Ketchikan Hostel

Different
It's really kinda odd. I stayed here for a couple nights last summer basically because it's Ketchikan and there aren't too many options! The whole thing is set up very odd. Went in and wondered around for a good fifteen minutes before finding an elderly woman who worked there who was very friendly. It is clean enough, and was manageable but, the dorm felt more like a storage room with lots of miscellaneous church stuff. The lockout sucks because well, it rains a lot in Ketchikan and one can only wander through the downtown area so much -- come to think of it, I don't know what you would do with your time at the hostel if it didn't have a lockout! Anyway, it's doable for a couple of days -- just a different type of hostel.

Weird
I entered the place, which is the backside of a church and there was no one in there. Very few lights, no voice, and only signs stating guest kitchen, woman dorm, men dorm, pointing downstairs and upstairs. Reception was pointed to be downstairs but I didn't even give them a try. When staying in hostel, this is obviously to meet other travelers and the place looked so quiet that there was probably no one staying this night. This place looked really weird. Due to lockout time, they are only open a few hours a day and should improve the outside sign and the reception to be on ground floor because arriving late afternoon by mid-August 2006, the place looks really dark and unfriendly. Maybe the place itself is worth the value and I should be more ambitious in trying it next time.

I worked here for six weeks as a hostel manager. I had an absolute ball! I met really cool and wonderful people, and ate crab and fresh fish constantly. The weather was fabulous most of the time. Because the hostel is located in a church, "shady" folks seem to shy away from staying here, so it remains a warm and welcoming place for adults and children alike. (And though you may be politely asked, no one makes anyone go to church) The hostel is clean and the church folks loved to visit, always bringing tons of cookies and homemade treats for the hostelers. I found there to be more American than international hostelers. Most say they always wanted to visit Alaska. Working here was one of the best experiences I had of hosteling in my life. I definitely would recommend this hostel (especially considering the "not so wonderful" hostel alternatives in the area). The only thing I did not like is that the premises close during the day. It makes it a bit easier to clean when no one is around, but I felt badly when poor little hostelers were kicked out from 10 a. m. to 5 p.m. on days when it rained. :(