gets put away then. 3 nights a week they have free dinner, I believe it's sunday, tuesday and thursday. The night I had dinner was excellent, tacos, tortillas, veggies, chicken and ground beef. There is a room in the back that is great to hang out in and play guitar, keyboard and play pinball. They have a big screen tv with dvds you can get them to play for you at the desk. The rooms are excellent, comfortable but may be hot in the summer but each bed has it's own powerful fan and reading light. The showers were very clean and new and all was excellent. It's well worth the $26 a night($25 if you pay cash) because of all the things I mentioned above but also because of the location, literally a stones throw away from Pike place market which is very interesting to wander around and sample all kinds of goodies. BTW the staff RULES! read more

I recently stayed in Seattle for four nights and decided to stay at the Green Tortoise. Being my first time in Seattle, I wanted to stay somewhere central that wouldn't break the bank. The Green Tortoise was the best place for that. This was my first hostel experience, and I went in prepared for the worst. However, I was surprised at how much I loved my experience! The woman who checked us in was very kind, and spent time detailing the rules of the place, highlighting that safety of guests was very important. The entire time I spent at the hostel, whether in the common areas or in the shared room, I felt very at ease and safe. Guests were very friendly, as were staff. The free breakfast wasn't a nice touch, as were the nightly events such as free beer night, bar crawl nights, movie night, and a free dinner night. The set up of the hostel pushed me out of my sheltered comfort zone, and I could not recommend the Green Tortoise more! The only things I found to be mildly annoying were: 1) The heat. We went in the midst of a small heatwave and during the day many areas in the hostel were very warm. This was much better during the night, however. 2) Shower pressure. The shared bathrooms were nice in that they were private rooms, but had little space for setting things down and the shower pressure wasn't very good. Anyway, loved the Green Tortoise, and will definitely come back next time I'm in Seattle. read more

I really liked staying there. It is best if you don't have your car with you while staying in downtown. Parking is super hectic and expensive. I had my car with me so things got a bit complicated because I came to Seattle for a business and I had to be using my car... The hostel has a deal with a parking garage for a discount for overnight parking, but I wasn't able to use it because I needed to come and go. I enjoyed the free dinners that happens twice a week. Other times I cooked fresh fish and vegetable I bought from the market just one block away. I really liked the kitchen. Plenty of gas stoves and lots of cast iron skillets - my favorite way of cooking! And I love the huge, huge cutting board too. I liked the bathrooms that are not too small like some other hostels'. They keep them clean - or as clean as they can possibly keep. I agree with others on the lack of enough ventilation in bathrooms. It gets very steamy hot after taking a shower and use hair dryer. I was there in cold days so it wasn't so bad, but I can imagine it gets unbearable in summer time. Staffs are kind and helpful. Beds have drapes to give us a little privacy and each bed has its own power outlet so we can charge our phones and other good stuff while sleeping. read more

First things first, there was a bed bug outbreak in our room that was handled very poorly. I get that there's no easy prevention and it can happen a lot in hostels, but nobody could be bothered to deal with it or help us with our stuff. They washed our clothes & put us in a new room, but we felt like they were treating us like a nuisance. Whenever we asked for updates, they just had the biggest attitude. There was also a COVID case in our room that we were informed about through email, which I feel would be more appropriate to hear about in person or at least by phone call. No one gave us much information on what to do and really left us hanging out to dry. A lot of people are saying this place is good for the location, and that's really all it's good for. The bathrooms weren't cleaned frequently enough & rarely had soap or toilet paper. There's good storage with locks available for rental, and I felt safe enough in the dorms and wasn't too worried about theft. None of the employees seemed like they wanted to work there, it felt very much like they were overworked & understaffed. The common area has a decent atmosphere, the guests are of all ages and I was a bit surprised to see so many older guests. We went early in the week so can't speak to weekend or nightlife activities, but they did offer walking tours and I think pub crawls. They seemed knowledgeable about places to see nearby. read more

I stayed here twice before moving to Seattle. Cheap. Cheap. Cheap. I've made a few friends here. :) and it's 420 friendly (can i say this on yelp?) read more

We booked this hostel about a week before our trip, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the rates were still incredibly cheap so close to the check-in date (paid $250 for 4 nights total in a double bed). The best part about this hostel is definitely the location. Capitol Hill and Belltown were easily walkable distance and Pike Place Market is literally a few steps away. One of my favorite things was how you can hear the live music from the market while in your room! There's also a Target next door for any of your shopping needs. I'd never stayed in a hostel before and this experience definitely exceeded my expectations. The rooms are a little cramped with up to 8 beds per room, but curtains around each bed still make it feel like you have your own space. There is plenty of storage for your stuff beneath the beds, and you can lock it up for extra safety. There are a ton of activities offered at the hostel, and have a lot of resources to help you find things to do during your stay in Seattle. We joined in on the Sunday night pub crawl led by one of the employees, which was a great way to experience the more local bar scene and meet other travelers. If you're planning on doing some of the touristy attractions, check the front desk to see if they offer any discounted tickets! We were able to visit the EMP Museum for $11/ticket and did an underground tour for $13/ticket, both which usually go for $20-25 a person. read more

Green tortoise hostel is the best place to stay at when visiting Seattle because it is right across the street from Pike Place Market, and basically in the middle of everything. You can easily walk around the blocks to go shopping, visit popular restaurants, and experience all the local events. Had a 2 night stay here with my siblings and we really enjoyed it. Check in & out was easy and efficient, a good variety of breakfast food , and a nice share of events held at the hostel (we came during karaoke night and free beer night!). We were out most of the day, so it was a nice place to come back to at night and have a good nights rest. Bathrooms are clean, beds are fairly comfortable, and we weren't disturbed by any other guests being loud or annoying. I highly recommend this place for folks who need a place to stay and are looking for a place with great hospitality and positive vibes! read more

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As far as a Hostel goes and this being my first time staying at one I have to say it was a stellar experience. The GT is so close to everything downtown and is in proximity to some major attractions. Staying there was fun. Front Desk was very helpful, Room condition was sub par but beds where always clean with clean sheets. Wifi was available in rooms so that was a bummer but the living area was a great place to meet new people and just chill out from a day of doing touristy stuff. Bathrooms were nice and clean, and free breakfast in the morning was helpful if your traveling on a budget. Area gets a little shady past 8 p.m. so keep that in mind. Would definitely stay there again. Some tips for fellow travelers: - Bring your own towel if you can - $1 to rent - Bring your own combo/key lock so that you can padlock your locker - You can ask front desk for some amenities like a blow dryer - Do mingle with others - Do ask front desk for tours they offer and free food nights - Be mindful of other persons staying in your room, I was in an 8-bed co-ed room and no real problems except one guy stunk. If you would like more privacy def. opt for a smaller person occupancy room - First thursday of the month is great for visiting museums that offer free admission on that day (Seattle Art Museum is only a block away!) - Starbucks across the street would be a nice place to access internet from if you don't want to be in the GT to do so - ??? - Profit Would def stay here again. read more

Have used this hostel for various trips when I am rushing into the City very late, or up very early and don't want to burden family and friends. Staff are always helpful and polite. Bunks, usually end up on the top bunk, are clean and comfortable. Parking is available across the street - take your stub with you and get it stamped and they give you a discount. Pike Place can have a rough edge to it...but hey, walk past it, and you are in some of the best restaurants, views and experiences in the City. Breakfast is eggs, pancakes, and fruit..you make the first two or grab the latter. Will continue to use it in the future read more

Good hostel for those who want the hostel price point without the rowdy hostel experience, which is sure to disappoint some. I finally stayed here three years after using their luggage storage and I like it. My stay was a Sunday night in April. Rooms are clean but run hot so leave your flannel pajamas at home. With the windows closed and the heater on, it was too hot and I tend to run cold. Each bed has curtains for privacy, a small fan, a lamp, and electric outlets. Linens are included: pillow, fitted sheets, top sheet, and a blanket. I had one small carry-on but I bet you could easily fit two in the storage locker under the bed. Bring your own lock, though most of my roommates didn't lock. Location is great for tourists as it's directly across from Pike Place Market and near many public transit lines. A short walk to the LINK station which takes you to the airport. The hostel entrance is on Pike Street. My room was located on Pike Street (i.e. not facing the market on First) and was quiet. I didn't even use the earplugs I packed. However, the market trucks start unloading around 6am so that could disturb your sleep. As a heavy sleeper and an early riser, it didn't bother me. Typical low-budget accommodations: no elevators, clean after yourself in the kitchen, shared bathrooms. Bathrooms and showers are relatively large. Yay for arm room! A key card is used to get into the hallway, room, and bathroom. Hostel offers free dinner three times a week; diy eggs, pancakes, toast and fruit for breakfast; daily outings, and laundry machines. Luggage storage is free for guests. As others have said, they may get your reservation wrong. I requested an all-female dorm and ended up as the only female in a co-ed dorm but I didn't care. As stated on their website, there is $20 cash deposit collected when you sign in. The people at the desk were always friendly to me. Being a hostel, your experience will vary depending on the other guests. Enjoy! read more

This is a fantastic hostel... - Super-clean, both the rooms and the bathrooms, and I'm a little OCD about my bathrooms - Great location right next to Pike Place Market and a block from the city bus to the airport - Free breakfast every morning (Bananas, apples, toast. Plus WAFFLES! and BROWNIES!!!!) - Free dinner a three days a week (Monday, Thursday, not sure about the other day), and it's really good: lots of fresh veggies, yummy pasta and meatballs, good options for vegetarians/vegans, too - Laundry machines - Refrigerator and kitchen you can use - Free WiFi. Not the fastest, but OK. There are also some computers. Stuff you might want to bring: - Cash (they give you a discount if you use cash rather than plastic) - Padlock for your locker - Washcloth (water pressure is OK, but not blasting) - Flip-flops for the shower, but only if you're OCD like me (they're really pretty clean) - Earplugs if you're sensitive to noise, especially if you're staying over a Friday/Saturday night (people sometimes chat in the dorm hallway, forgetting about the nice lounge after a couple of beers) read more

Note: This review is purely for the showers - I didn't stay overnight. We visited the hostel on a morning when we were in dire need of showers after backpacking through Olympic National Park. We called ahead to make sure they offered showers to non-guests, and were very pleased by the price: only $3. Upon arrival, the front desk was slammed with people checking out, but we were quickly tended to and ushered towards the showers. This place is definitely big on security which is reassuring, and we saw a few families with little kids, and good mix of travelers. The bathrooms are excellent. My boyfriend really enjoyed his, which featured a totally open-plan bathroom with just a big 'ole shower head sticking down from the ceiling. He later confessed to running around the entire bathroom covered in soap while pretending to be an airplane - it was that good. My shower had a formal stall, which I personally preferred. The bathrooms were clean, modern, and the showers themselves were very refreshing. It's still a hostel, but it is definitely on the classier side than a place like the Lazy Lizard in Moab. Highly reccomended if you're traveling through Seattle and need a shower. read more

One star for the facilities which were well kept (comparatively). One star for location. Minus three stars for incredibly rude staff. Outside of Colleen, every other staff encounter was clouded with an overcast of grump, Pissed-offedness, and elitism. NOT FRIENDLY. I'm very familiar with hostels specifically the Tortoise in San Francisco where I worked. So I do have a high bar. I KNOW the challenges of working in a hostel. But the coolness is in being an ambassador to your city and even moreso country. I heard multiple people say "this is my first time in the states." And I feel sad if they experienced any of the off putting coldness that I did. If you don't like your job people, leave! Dear Green Tortoise, hire people who smile! And let breakfast go till 10. I still love the Tortoise, but can't say I'll stay here again. read more

After my 3rd time staying at this hostel, I've decided it was time that I finally write a review! My first stay at this hostel was 3 years ago was with my sister and friend. We spent a week at Green Tortoise and it was my first hostel experience! Seriously one of the greatest experiences ever! Pros: We met people from all over the world, and were able to enjoy the city in such a prime location, right off of Pike Place. I love that the rooms, although shared, still have privacy! The bunk beds have curtains that surround every bunk, with a bed lamp, and a personal fan if needed. Bathrooms are in the hallway, but they are private and spacious! Lockers are in the rooms, and you just use your own lock or purchase one at the hostel. Free breakfast! Cons: Bathrooms have no seat covers, sorry, this just grosses me out lol! No A/C The hostel can become extremely over crowded. The reason why I can't give this place a 5 star rating is due to the fact that the customer service has diminished. I've stayed here twice since 2014, the second time in 2015 with my now husband, and the third was our week long honeymoon in Seattle (just last week). The staff isn't what it once was, they just aren't fun, and not as friendly anymore. We've also noticed that the free dinners 3 times a week, are now only served on Sunday. Overall I still think this place is pretty awesome, and the best place to stay in if you want to extend your trip in Seattle by saving money on a more upscale hotel! read more

My parents and I came to Seattle for a cruise to Alaska, but the staff at Green Tortoise Hostel made our brief time in the city absolutely wonderful. I made a reservation for Green Tortoise Hostel based on some helpful ratings and its ideal location to our cruise dock and Pike Place, but our one night stay went far beyond our expectations. I had been to hostels in Europe but it was the first time for my parents - overall, we were all very pleasantly surprised by the caliber of service, cleanliness, and efficiency led by the staff. The rooms and bathrooms (huge) were very clean, and we enjoyed a very hearty breakfast of fresh coffee, fruit, eggs and pancakes. Another note on their great service: The morning we checked out, we had an entire morning and early afternoon until we had to board our cruise ship and the staff let us keep our luggage in their Daytime Storage closet so we could explore a little bit of the city. The day we returned from Alaska we didn't stay the night, but the staff again let us keep our luggage in their storage until it was time for our evening flight back to the east coast! We will not forget the incredible hospitality of everyone who helped us at the Green Tortoise Hostel. I look forward to my next trip back to Seattle and will definitely recommend this fine establishment. read more

This is my first hostel experience, and I must say, Yelp didn't fail me on this one! I'm sitting in the common room, which is bustling with people from all over the place, and you hear different languages and different accents. Some guy is playing his guitar...I'm just loving it. Finding the place was pretty easy since I came while it was still light outside. It'd be a little hard to see otherwise...just a little sign on the sidewalk and a door in the wall. As soon as you enter, you have to climb a flight of stairs before you reach the main entrance. Check-in was a breeze, and you pay a $20 cash deposit for your key that will be returned to you when you check out. Paying your accommodation fees by credit card is a couple dollars more expensive than paying by cash. It cost me $32 (credit card) for a one night stay in a 8-person room (the cheapest option). I don't know what happened to the $25 I saw on the website... Free dinners a couple nights a week - I happened to be lucky enough to come on a free dinner night, and it felt like getting food at a dorm - huge long line. All-you-can-fit-on-your-plate. We had Mexican food tonight. Pretty good for being free. You rinse your dishes yourself in this super-powerful sink and put them in a rack to be sanitized. Free breakfast too, which I'll be trying out tomorrow. Lots of handouts on things to do in Seattle. A goldmine of information. Also, looks like there's a lot of programs and events offered, but I won't be taking advantage of them this time around. People here seem really friendly as well! Located right across from Pike Market in the heartbeat of downtown - what better location?? Rooms are clean, bathrooms are clean (they're individual bathrooms that have a toilet, shower, and sink, and an automatic sign on the handle that says whether it's occupied or vacant), and someone even makes your bed for you with the provided sheets, blanket, and pillow. Each bed has curtains for some privacy/darkness when the room lights are on, AND a lamp and a fan. The locker beneath the bed is quite spacious (you provide your own padlock). What more could you ask for? This is certainly a great first-hostel experience for me! read more

It's great so far! Staff has been very accommodating, rooms are clean, and the restrooms are very nice and also clean. You cannot beat the price for a place right in the heart of Seattle!!! The views are nice and there's no shortage of things to do. They even host their own daily tours! I'll be back!!! read more

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This was my 1st hostel experience and it did not let me down. Location 5 stars. Staff 5 stars. Cleanliness 4 1/2 stars. (It is a hostel after all but still very very very clean) free breakfast 5 stars. eggs and pancake mix provided. Sliced oranges, bread, jelly, peanut butter, OJ, and sliced banana. AWESOME!!! read more

I only did a day check bag as I waited for my friend to get out of work but it was an enjoyable enough afternoon to write a review. $1/ bag and you just have to get it by 10pm. Staff were friendly and chill, always ready to give recommendations. I even went on one of their brewery tours which was super cheap and had generous tastings along with great bargains on filling up a growler with "Seattle's beer" Georgetown Brewing Company's Manny's Pale Ale. Too bad I'm not much of a fan of IPA's? Common areas were clean and lively with people, joined in on a card game. Free internet with three public computers. If I had to find a place to stay in Seattle, I would stay here, no question. It's literally across the street from Pike Place! read more

Well you won't find anything in the city for this price. It is literally in the Market. Staff is helpful and knowledgeable with no bull shit. Cleanliness could be improved tho. Our sheets seemed a little gritty?. Tired enough that we didn't care. The next morning we enjoyed a large cup of complimentary coffee with some off brand chocolate cereal puffs while looking out over the market. There's a cute little corgi dog that follows staff around. Travelers coming and going from all over the world. It's the perfect hostel vibe. Do it. read more

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Overall this is a very nice hostel, but the management is bad. Or was when I was there anyway. The amenities and location are perfect and the bathrooms are very nice. I do not believe in "party hostels". You can't charge people to sleep and then keep them up until 2am letting people play music downstairs. So I had to get into it twice with the kid at the front desk and threaten to leave at 2am. I paid for a private room and it is right above the lounge area I guess. He told me he would make them stop and then did not so I don't appreciate being lied to. For this reason I was not as nice the 2nd time I had to go down there. I had to be up at 7 am to go on a tour and was exhausted. read more

Honestly, it was ok. I didn't really feel TOO safe here though, to be honest. They put me & my best friend in an all male room that smelled really heavily of smoke... Yeah, obviously it's a hostel & it's all about "roughin' it and meeting new people"... but there's something uninviting about being in a room with antisocial dudes w/ a switchblade... but I know that's not the hostel's fault. The staff itself was really nice & very helpful. When we told them about the smell, they offered to relocate us, whcih was nice. The breakfast is also great.... I mean nothing crazy... toast, fruit, etc. Al in all, I'd recommend it. The location is great, staff is knowledgeable & it's a nice place to meet new and interesting people. read more

Green Turtle. Green Hostel. Turtle Hostel. You go by so many names. Visited Seattle a few years back and I have to say. You changed my mind on the whole hostel experience. I had a bad experience in SF with one and it soured my whole perception on hostels. When Jenny suggested you, I scoffed. Boy, I was NOT ready to realize that the world was not flat. We had the option of staying in a regular dorm type room with a bunk beds and lockers and the whole experience or renting a small private room with a single bed. We opted for the private room. The room was amazing. When they said small, they were wrong. It was spacious. With a window that opened up to let the breeze flow in. Being so close to Pike's Peak, maybe not such a good thing. But nonetheless, icing! The room was clean, minimally decorated (bed, chair, small desk, lights, and small dresser), smelled fresh, and did I mention CLEAN? The bathrooms were a bit more used looking since it was for community use, but clean and well-stocked. I don't remember anything about breakfast and I think I saw a computer somewhere, but we were out and about the city; so were just kinda in and out. I didn't even worry about our non-valuables (but essentials) in our room. The staff was friendly and I felt that they honestly had some sort of stake in the hostel. Seattle is walking distance. Public transport close by if you need to travel about the metropolitan. I heard that there's free public transport if you stay within the city, but I didn't take advantage. Look into it. Save yourself some cash. If you're a bit squeamish, take a taxi home at night. There are a few shady characters walking about late at night. 5 stars. read more

I checked in at 10pm, the staff is very kind and introduced room and rules. Other people who shares me was good. The best thing is location right next to pike market place. Breakfast is good bread, coffee and so on. read more

It is my First day out in Seattle and I see there is a pub crawl. Sunny and Helena, let me tell you. The best leaders in a pub crawl. We got to look at a variety of different bars and ended with a extremely eventful nightclub in Capitol Hill area. I would 10/10 recommend their guidance again. Anyone looking for a fun social event I'd say go to the pub crawl with the Green Tortoise Hostel Seattle. Even the most introverted person WILL have a blast read more

My father and I headed out west to Seattle for a week (several years ago), and I never remembered to write a review. So here's my chance! Fantastic hostel! I absolutely loved staying here, while visiting Seattle for Bumbershoot. The hostel is comprised of coed and male/female only rooms; anywhere from 6-person to 16-person dorm rooms, assuming it hasn't changed over the years... We reserved their only private room: one set of bunk beds and our own private bathroom. My father had never done the hostel thing before this trip, so he was a tad hesitant to sleep in a room with other travels of varying origin. However, the exceptional location - the Market, free busing, city attractions, the views, the nightlife, great restaurants - The hostel is a several-floor space, a super short jaunt away from Pike's Market. Down the steps and your looking at the water. Prime spot? Survey says YES! To top it, the laid-back atmosphere of the hostel, made the trip 100% success. This hostel had lots of things going on for their guests. Walking tours. Dancing outings. Comedy and karaoke nights. Their movie room. Or we could simply lounge around and chat with fellow travelers. So many wonderful stories!! I definitely recommend this hostel :) read more

Set up for my review: Admittedly, I have not stayed at many hostels. I hit a couple when I was in Europe a decade ago, then this one on a recent (Feb 2011) trip for an academic conference. For this trip, I did not have a traveling mate to rent a hotel room with, so I decided to go a cheaper route. I found The Green Tortoise (TGT) here on Yelp. Review: Across the street from the Pike, walking distance to dozens of bars, and just 5 blocks from where my conference was held -- TGT couldn't have been in a better location. The staff was generally pleasant and helpful, and my room was clean. My 4-bunk room had several electrical outlets for communal use, as well as a bathroom sink. I particularly liked that my bunk had it's own light, fan, and curtain. Bathrooms were useable and generally clean. Although I grew up with half a dozen siblings, in my old age, I've become accustomed to a quiet sleeping environment -- so earplugs and an eye mask were essential. I wanted to take advantage of the large storage space under my bed, so I took my gym lock. As a woman traveling alone, I felt super comfortable staying at TGT -- that feeling of safety is important to me. As the daughter of a police officer, I was trained to be pretty aware about my surroundings. Both TGT and Seattle passed my rigorous paranoa test! I would definitely recommend staying at TGT to anyone looking to have a great, but inexpensive, experience in Seattle. Cheers! read more

Stay here, esp if you are traveling solo! I traveled to Seattle solo (from east coast) and decided to stay at this hostel. How the hostel portrays itself online is exactly what you get in person. Staff is friendly and accommodating if there are issues in your room. There are rules and policies to staying here, so not once did I feel unsafe, I used proper judgement of everything, even taking advantage of locking my items up in the room. Do yourself a favor and stay here to get the most bang for your buck when traveling to Seattle and spend the rest of your money at the market, literally across the street! Have an open mind when staying in a hostel, its not a hotel people! The two are different.... read more

I stayed at the Green tortoise several times in the last few months, and I always had a great experience. The rooms are very clean and the staff is super friendly. The dorm rooms have private curtains for when you want to chill with some privacy and inviting community areas to meet like minded travelers and enjoy a dope view of Pike's place market. The location is ideal if you want to see all that Seattle has to offer and the rates are super affordable too! I will definitely be visiting again soon. :) read more

What bad things can one say about The Green Tortoise Hostel?.... Absolutely NOTHING! This was my first stay at a hostel and I absolutely loved it. Staff is friendly and they will hold your bags if you arrive early. Rooms are clean and bathrooms are single occupancy and clean. My roommates were awesome. Very friendly and respectful when you are sleeping. I was in a four bedroom all female. Best part is that it is a few steps away from Pike Place Market! There is a lot of homeless people around but they're harmless. Bring earplugs if you're a light sleeper, a towel, a masterlock for your locker and flip flops. They do have locks you can buy and towels you can rent. I will definitely be staying here again! Thank you GTH for a wonderful experience! read more

Had a pleasant one night stay here. Common area is hot and crowded with a variety of people, I would avoid it except during meal time. My 8 bunk room was quite cozy and only cost $33 for the night. They sell locks for for $5 and buy them back for $3 if you like when you're done. They do host a number of events such as historic tours, kayak tours and pub crawls. You can rent bicycles as well. I enjoyed my stay, and met a handful of cool travelers while out on a pub crawl. The staff is a bunch of phony hippies, and seem very disinterested to be there. Felt they were rude. Overall it was a good place to spend the night, and I will likely use their services again if needed. read more

Well, it's right in the heart of downtown Seattle for really cheap prices. The area is loud at night especially on the weekends so it's good to bring earplugs. The hostel itself is quite quiet in the upstairs sleeping area. Everything is clean and there are big bathrooms and plenty of them; they just got really hot and steamy (although this wouldn't be as much of a problem in normal Seattle weather, only during the humid summer when we were there). I wish they had more powerful bathroom fans so they could dry out. They have all kinds of organized activities and a nice common area. The beds have curtains around them, a light, outlets, and fan, and the locker under your bed for your stuff is large. read more

This hostel is wonderful- I'm actually sitting in the common area right now on their free wireless internet to all guests. The staff is all very friendly, and there are organized events almost everyday of the week, if you're at a loss as to what to do here in Seattle. The accommodations are pretty nice- 8 bed rooms, but the beds have individual curtains around them, allowing for more privacy than I've ever seen in a hostel. Bathrooms are wonderful- individual private full bathrooms, nice showers, and low-flow toilets. Also, it's in a pretty great location- you really can open the window and jump to your death, and you'll land right in front of Pike Place Market. read more

GREAT location right across from the market, friendly staff, clean rooms/bathroom and good company. There's also a nice size common area where they serve a free breakfast every morning and dinner 3 nights a week. One of the best hostels I've stayed in. read more

I stayed here for 2 nights on a recent trip in an 8-person dorm room and had a great time. The Pros: super comfortable beds, privacy curtains for each bunk, reading light and outlet on each bunk, spacious storage lockers, individual bathrooms down the hall, excellent breakfast spread included. The Cons: Expensive parking, kinda hard to find the first time despite the big sign, and I'm not certain that all the guests weren't local homeless people. Would I go back? Absolutely! read more

Very cozy atmosphere and friendly staff. Loved how you could reserve a single bed for 2 people and how each bathroom was private with a sink, toilet, and shower. You can also see Pikes Market Place across the street. The only inconvenience would have been public parking but we did not have a car so didn't have to pay extra for parking. Would definitely stay here again. read more