The Invermere Hostel, in my opinion, is more than a sufficient option in terms of accommodations...if you need a simple/basic place to stay and rest your head for the evening.
That pretty much sums up my story. I was exploring Kootenay National Park within the beautiful Canadian Rockies and was taking my time discovering the area with no set itinerary.
After completing driving Kootenay Highway 93, I ended up in Radium Hot Springs, BC. It was getting late in the day and my first instinct is to search for campgrounds, but I found nothing.
Now, there were plenty of motels to pick from in Radium Hot Springs, but for a Saturday evening in peak summer season, prices averaged around $150 - Canadian or $110 US.
Instead...
On Priceline, I stumbled upon this Invermere Hostel located just down the road from Radium Hot Springs...only 17 kilometers or 11 miles away and prices here was noticeably lower being $73 Canadian or $58 US.
Funny, a lot of people would warn, yeah, you're paying much less to stay in a hostel, but you're sharing a room with strangers, and that can be very awkward with no privacy!!!
But this is where the whole narrative changed and why I was absolutely convinced that coming to this Invermere Hostel was the right thing to do. Because...
When choosing my room, (granted it was a twin bunk bed)...it was a room all to myself!! And that was a huge WIN-WIN situation!!
I could care less what type of bed I sleep on but as long as I get to do it on my terms in peace and quiet, I absolutely will consider it a success!
I will say that...when I have stayed at hostels, it has been in a room with 4 or 6 or 8 strangers together and having to engage with people I've never met has been uncomfortable.
So...finding this Invermere Hostel and having space for my own room was something I hadn't uncovered before...and this fact alone should be good enough reason for anyone to want to stay here!
Some details about this Invermere Hostel...
- When entering, I walked up a flight of stairs. My room was located on the 2nd floor.
- Upon checking in, the host was friendly, introduced me around the hostel and escorted me to my room.
- There were 8 - 10 rooms on the 2nd floor. All of them were spread out enough as to not feel like other guests were staying on top of me.
- It was very quiet during the evening, and everyone was respectful during downtime.
- There were 2 communal bathroom/showers. They were clean, in fine condition with hot running water. There were no time limits for using them.
- The kitchen area had utensils and appliances for preparing a meal.
- In the middle of the 2nd floor hallway was a giant billiards table and a couch/lounge area with a television.
- For the middle of June, I left the window open in my room which had a nice breeze for a pleasant summer evening.
- I can't remember if they offered Wi-Fi, but cell phone reception worked well.
Overall, I was really happy with my stay. The twin bunk bed was more than adequate. Lol, yes, I slept on the bottom bunk. And I was grateful to have my own, private room. In the end, you'll really never find a place like this Invermere Hostel, anywhere!
I got a chance to recharge all my appliances which was a major plus. I had a perfect night's sleep and felt refreshed to continue my adventures the following day.
Lastly, located right next door to the hostel was a Dairy Queen Grill and Chill! Of course, I had to walk over and pick up a cookie dough blizzard. That was a no brainer, lol.
I highly recommend this Invermere Hostel, located just outside Radium Hot Springs and near the border with Kootenay National Park.
You really can't beat the pricing along with having the opportunity to select your own room, even if it's a twin bunk bed. The stay was totally worth it and a great experience. read more