Everglades International Hostel

I have stayed at this hostel a few times in the past five years. My first stay was my first time traveling solo. Therefore it was especially significant to me. I enjoyed the laid back atmosphere and met someone that is now one of my closest friends. Out of the many places I have stayed around the world since, this hostel is thus far the most comfortable and well run. I really enjoyed their Everglades tour on my second visit and have to say that the mexican food across the street is a must have if you like that kind of food. Another thing not to miss is a milkshake at the Robert is Here fruit stand down the road. It is a bit of a drive, but if you have the transportation it is worth it to take a ride to Shark Valley National Park. I walked instead of taking the guided bus tour and the smell in the air held a certain sweetness that just can't be described. There were many baby alligators and turtles as well as different species of flowers when I visited in the spring. Lastly, I don't recommend the alligator farm. I was disappointed with the conditions that they were kept in.

An absolute delight! Like no other hostel I've been to. Unique in it's decor and atmosphere -- you feel as though you're in another place and time while staying here. A communal hippie style 1960s feel. Worth a stay if you never even left the hostel! A place to discover! The staff was delightful and pleasant. Look forward to another visit in the near future! Clean, secure, and generously stocked with a full pantry of free food! Almost too good to be true!

I had an absolutely wonderful stay at the Everglades Hostel and would suggest that anybody stays there and does their Everglades day tour which is wonderful. I could wax lyrical about the place for ages but you'll have to go there to believe me, it's very laid-back, friendly, and just a wonderful place to be. Definitely the best hostel I've stayed in in over three weeks in the U.S.

This is a great place to stay. I loved the communal dinner, the lovely yard and the comfortable beds. It was nice and friendly.

This was the first hostel I ever stayed at. While I can say I wasn't blown away when I first stayed here, after having crashed at a number of hostels in the past couple of weeks (on a cross-country trip to California) I can safely say that this one is cream of the crop as far as hostels go. The staff were friendly, the price was awesome, and it was as clean as hostels get. If you stay here, use the outside shower; it's tons better than the ones on the inside. Oh, and take advantage of the $3 communal dinner, too. :)

A wonderful hostel in a wonderful place. If you want to see the Everglades - stay there.

This is the best hostel in Florida, hands down!

This really is a splendid place to visit! It has a relaxed atmosphere, casual conversation and staff that are incredibly welcoming. The owner remembered me from my first visit, two years prior, and made me feel like I was visiting a friend, not staying in a hotel. And the kitchen rocks!

I wished I could have stayed here. It has great people and a great atmosphere. The beds are comfortable and when I was here the "cook" put a communal meal together for 3 bucks that was superb. I loved this place and hope I can make it back again someday. This is what a hostel should be.

This hostel was amazing. It has a beautiful outdoor area, with a beautiful outdoor living room. I had the most wonderful time here. Everyone was friendly and it was great. I loved it.

Lovely hostel, with the most comfortable beds I slept in during my whole two months hostelling in the US. The gardens at this hostel are magical - always something else to discover, and the whole place has a very friendly relaxed air. Being run around by the hostel staff to our destinations was most appreciated.

Great hostel, I just wanted to respond to the environmentally damaging taxi service to the national park. The national park entrance is 10 miles from the hostel. That's 20 miles round trip just to get to the park. After you get to the entrance you have about 15 to 30 miles to ride once inside, so a 50 mile round trip ride is usually out of most people's range. Plus, the 10 mile ride takes you thru the pesticide farm lands which are very toxic, especially when your lungs are working overtime. The roads have no shoulder and traffic can be quite dangerous. The hostel offers the taxi service to the entrance. For those who can bike the round trip and want to cruise the farmlands they can, the hostel just lets you know what you are in for. Once you are in the park it is wonderful -- very little traffic, bike only trails, wildlife and wilderness. I really appreciated the taxi service. It allowed me to enjoy the park(the whole reason for my visit). Hats off to the hostel and their in-tune staff.

Fantastically chilled out hostel with helpful and friendly staff. This place is family run with a real homey feel to it, which is helped along by the pets, giant telly and communal style living. There is a gorgeous garden and clean, simple rooms with comfy beds. It is great to access the glades and meet new people. This is a place to relax and enjoy the natural surroundings. I got there just as described in directions (though there is a free pick up from Greyhound if you go the easy/expensive way). Easily the best hostel I stayed in on my one month trip down the East coast.

The transportation from the hostel to Miami and Key Largo is execellent, as desribed on this page. Actually, from the Miami Amtrak station, just walk 2 blocks south to the Trirail/Metrorail station, rather than taking the L Bus to the Northside station. The social atmosphere here is really stilmulating. I had several thought provoking converstaions about politics and bicycle travel. The rooms are refreshingly unusual. There was a child's stuffed rocking horse and an upholstered chez lounge in mine. However, during the middle of the day, the noise pollution from Palm Drive is fierce, and the hostel is not as close to the Everglades as the name would lead you to believe. The national park is over ten miles away. Although management discourages this, a good, environmentally-conscious trip to the park is to ride a bicycle direcly from the hostel to the park (1.5 hrs.), not to allow the hostel to drive you and the bike to the park like a taxi and then pick you up again later. Althoguh they don't charge much money for the taxi service, its environmentally-damagaing and unneccessary. The beds are very good, with sturdy wooden frames and new, thick mattresses. The management is friendly and helpful. Overall, I really liked staying here and would do so again.

A truly unique and fun hostel that is convenient to the Everglades National Park. The canoe tours and canoe rentals are a terrific bargain. Our private room was very clean and whimsically decorated. The lovely gardens are wonderful to relax in and are very condusive to mingling with other guests. Our only disappointment was that the staff seemed a little aloof with us.