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Please see Anchorage for other available Anchorage hostels and accommodations.
Please see Anchorage for other available Anchorage hostels and accommodations.
The Hostelz.com Review
It is an easy walk to the hostel from the bus stop or a short taxi from the train station. The local free maps, make it easy to show you how to get to the right stree. The location of this hostel is great, however, that is about the only postive. This hostel lost is lustre a long-time ago and it doesn't take long to work out that its Hostel International membership has long since expired.
While some staff may let you leave your bags at the hostel during the midday curfew, other more temperamental staff may not. The curfew also creates other problems in the morning, as if you need to leave before 8am, you can not access the kitchen or any food you have stored in there. Another semi-common problem with the curfew is you may have people trying to climb in your window in the wee hours as they can't get into their room.
The dorm rooms aren't very clean, there are no lockers and no locks on the doors. Some rooms do not even have a door knob. There are usually 3-4 bunk beds to each room. If you do stay here, make sure you bring your own clean linen. It is also quite common for the toilets to be blocked.
Anchorage International Hostel also rents out rooms to couples, in a small house nearby. This house is more secure with all rooms having locks. The house has a clean toilet, kitchen, lounge and no curfew. The rooms are small and if you have a room up the steep stairs, you may hit your head on the roof if you are over 5 foot 6. Overall, the location was great but the hostel was very grotty, annoying with its curfews and there are other hostels in Anchorage with better reputations. If you do have to stay here, the house is a better option though they won't let you check in till after the midday curfew.
While some staff may let you leave your bags at the hostel during the midday curfew, other more temperamental staff may not. The curfew also creates other problems in the morning, as if you need to leave before 8am, you can not access the kitchen or any food you have stored in there. Another semi-common problem with the curfew is you may have people trying to climb in your window in the wee hours as they can't get into their room.
The dorm rooms aren't very clean, there are no lockers and no locks on the doors. Some rooms do not even have a door knob. There are usually 3-4 bunk beds to each room. If you do stay here, make sure you bring your own clean linen. It is also quite common for the toilets to be blocked.
Anchorage International Hostel also rents out rooms to couples, in a small house nearby. This house is more secure with all rooms having locks. The house has a clean toilet, kitchen, lounge and no curfew. The rooms are small and if you have a room up the steep stairs, you may hit your head on the roof if you are over 5 foot 6. Overall, the location was great but the hostel was very grotty, annoying with its curfews and there are other hostels in Anchorage with better reputations. If you do have to stay here, the house is a better option though they won't let you check in till after the midday curfew.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
January 2006
Their Description
Anchorage International Hostel - Downtown Details
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Map
Location/Contact| Address | 700 H Street, Anchorage (Downtown), Alaska, USA |
| Location | |
| Website | www.anchorageinternationalhostel.org |
| Telephone | +1 (907) 276-3635 |
| Fax | +1 (907) 276-7772 |
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Hostelz.com Guest Reviews
InDoor Camping at the Zoo We need money says it all! The hostel is older and needs work, but this isn't bound to happen anytime soon because the board members are stingy with every dollar that comes into the hostel. The board members (Pat McGee and Walt) would rather put the money into their own pockets than put it into improving the 30 year old hostel. Non-profit organization? Maybe 20 years ago. The board members are much more interested in making bedspreads out of old hospital curtains than heating the place or treating it for bedbugs or putting in new windows. The two guys running the front desk and everything else in between, are doing the best they can with the constant micromanaging from the board members so give them a break if you have to a wait a few extra minutes to check in or you have a question. And if you see a tall guy with glasses named Michael at the front desk, pay no attention to him, he claims he "runs the place", but in actuality he just runs away from the hostel every three months and then comes back claiming he is still the manager. Beware he likes to get high on his pills and then wander the hostel in a zombie like state, pleasant. Any other staff or guest would be told to leave immediately, but not Michael, he is the best thing that happened to the hostel according to the board members even though he constantly kicks guests out because he does not like them and fires employees and volunteers with no regard to the business. The mandatory evening curfew is a must do to the Anchorage chronic inebriates who wander the streets at night. The daytime curfew is nothing to whine about if you want a clean place to stay. Suck it up because you are only out of your rooms for a few hours. So if you stay the night hope the zombie isn't around or any of the other loony tune board members that will ask you 1000 questions. — Anonymous (2011-01-27) Frightening. Omg, this place is worse than a shelter. Totally disgusting and unsafe. I think the staff came from a mental ward. No exaggeration. The police are here several times a week and the owner is here at the moment meeting with his employees trying to think up ways to compete with other hostels. here's my first suggestion, locking doors would be super. — Anonymous (2010-11-17) Worked well for me I've stayed here three times, and while it's far from my favorite hostel, I sure wouldn't deter someone from considering staying here. I found the bedroom adequate, plenty of storage space in well stocked kitchen, most of all you can't beat the location for getting around. The main transit station is a block away. My one gripe is that they lock the women's floor, so any time you want to go to your room during accessible hours, you have to get one of the employees to go up and unlock the outer door. This was a pain in the butt, and one time took me quite awhile to find an employee. As I understand it, the guys floor doesn't have to do this. So I find that sexist, though some would say they're trying to keep us safe. — Mary , USA (2008-04-18) Stayed here on my first ever trip to Alaska in August 2006. The best thing going for this hostel is the downtown location. Otherwise the place is noisy as grand central station due to the tour buses all night picking up and dropping folks at the big hotel next door. The sanitation trucks are next, waking one up at 3 or 4 in the morning. Then the birds get in on the act about 5 screeching and hollering the rest of the time. The staff was ok -- sometimes helpful, sometimes not. The lockout time is a big turnoff. The way they have it set up you only get to be in the place for a few hours. Also the lack of security leaves a lot to be desired. Now that I know my way around I will choose a different place next time. — Experienced Traveler (2006-12-17) Stayed in this hostel twice while passing through Anchorage. The first time in a private room in the separate house, which was clean, tidy, and ok. The second time in a private room in the hostel -- not ok. The place was filthy and stank. The bathroom had no lock on the door, and was putrid. Very creepy atmosphere, I did not feel safe at all. — Pod (2006-09-21) Even if no longer affiliated with HI -- this hostel does have curfew at one a.m. and lockout from nine a.m. to 5 p.m. -- arriving at 6:45 p.m. the staff was already on break. No blanket provided if not requested. Tiny dorm -- I stayed in six-bed female dorm with no space for luggage and four lockers for six beds. Showers cannot be used after 11 p.m. but nothing is told about the early morning birds. If you go out for smoke in the middle of the night, jetlagged as I was, better block the door with your pack of cigarettes or you will be out until 7 a.m. Found it really ugly and the common room remains empty even if hostel fully booked
Only stay there if you have to -- like it is a pick up spot for the Alaska Direct Bus and the Alaska Shuttle. unless that -- find another one! — Agnes (2006-08-18) This is the worst hostel I have ever seen -- the guy on the reception was extremely aggressive and very unhelpful. Rooms were also unclean -- check before you pay as I did! — Tim (2006-07-15) I stayed at this hostel for three nights during my three-week visit to Alaska in the summer of '04. I chose to stay there because of the location, within walking distance to bus terminal and train station and all the shops and restaurants nearby.The price was not too bad, about $21 per night. But it lacks of security of the property. I saw some homeless people actually took afternoon nap in my room and left before others came back. There was no lock so everyone from the street could easily get in and do whatever they want. I probably will look for other places to stay if I return to Alaska. — Floridasun (2006-04-13) I haven't stayed at this hostel BUT I am a flight attendant who has visited it during a layover. (I tend to do that to get a feel for the place and to know if I want to return). This place is not a hostel I want to return to, unless absolutely necessary. It's located in downtown Anchorage, which is all it has going for it... location. The staff has never been helpful during any of my visits (I stop in for information or to pick up brochures.), if they are there at all. Also, the security is questionable. Anchorage has a lot of homeless and questionable-looking people wandering its streets. — Inasuitcase (2004-02-14) The best thing about this hostel is the location and transit connections: it's in downtown Anchorage, only a few blocks from the train station, and the Parks Highway Express buses to Fairbanks and Denali stop right outside the door. If you're in Anchorage for a night and moving on in the morning, this place is a godsend. However, it's also got a long lockout, thin walls, an institutional atmosphere, and unhelpful staff. Furthermore, the guests are locked OUT of the kitchen and common rooms at night (don't leave food in the kitchen if you plan to take an early bus out), while the dormitories, which are accessible by a separate outside staircase, aren't locked at all. This, of course, raises questions about whether the security arrangements are there to protect the guests or to protect the hostel FROM the guests. If you plan to stay in Anchorage for a few days, you'll probably be happier at one of the other hostels (e.g. the Spenard, which is nicer AND cheaper). — nlc (2003-06-10)