The Hostelz.com Review
American Backpackers Hostel is the cheapest hostel you'll find in Vancouver -- maybe even in the whole of Canada! If you need a very cheap bed to sleep in a good location, and no extras, this is the place to go.
The Location
The hostel is located near Gas Town, the old part of the city. It is a very popular area with shops, bars, and restaurants just around the corner, and everything is within walking distance. The waterfront with Canada Place and the Vancouver Convention Centre are just a five-minute walk.
There is a bus stop in front of the door, but parking a car is a bit more difficult. So-called Crack Town is nearby, and cars get their window smashed in very frequently. So paying for a parking garage is definitely recommended, and there are plenty all over the city. There is a small grocery shop just downstairs, and another one just a few steps further.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The hostel has private rooms as well as dorm rooms. All rooms have locks, and there are separate rooms for men and women. The rooms also have lockers to store your belongings. Every room has approximately three bunk beds, and bathrooms are shared. There is a shower downstairs, and one upstairs. There is hot water and also there are hooks to hang your clothes. You can use the washing machine and dryer for a fee.
Common Spaces
The hostel has a kitchen with stove, kettle, and microwave, but dishes and cutlery are scarce. Next to the kitchen is the common room with free pool table. For you pool fans who are getting excited, the table is bent, the balls have dips in them, and the cues are worn off. But it offers good entertainment to guests, especially to all those working travelers, who often stay here for a while before finding an apartment. There is a TV room with DVD and video player as well as a small terrace. In the hallway you can find an old computer to use the internet. Alternatively, you can bring your laptop and hook it up, but you will still have to pay for the internet.
The hostel houses an interesting crowd -- lots of travelers looking for jobs and permanent housing, some sketchy characters, and passers by who are attracted by the low rate. The hostel generally has excellent reviews because of the note at reception which offers you a free night's stay if you write a positive one.
You have to pay for luggage storage. The whole building is smoking-friendly -- even the kitchen. Don't talk to the receptionist lady in the morning before she's had her smoke!
Summary
All in all, this is a good hostel and you get what you pay for. It's ideal if you are on a low budget and don't need much comfort.
The Location
The hostel is located near Gas Town, the old part of the city. It is a very popular area with shops, bars, and restaurants just around the corner, and everything is within walking distance. The waterfront with Canada Place and the Vancouver Convention Centre are just a five-minute walk.
There is a bus stop in front of the door, but parking a car is a bit more difficult. So-called Crack Town is nearby, and cars get their window smashed in very frequently. So paying for a parking garage is definitely recommended, and there are plenty all over the city. There is a small grocery shop just downstairs, and another one just a few steps further.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The hostel has private rooms as well as dorm rooms. All rooms have locks, and there are separate rooms for men and women. The rooms also have lockers to store your belongings. Every room has approximately three bunk beds, and bathrooms are shared. There is a shower downstairs, and one upstairs. There is hot water and also there are hooks to hang your clothes. You can use the washing machine and dryer for a fee.
Common Spaces
The hostel has a kitchen with stove, kettle, and microwave, but dishes and cutlery are scarce. Next to the kitchen is the common room with free pool table. For you pool fans who are getting excited, the table is bent, the balls have dips in them, and the cues are worn off. But it offers good entertainment to guests, especially to all those working travelers, who often stay here for a while before finding an apartment. There is a TV room with DVD and video player as well as a small terrace. In the hallway you can find an old computer to use the internet. Alternatively, you can bring your laptop and hook it up, but you will still have to pay for the internet.
The hostel houses an interesting crowd -- lots of travelers looking for jobs and permanent housing, some sketchy characters, and passers by who are attracted by the low rate. The hostel generally has excellent reviews because of the note at reception which offers you a free night's stay if you write a positive one.
You have to pay for luggage storage. The whole building is smoking-friendly -- even the kitchen. Don't talk to the receptionist lady in the morning before she's had her smoke!
Summary
All in all, this is a good hostel and you get what you pay for. It's ideal if you are on a low budget and don't need much comfort.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
August 2009
Their Description
American Backpackers Hostel Details
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American Backpackers Hostel Reviews on Other WebsitesHostelz.com Guest Reviews
Crap Its a hostel. ENOUGH SAID. Dont expect much. if your new to the city and on a REALLY tight budget or an emergency situation this is for you!! and it will be safe and all but if your looking for a hostel to stay and meet other regular travelers then please go to HI or same sun. I dont even know why they label this place a 'hostel' or advertise its more like a junkie crash zone there can be lots of young people around which is nice but dont be fooled it is very sketchy. some on drugs, alot of the young people you see begging on the street -- this is where they stay for 10 bucks a day and all they do is smoke pot ,they are there all day everyday and have no jobs. I dont even know how they afford to live here as well if they never work??????? they just crash all day. 1 guy who lives there and pays rent monthly just randomly brought out the whole top floor ... when he doesnt ever ever work? they said he musta been a pimp or something. Very noisy, dirty creaky cold cold old floor boards is a pain in the butt. when you have to shower and go to the bathroom upstairs and theres only 1 toilet and 1 shower for 2 floors of people, do the math. Theres no locks on the bedroom doors and you share with 8 people so theres always people coming in and out and friends of friends crashing on each others beds sometimes having sex in the next bed while your there, and they have no shame in that!!! so protect your stuff of your out looking for jobs and all that during the day. They wont bother you though if you dont bother them. But if that sounds like you and the place youd like to live in then this place is for you. Its like a holiday inn for homeless people. 'common area' -- I was too scared and freaked out to even go in there. I brought museli bars and 2 minute noodles cos you will be approached by freakish people while you 'try' and cook on there crappy stoves. Bedbugs all over the place. they have a bathroom upstairs and its called a sex room?? i dont know what the purpose of this room is and i dont want to know. From outside it looks like a dump and its near hastings to the worst neighbourhood in canada. but like i said you cant really complain when its 10 bucks a night some people have trouble finding jobs in this city and it can be tough out there when you first arrive. if your desperate its a roof over your head and bathrooms and showers until you find something else. — Anonymous , australian (2011-12-01) Great Price, Sh*tty Accomodation These people give out dirty sheets and blankets, and have opted not to supply TOILET PAPER in order to buy beer for a Halloween Party. The beds are old and squeaky, not to mention filthy, but hey -- it was only 10 bucks. — Anonymous , Canada (2011-10-19) Well this is a real hostel!! Found this hostel through a friend and must say I've never spent more funny and interesting days on a trip like at this place. This is the real deal of a melting pot of nice people seriously from every corner of this world. The hostel itself is a darn good budget deal -- you wont find a place that comes more up to a backpackers ideals! kitchen, laundry, bathrooms and showers are all in a basic shape and give the basis for trips around the vancouver area. Dont expect more than that but youll get all the information you need for everything you want to do in the city where you normally can spend easily up to 50 bucks a night for a single dorm stay! — Carl , Finland (2011-09-07) A little bit of moderation! Hey I truly thinks that others don't give a fair chance to this hostel. It might be the cheapest one you'll ever find in your entire life. Sure it's not neat and cuddly but what'd you expect? If you want that there tons of hotels in the area for about 100 bucks + a night. The staff is cool as long as you show a little respect for the facility. Everyone we met here was friendly and we enjoyed our time, lots of friends made. Overall that's pretty awesome place to stay but this is a place for backpackers on budget, not you mum's nest. — B&E , France (2011-09-05) Good for drug dealers Probably the best hotel for drug dealers and their stupid consumers. Stay away to save your health and life! — Canno , Cannobisland (2011-07-29) HORRIBLE SERVICE AND BEDBUGS!!! STAY AWAY!!! There is a sign on the reception window offering discounts for positive reviews, and they offered me the same deal! The truth is, this place is absolutely disgusting. The management (little Italian girl / druggie) has no business working in the service industry. She bragged about having traveled in more than 100 countries and never got bedbugs. She continued to say that bedbugs are a "Canadian problem" and they only come out at her hostel in summer. In other words, she was bragging that out of all the places she had stayed around the world, her hostel (American Backpackers) is the only place she had seen bedbugs!! Ironic, ey? Unless you like thiefs, crackheads, dirt, bugs, bad service, and noise, DO NOT COME HERE! — Michael , USA (2011-06-05) Those who really travel Know this is one of the best places on earth I have been from Newfoundland on the east coast, all the way to vancouver on the west coast, and American backpackers is the best place i have ever stayed for $10 bucks a night. The people you meet here are the coolest on earth, and Vince the owner is on of the nicest, most genuine people i have ever met. vince was so nice to me. I am starting a new life here, and i was late a few days with the rent so Vince worked with me to keep a roof over my head and let me stay until i got my first paycheck. I have been to almost every city in canada, and if you need a warm, safe place to stay and meet great people from all over the world, come to american backpackers. 5 stars for sure!!!!! — David Room 5 , Canada (2011-04-04) Vince the owner is a rapiset the owner vince is a sex rapist. he tryed to rape my girlfriend when i was in the shower. dont trust him. hes got spy cams in the rooms so he can watch girls get undressed and see them naked. i have already called the cops and they are watching him. — Anonymous (2011-03-23) Cheap and Great atomsphere Great place to stay and worth the money compare to other very expensive hostels in Vancouver. The hostel has a good friendly atmosphere. Also has things to start your trip in Vancouver well without spending all your money on a place to sleep, from hot showers to simple things like pots and pans. — Leo Strowbridge , Canada (2011-03-17) Owner Great but General Manager hell stayed for ten days my first time, I was checked in by the owner Vincent, nice man, real, straightforward, no bullsh*t, as many of his posted signs around the place. Cant beat the price, $10 /night on dorm, there are mice, bedbugs, dirt, but this is what is all about it. on my second time that i tried to stay there I encounter the most horrible desk attendant, cant remember her name, some older woman, who told me to get the hell out just because i looked older than thirty-five years old. She was just foul, unreal how many offenses come out of her mount in a period of less than two minutes. Come on Vincent, you are the real thing, I do admired your love for the money and the service you want to provide, but that woman has to be sent for a holiday or perhaps is time for her to get a new job. — Tony Montana , Colombian (2009-09-12) This hostel is the best one in Vancouver! I came to the hostel first in September 2007, and after that, kept going back! This place is a bit dodgy, yes, but the people and atmosphere is amazing. Other hostels, you go in, do your thing, no real contact with people. Here, as soon as you walk in, people ask about where you're from, whats your name. This hostel is kinda like Cheers the T.V show. It's cheap, located right downtown, and it's a bit rowdy on the weekends. All in all, fun and always full of life. The staff do their best, and help you if you have any problems. I recommend this hostel, because it's one of a kind, and you'll meet lifelong friends! — Victoria (2009-07-24) Untruthful, dirty hostel you should avoid This hostel promise you that if you leave a nice review on a website like this, you can get a free night at that stinky place. It was incredibly dirty. Yes, it was cheap, but you had to pay $2 extra for sheets with ink/fungus stains on it. People who worked there were rude. There was a bad vibe in the whole hostel, strange people (except the people, like me, who looked around in horror, thinking, how the hell did I end up here?!). Mixed toilet, that you couldn't flush if someone was showering. and the climax -- bedbugs. They have bedbugs and actually admit that (there are signs). Instead of handling it well, they put a sign there saying you can get anti-itch cream. Well, sorry, will they pay for my cleaning costs if I take them home? Don't go there. — Kate , Holland (2009-06-26) Best way to meet other travelers and cheap! if you're looking for cheap and perfectly located close to all the sites i would seriously check it out. had a great time the people are super chill. i met some awesome peeps! the staff Vince and Angela are great and and were very helpful. it's a gritty, no frills, really relaxed place. lot of fun. — steve s , jewish canada (2009-02-21) Bugs! Stay away! I got bed bugs from this hostel. It has been a year and I have had Orkin spray numerous times. I got a new bed, I keep my clothes in plastic containers and nothing on the floor. I still wake up every night at 4 a.m. to check for them. Pay the extra money and go to a real hotel or a nicer hostel. Really. They are infested and you will get bugs if you stay here and you may not get rid of them. Treating them will cost you way more then staying somewhere nicer. They can live a year without feeding and all you need is one to get into your suitcase or purse or makeup bag and you have them. They can be so tiny that you won't see them. It is irresponsible of them to remain open and not treat this problem. My friend also stayed there at a different time and she continues to fight them as well. Please stay away and ask all hostels you go to if they have them. — Lisa , American (2008-11-16) My sweet home My first impression of the hostel wasn't good. It was an incredible party place where every time you can make a new friend. If you do not have work, always somebody is there for you to tell what to do and excellent place to know Vancouver and enjoy this. — JOSE PABLO VALADEZ VARELA , MEXICO (2008-06-21)