Make sure to bring a towel and flip-flops if you're planning to take a shower. Also bring shampoo…read moreand soap, considering their version looks like it would contain sulfites. The bathrooms have a lot of toilet tissue on the floors and they have signs that ask them to be notified if it's not clean but I didn't have time to wait. I didn't take a shower because there wasn't a lot of space to put my stuff down in a clean area. The bathrooms are shared, but they do have a really great mirror to put on make up. Extremely cramped living quarters with very little space to put luggage down. They require you to buy a lock for $8.95 if you want to stow valuables and it's a big bulky lock, that's heavy and you probably don't want to buy (wish they would rent the locks because I have no other use for this bulky thing). The worst part is the stairs... It would be a great work out, except that it's super annoying when you have heavy luggage to carry upstairs multiple flights of floors. There is no elevator, there is no AC, you better arrive tired because it's pretty loud at night. This hostel is 3 stars imo but I gave them an extra star because their staff is super friendly, it's a good location, their breakfast is convenient (fresh bagels with fruits and vegetables), and Vancouver needs more budget-friendly options.

I went there today to check it out because we never know if the photos make justice to the actual…read moreplace, especially when the location is shady like it is in Ocean Beach. I'm a very calm, sweet and good looking young woman and I'm not going to be humble about it. There was no reason for that bald male receptionist to be that rude to me given all the sketchy ppl that usually go to Ocean Beach. If you're a nice female customer, I would look for a safer location, and would never put your safety at risk on that place. The customer that was there was looking at me like he wanted to apologize for the receptionist's rudeness. It was really bad. I understand that ppl are not allowed inside to see the place for safety issues, but there are way kinder ways of saying it to a potential future customer. I can't stand when people in low paid jobs act like they have power (small power) and decide to be rude to kind people like me, and they do that with a big and ugly gummy smile on their faces. It's so petty!

I am a lifetime member of Hostelling International and have stayed at many hostels across the U.S…read more and Canada. This was my first visit to Vancouver, so it only seemed natural to check out one of the HI locations. I only stayed a couple of nights, but had a pretty good experience overall. Here are some comments: 1. The best thing about my room was the great bed and comforter. Hands down, this may have been the best hostel comforter I've ever experienced, and everyone else who has stayed there knows exactly what I am talking about. 2. The four-bed room is ideal for travelers and I liked the in-room sink and lockers. It is super convenient with the bathrooms and showers down the hall. 3. The WiFi is HORRIBLE. The only place where the signal is strong is the reception area on the first floor. Otherwise, you are basically playing Russian roulette with the signal strength, and areas where it should be strong like the tables near the kitchen are actually weak. 4. I also understand that elevators are not always necessary, but the stairways from the 2nd floor up are small and really difficult if you have a suitcase or god forbid, more than one. 5. I was always gone early in the mornings so never took advantage of the free breakfast, but the kitchen area was well stocked and clean, and the large fridge made it easy to store your own food. 6. Lastly, this hostel is conveniently located near tons of good restaurants, clubs, and bars, but when it is full of drunk people, it's not so much fun if you are not the partying type ... or over 30.

Hostelling International (HI) has a solid reputation in the hostel industry. I was a fan of several…read moreHI hostels in the US, so I recently booked HI again, this time in downtown Vancouver for one night. It is directly across the street from the SameSun Backpacker Lodge. Both hostels are popular amongst travelers because of their desirable location - in close proximity to Granville Street's nightlife district, Robson Street's shopping area, and only a 2 mile drive to Stanley Park. The nearest SkyTrain station is only a 5 minute walk away. A week prior to arrival, I reserved a two bed dorm on hostelworld.com, but when I checked in late at night, the confused receptionist assigned me to a four bed dorm. Their reservation system appeared to be useless and disorganized. It was probably first come first serve and my "reserved" two bed room was already taken. Bad impression, but at least the four bed room is a bit cheaper ($37 vs. $45). There were four co-ed floors of bedrooms. I was fortunate to be assigned to the least noisy region - fourth floor facing away from Granville Street. My room was equipped with an individual locker, sink, closet for storage, and 2 sets of bunk beds. You can turn on the A/C but it is extremely noisy. The ambiance was basic like a motel or dorm room, but most important to me, the bed was more comfortable than the one at St. Clair Hostel. I was able to sleep for 7 hours interrupted. One interesting aspect is that restroom access requires a keycard to be swiped before entering, just like a dorm. The shower inside was clean and functional. WIFI is fair, not good enough for a Facetime call but OK for checking email. The WIFI password is ridiculously long. HI-Vancouver Central is a hostel that I would recommend for anyone staying in Vancouver on a budget, and is simply looking for a comfortable night of sleep plus a place to shower. Why stay at a hotel and pay over $100 per night when you'll be traveling and sightseeing most of the day? Book this hostel instead, and save your money to spend on food or souvenirs in Vancouver. If you're young and into the nightlife scene, the hostel is only 1 to 2 blocks away from dozens of popular clubs and bars.

Good: 1) Staff are nice and helpful…read more Bad: 1) No air conditioning, room was very stuffy at night 2) terrible location (although there is a great Persian restaurant called Cazba nearby) 3) 1 men's bathroom per floor, only 2 small sinks, VERY small and crowded with multiple guys in there, not all the toilets have hooks on the doors, and one of the 3 showers was not operational for 3 days 4) very expensive for what you get. Simultaneously the worst and most expensive hostel I've stayed at. But I hear high prices are true of Vancouver accommodations generally.

Definitely a great value for inexpensive lodging. It may not be for everyone, though, if you're not…read morecool with sharing a dorm style room (private rooms available for higher price, I think) with up to 3 people. The bunks were decent enough, but climbing above is sort of a pain. Bring your own lock if using a locker. Small lavatory in room, but might as well use the restroom down the hall which has better space for crap and can shower. Also, anyone who's anyone can stay here. I've seen young to *gasp* old senior nude men in the restroom doing whatever. I like the improved awareness for being green and conserving. Free towel use. Stuff there include: Self-serve kitchen TV/Theater room Games room Internet room Library room Organized events Rooftop patio 2 things that stuck out during my stay were value and culture (I heard french and german each day I was there)... the blackboard behind the counter with several different languages is awesome, too. Korean and Thai food within 1 block. More stuff not included in this review.

This is the worst place i have stayed in my life. Very dirty. places have cats, cat's hair is…read moreeverywhere. places have club in first floor, and they give me a room in second floor. they played loud music all night. I went to reception in the morning and complain about this. the person name JOSE told mi is, This is not the hotel for your ege people, this is DISCRIMINATION!!!!!!!!! Also, they treat people like a homeless. They take $ 20 dollars for deposit and they did not give me the deposit back because of 20 minutes late check out

It was a very nice place to stay. Very central, social and the staff are very friendly.read more

After reading other traveler's experiences, I felt compelled to share a review, which I seldom…read morewrite. I am a 40 year old female from the US. I have not stayed in a hostel in about 12 years, but I was looking for inexpensive accommodations to explore Vancouver. Prior to my late night arrival I was emailed detailed instructions on how to access the building and I had zero issues getting into my room. The rooms are small and warm. I stayed here in October, and it might be a bit uncomfortable in the summer. However, the rooms were clean, free of pests, and I did not experience any of the street noise that other travelers commented about. Some of the showers are icky, but if you shower on a different floor than your room, others are much cleaner. The building itself is quiet, and the other guests were respectful. I felt very safe inside the building. That being said, the neighborhood can be sketchy at night. There are drug addicts on the street after 10 PM. I live near Portland, OR which has a huge homeless population, so I did not feel too uneasy. It might be a good idea to take a taxi at night if you feel uncomfortable. My only complaints were the condition of the showers on my floor and that the bunkbeds were a bit short. I am 5'7". This is by far the cheapest and least sketchy place to stay in town for the price. A private room was around $60 USD per night for 2 people. There is not a "hostel vibe" that you experience in other properties as the common areas are very small and the cooking areas are in the hallways. However, if you are looking for a place to lay your head while you spend your time exploring and money on good food and entertainment, this is a good choice.

Squeak squeak squeak is all you hear on the lower bunk because…read moreThe bunk beds shake and make noise every time the person on top moves Cheap and affordable rooms, only $25 per night in a 4 bed dorm room Lots of European traveling in groups stay here Age range: around 20s to 40s, my roomates were in their 20s Internet was very spotty and disconnected often Restroom does not have a sink, have to go back to room to wash hands Historic building in downtown Vancouver, close to Granville SkyTrain station Originally built in early 1900's to accommodate railway and ocean-going travelers Showers and toilets are communal, two stalls per floor TV room downstairs had cable but the TV was 13" dorm sized Entrance is locked after 10pm, safe and secure location Located about 10 to 15 minutes from nightlife on Granville Street Conclusion: I'm a light sleeper that was assigned to the lower bunk. Due to the random person on top twisting and turning and shaking all night (smelled like weed and talked to himself), I could only sleep 45 minutes that night. I was only expecting to have a roof over my head and a pillow under my head for maybe 6 hours, but it didn't happen. Unless you are on an extreme budget, whip out an additional $10/night and stay at Hostelling International Vancouver Central instead. It's right in the middle of the entertainment area of downtown Vancouver, the beds are much more comfortable, and the facilities are a bit more modern.

The surrounding neighborhood is nice and the staff is attentive however, overall, I cannot…read morerecommend staying here. For $58 including parking, the facilities are really subpar. It is noisy, and this has to be probably the least accessible hostel I've ever stayed at. I understand this is a historic building and modifications can't be made to the building, but this is just me sharing for other disabled travelers. Moreover the night that I stayed unfortunately had a large high school group who were extremely noisy . If I could do it all over, I would've stayed somewhere further out and paid a lot less. There were Airbnb in the $40-$60 range that were 30-90 minute drive from Vancouver ....closer to Vancouver some listings were in the $80 range, which is what I would have recommended instead of staying here . You're almost paying the same price just to stay here however you have a lot less privacy amongst other unpleasant attributes about this property and hostels in general. . Lastly, this is probably the third or fourth HI property that I've stayed at and my least favorite. To compare the very first one I stayed that was in my hometown in Santa Monica, which is actually cheaper than this place however, the facilities are infinitely better . Make it make sense.

check in quick was and easy, then I went out back and gave $5 to someone and then a guy named Steve…read moremade me a hamburger. I wanted to touch his large beard but he said no Private room we had was cozy, other guests were quiet and respectful so we had no problem going to sleep and staying to sleep Good beach access to we loved walking around the area

This place is a fraud do not book here. I paid to stay here and did so through Workingadvantage. I…read morejust got off the phone with the owner who knows I was not able to stay there as I was not provided a gate code. He says normally booking.com would send a code to enter their gate code. One was never provided to me. If you are not emailed a gate code and arrive outside of business hours you will have to pay to stay somewhere else and lose your money. It is not worth making a reservation at a place and supporting a place that is not willing to provide a service to a customer! Don't lose your hard earned money!!

I used to stay here in 2007 when I first started working in Vancouver. I would bring my own lamp so…read moreit was not to bright in my room as they have overhead lighting. In those days you would have to go downstairs to use the lodge computer but looks like they have wifi now. Prices were good and sheets were always clean. I have fond memories of Pender Lodge.

Neighbourhood is not great, the room was dingy, the help was creepy, the kitchen looked like none…read moreof the appliances would work and if there were shower facilities i couldn't find them. Stay elsewhere.