International Guest House

Fantastic
A welcoming place inhabited by highly talented people from all over. The facilities are great and the location is superb, close to beautiful parks, with a great overview of downtown San Francisco. Highly recommended if you want to stay for longer than just a few days.

Wonderful
I stayed there for about two months in 1991, and remember it as one of the most beautiful and magical places and times of my life. And this is not only because of the glow of falling in love with San Francisco -- and then with a fellow resident. The house; the location; the residents; and the gentle, almost invisible hand of the management all worked the magic together. People opened up and came together. It seemed perfectly natural at the time, but I've never known anything quite like it since. It seems that people have been having similar experiences there since 1978. How was this done? And what better recommendation could there be?

Great place!
I only got to stay for a week in early December 2007, definitely a great hostel. IGH has an eclectic mix of artists and performers who live there long term, with four beds for travelers. It makes for a friendly relaxed atmosphere to hang out in. Sunday brunch shortly after I arrived was a nice welcome to my stay. I got to meet a lot of the folks who live there then, and eat some great food. Easy going and friendly. They know the city, and are nice about giving directions and advise and help. Jen (the manager) is great! The Mission is the neighborhood to hang out in in San Francisco, great food and Philz coffee just a couple of blocks away. Easy access to transportation to anywhere you might want to go. I wouldn't miss the chance to stay here, and am looking forward to staying again.

Perfect.
As a World Traveling Vagabond, I have stayed at more hostels in more circumstances than you could imagine. I have stayed in mountain huts at the foot of the Matterhorn. I've slept in a hostel's TV Lounge in Moscow with nine other people. I stayed in a common room with a small wood stove in the shadow of Mount Everest during a meteor shower. In San Francisco I fell in love with a girl over Deleuze and multimedia sound design. And in Caenarfon I stayed in a four-hundred-year-old hostel built right beside the walls of the city and its Arthurian Castle. But this hostel is way better.

Six stars!
I had been staying for two months here and I can tell how much I love the place. Because it is in the Mission District, but also because the house offers a lot of shared space, and it is friendly. Well, there I feel home with family. Now every time I'll come to San Francisco, I don't have to worry about the place to stay, I know I go at Twenty-third and Harrisson!

Great
This is one hostel in the city you don't want to miss. Staying here will give you an example of what it is really like to live in the city. The people there are amazing and brilliant. Additionally, the location is great -- located right near Cafe Gratitude! Check it out and see for yourself!

I found the place completely welcoming and accepting. Ended up hangin' and going out around town with some of the residents. I remember an awesome shared meal. And the mission district completely enchanted me. I nearly extended my stay! There's awesome, vibrant people and a really nice old hippie vibe to the house. It was great being with a crew where socializing meant drinking nice wine, talking into the night, and going to odd, quirky, alternative gigs. Not the young backpacker bar scene. Lovely place!

I was a guest for the first time at International Guest House on June 27 thru July 3rd 2006. I found the experience to be overall positive. The guests and residents I shared the facility made me feel at home. The well equiped kitchens to prepare simple meals and snacks made my stay a pleasant one. The common area/living room on the second floor with a stereo and VCR was a nice place to see and interact with other guests. The cost for the accommodation was very reasonable. The manager lives on site. The location in San Francisco was reasonable considering its proximity to the underground subway called the BART. There is easy access to the San Francisco Airport via BART. Note: You need to like friendly the resident pet dog and tolerate a little dust.

Yeah man, I'll definitely leave a comment on here, 'cause I heard a rumor that this place might be shuttin' down!! Eye Carumba! So, check it out. This is by far the best place you could possibly stay in San Francisco! Sometimes things get a little bit too reality TV, but that's part of the beauty of it. Living in that house is living with a big, crazy international family. Picture late nights with live music and a blazing fire. Picture sitting on the front steps on a fresh summer day and observing all the livelyhood of the mission district. Imagine meeting some of the most amazing people of your life. If you come to this place man, just be aware that you might end up falling in love and quitting your day job! Much love to Lee for putting this place together and having so much faith, and much much much love goes out to everyone I lived with there, even those that I drove crazy with my cranked Led Zeppelin....

Staying at the International Guest House, which I did for several months, was undoubtedly the highlight of my long post-university visit to the United States. It was a long time ago but because I've remained close friends with Lee ever since I've been kept up to date with developments in the house. As other posters have noted there was a wonderful, friendly feel. People made friends, cooked together, went out on trips together and had great, weekly parties! Lee's generousity in providing extras for the house made it very good value and the special nature of the old house itself, lovingly maintained, added to an altogether remarkable experience. The good friends I made there are part of the continuing benefit.

I was one of the first managers of the guest house in 1978/79. At that time the house was half its current size, a very exciting cosmopolitan place for a young American just graduated from college. The owner, Lee, set the tone of the house - friendly, relaxed, only as structured as it needed to be to run smoothly and respect everyone's rights and freedoms. I made lifelong friends there. In 1980 I traveled to Europe with Isobel, an English guest who also had a spell as manager. I ended up settling in London, where I have lived ever since. This guest house changed my life. It is irreplaceable!

I stayed in this house for nine months in 2001-2002 and I thought it was incredible. We were 31 and all so different but life in the house was fantastic with all our differences. I had the best Christmas there. The house itself brings magic to people; the vibe of the house is strong and positive. It can feel crowded but it is always with love and smiles. I went back a year later and 12 of us from the year before meet there for another Christmas together. I guess it just proves the magic of the house. Do not hesitate, stay there, the living conditions are worth the money. Feel and let the house take you for the best ride of your life. Love to my old housemates; I am sure they read this. Crazy Sylvia.

I stayed here this summer only leaving about three weeks ago. I'm not sure what it is about the place, but the people it attracts are all friendly and welcoming. I had a great time here and the managers were so helpful and great.

Almost 15 years have passed since I stayed there, but I was never able to forget this place. I spent some of the best time of my life there. Lovely people from all over the world, a warm and friendly atmosphere made me stay much longer then I intended to. When I finally left I had found a friend for a lifetime, freedom for quite a while and a place to fondly remember forever.

I came here in January 2001, looking for a bed for five nights. Two months later, I reluctantly checked out. I made good friends within minutes of arriving, and throughout my stay there was a fantastic communal atmosphere. Everyone looked out for one another, we found work together, cooked together, and explored the city together. Definitely recommended for the single traveler, as long as you can put up with a certain amount of didjeridoo music and bongos!