The Huckleberry Finn Youth Hostel

An Adventure
This is an old-style hostel in every sense. The beds are rickety, the paint is peeling, the whole place smells faintly of cats, and there are holes in the floor you could lose your watch down. All of this goes some way to explaining the bad reviews. If you weren't used to hostels and you hadn't been told what to expect, you might well wonder what on earth you had walked into. The owner, Tom, is one of the loveliest people you'll meet on your travels. He believes in what he's doing -- at $20/night, he couldn't possibly be in it for the money. True, he's got a lot of junk stored in some of the rooms, but it's interesting junk. If you're the kind of person who enjoys rummaging around in yard sales, it's a treasure trove -- books and magazines from the sixties, out of commission vending machines, pictures of Marylin Monroe. In an age of conformity, this is a little spot of bohemia the developers didn't get to yet. A couple of other points. The neighbourhood immediately to the east of the hostel, Soulard, is lively and fun, with at least three or four places offering live music. It's a big city, so obviously you should be careful wandering around late at night, but it didn't strike me as a particularly dangerous place to stay. To get downtown, take the 59 Metrobus, which stops about twenty yards from the hostel (ask the staff to show you a timetable). If you visit during the winter or early spring, find out about the heating situation. The furnace is often turned down to save money, so the dorms can get chilly. I was cold, unpleasantly so, on my first night, but after talking to Tom, I moved to a different dorm where the heat was turned up, and spent a much more pleasant second night there. To sum up then -- this place is an adventure. If that's what you're looking for -- and you're not too bothered about creaky beds, cats and none-too-private bathrooms -- you'll have a great time, save a bunch of money and give the place five stars in your review. If you're rather more attached to your creature comforts, it might be worth digging deep and paying for a hotel, otherwise you risk joining the one star crowd. As for me, three stars. It's probably obvious where my sympathies lie, but I still have the odd reservation. The worn edges are, of course, part of the charm, but I think that Tom himself would agree that there are things that could be done -- better insulation, more information about the city, slightly more substantial beds -- that would improve the place for everyone without losing much in terms of quirkiness. I passed some of that on to him before I left, and since I know he's the kind of guy to take constructive criticism seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if some of those things get acted upon. It seems like the long-termer problem from a couple of years ago has been pretty much dealt with now, which is also a positive sign. I'll be back soon to find out how things are going.

St. Louis is a beautiful city, and this is a great portal for a visit.
I stayed here in August 2007 for three nights. Very comfortable, convenient, clean, and friendly ambiance. The neighborhood is lively, interesting, and safe. There are restaurants, bars, and a good market nearby. It's a good location for getting around the city by car or on local transit bus. I will definitely return.

I stayed at this hostel for two days. The room is quite old but has good showers. The toilets are not so private -- the door is that swinging door you see in the wild west. I did meet a few international travelers and had a good time. There are also many bars walking distance away. Downside was that the room smelled strange -- lack of ventilation, if you ask me. There were a few "old timers" hanging around, but not the bad sort. Overall, it is ok.

I've stayed in a few hostels, mostly many years ago (late sixties, early seventies) and this one compares well especially for those who, like myself, are lamenting the demise of authenticity as the world is increasingly disney-fied. the neighborhood has largely maintained its aging character despite the constant threat of greedy developers. the owner/managers are people of principle and integrity.

If you are going to hostel it somewhere like St. Louis then it may as well be here! I recently did a road trip from Chicago to San Fran with a mate and we stayed here for one night. We just rocked up and got two beds in a room with a mixed bunch. It really is a strange place and that is its charm. I love the creaky shabby style of the joint. Some of the other roommates are also a bit weird but that just adds to it. The room we had felt like the front of a shop, with a strange locker area and showers that have weird and quite cool plasticky metal from the '50s or something. It is so deteriorated yet functional -- it really is worth staying in. The people that run the joint are very friendly. If you want a taste of what America really is all about then have a look as this constitutes some part of it! The beds are dreadful and that is also part of what it is about so stop complaining everyone who is complaining! This place has character and makes you wonder how other people live their lives out. Coming into a creaky room full of crack pots in the dark and trying not to giggle is always funny at night too.

I have only stayed in a few hostels in my life and I am forty-plus years old, so I might not exactly be in the target market of a place like the Huck Finn, but I did stay there briefly recently and thought I could add a thing or two. First of all, you need to look for a small white gate between the building with the sign saying Huck Finn Hostel and the building to the south of it. Apparently you go through that little gate, down the gap between these two buildings to get to the office which is not visible from the street and is in the side of the south building down the narrow gap. My train was late getting in and the extremely nice young woman was helpful, if just a little difficult to understand over the phone accent-wise, in guiding me to the Hostel and getting me checked in around 11:30 p.m. I was nervous about this as I had called a week or so earlier to confirm my reservation and whoever answered the phone, did not identify himself in any way, sounded deeply offended that I had done such a thing, said he couldn't find the reservation book, and generally put across a tone that he would just as soon I jump in a lake as stay at the Hostel (may have caught him at a bad time). Once there, I agreed with some of the other posters that this place is none too clean. I am not too picky about such stuff, so I was not bothered by it. The bunk bed I slept in, however, was a cross between a bed and a hammock -- not a very comfortable combination. There was plenty of hot water but then there was almost nobody else there. I did not meet any "long-termers." I am a little surprised to hear the area lauded as much as some others have. I was only there briefly and could not get into the "life" of the place at all, but it looked like an pretty run-down area of town from the casual glance I could give it. I definitely did not feel safe walking through it at 3a.m. to catch an early departing train, but there are few American cities it would not be a lot wiser to spend the money on a taxi at that time of night (taxi was about $8 from the Amtrak station). Having said that, I had zero problems on that walk or at any other time during my stay. I definitely would stay here again. I definitely would not have high expectations for the facilities. I might sleep on a mat on the floor.

I stayed here in October 2006, I came down from Chicago with some guys i'd met there, unlike them i didn't have a reservation but that wasn't a problem, we stayed for four nights. whilst its not five star hotel it is nice and homey and most of the other guests were friendly and sociable. the staff were fantastic people, even kind enough to lend me some socks when i revealed i'd ran out. a week or so after i left the FBI said St. Louis was the most dangerous city in the U.S. but the immediate area around the hostel is a nice little area full of very friendly bars and cafes.

First of all, this place wasn't clean, so if you're used to travelodge and classy hotels don't bother, unless you want to try something new, but if you like hostels and are backpacking, this place is an experience. The staff were some of the nicest people I've ever met, they invited me to a dinner in a nearby house where I was great and fed for free, two people had just moved in. The staff told me where everything was, what to do how to get there, to to save money. The hostel was right next to a bus stop and bars, and restaurants -- a great coffee shop which often holds events. The people in this area were great and I got talking to so many of them. The area the hostel has a bad reputation but keep common sense with you and you'll be more than fine. Stay here, it's the only place I've given five stars out of so far ten reviews. I also love playing the out of tune piano in the common room, it sounds so badly good. Enjoy this place and take in the atmosphere. Oh and the beds were comfy. And you might see a mouse in the kitchen which I called Mrs. Louis, say hi for me.

I stopped to stay a night at the Huck Finn Hostel by chance. I'd been riding my motorcycle to Argentina from Canada with a so-called friend. He was in such a hurry to get to Argentina (hardly the reason for the journey I thought) that one morning he left our ghastly neon-lit interstate motel without even saying he was going. After standing about for an hour and a half trying to take in the fact that he had just left like that, I rode to St Louis and to the Huck Finn Hostel. Tom, the owner made me welcome right away, was calm and understanding (I was pretty strung out inside) and offered to show me round St Louis. It was just the place I needed to wind up. The staff are great people, the other hostelers too on the whole. And its in a great location in the historic Soulard district of St Louis, there are bars and an excellent cafe just a couple of blocks away. I liked it there so much I ended up staying for nine days. If you're passing that way you'd do well to stay at the Huck Finn Hostel.

This was possibly the most amazing travel experience I have ever had, and the staff at the Huck Finn hostel were a huge part of it. The facility is kitschy and homey -- not luxurious, but more than adequate. The kittens are adorable. The staff are very friendly and accommodating (I was offered a ride to the train station for my own safety!). If you go to St. Louis, definitely stay here, as you will be missing a fantastic oppurtunity to meet some great people (the great baristas at the coffee house, the other women in the dorm, the staff) and see a really interesting facet of urban life in St. Louis! You guys rock.

I really don't understand the bad comments about this hostel. The neighborhood of Soulard is wonderful, active, and full of history. Then the cleanliness has nothing in common with what I read on this page. I didn't see any roach, I had a shower without problem, and the linens were clean. Perhaps the hostel made some restoration, I don't know. Of course, it's not a five stars hotel but for $20 a night, it's a good spot to stay. Perhaps the best place to stay if you're a young traveler like me who can't afford to stay in hotel. Moreover, the girl at the reception was really nice and helpful, she gave me many information about what to visit and which bus to take. Finally, I think that the best thing to do is to go in this hostel one night to see what it's like. I was very scared about the description so I hesitated to go there. But finally, I was really, really happy to spend three nights there.

I was lucky to have discovered the Huckleberry Finn Youth Hostel on the Internet google search. There is no internet reservation, but the very friendly Ms. Rebecca answers the phone call ((314) 241-0076) and confirms the reservation in minutes and holds the reservation till your show up time. All they ask is that if you are not taking the accommodation, to let them know on time so that some one else can benefit the accommodation for the night. It is only two miles from downtown St. Louis and buses 30 and 40 take you to seventh street in Soullard and the hostel is at Twelfth Street. The place is a very friendly one with rebecca and Mr. Thomas going out of the way to make your stay comfortable. When they could not fix the airconditioner on the first day, they immediately gave me a discount of 66% for the days rent! The independent room I got was very spacious and had a bedroom, a kitchen and dining area, and sitting room in addition to an attached bath. I would recommend this place to anyone visiting St. Louis.

I've used the Huck Finn on several occasions -- it's easy to reach by city bus or even a reasonable walk from downtown so it's viable alternative to any of the higher priced downtown hotels. From Greyhound long walk -- take the bus. Hostelling is a shared experience and this hostel is no longer a part of the HI system -- thus not listed -- it's still a low cost dorm style place to stay. I've needed help from the manager in arranging for after hours arrival and they've always been good about that. Not the best, not the worst place I've stayed and frankly with hostels so rare in the Midwest I'm glad Missouri has at least one such accommodation. Sure it could be in a better building and in better shape. On my last stay I met a young guy -- shared the west room with him -- who had an interesting story and take on his life -- I came away with a better appreciation for how people cope with difficult situations and I learned from him. That is the essence of hostelling -- the people part of it. And he wasn't a long termer -- well read man in transition and the Huck Finn was there when he needed it. Thanks indeed to the owners for keeping the doors open -- someday the Gateway Council will likely establish a new and spiffier hostel and that'll be welcome. The Huck Finn continues the tradition even if some aspects aren't to the taste of everyone. Heck if I could I'd stay in the Union Station Hotel everytime I'm in St. Louis -- but I can't. If there were a two and a half star choice -- I'd use that category.

Reply from the Hostel: It certainly is humbling reading the comments from you all. My wife and I have been welcoming you travellers for over 30 years now and for the most part it has been wonderful. When we first opened in 1976 our daughter was a newborn. She is now 31 and recently married. We have raised our two children at the same time as we were running the Huck Finn Hostel. In fact, when our son was learning how to talk his first word was "Mommy", his second was "Daddy" and his third was "Hosteler"! It might be helpful to you who might visit us to understand that our Hostel does take in long term guests during the winter months, when there are very few backpackers. We do this for a good reason, to help us pay the heat bills and to allow us to stay open during the long cold winters. They are always a problem, as they tend to spread out their things over several bunks, become territorial about the area they are in and can be very controling. On top of these undesirable qualities, they tend to be very nice to us, making us feel that they are looking out for us and our place, when actually the reverse is the truth. During the winter of 2004 we had a real crop of long term-ers. Two older women, both two faced, maybe even psycytsophrenic (sp) and two older men looking for work. While I was around, they were very friendly and sweet, but when I had to leave town even for less than a day they would act up in ways that adversely affected the "Friendly, welcoming atmosphere" that we try to foster here. I was very busy renovating several buildings next door, and was slow to pick up on all of these "inter-hosteler dynamics", sorry to say. Part of the workings of a Hostel, we believe, is: "When you have a problem, with another Hosteler, work it out yourself, if possible". We were saying that quite a lot that winter, now that I look back on it, and to be honest, the situation got away from us a bit at the time. Thus the comments about long termers refer to a few months during a slow winter two years ago. We have a "no long term" policy now in effect. The rule of thumb is this: "If you are a 'problem hosteler' one night stay is one night too many"; "If you are a wonderful hosteler, you can not stay long enough". In any shared accomodation one "bad apple" really does spoil it for everyone else. On the other hand, a small group of experienced travelers with appropriate expectations can turn any Hostel into a positive life changing experience. It is our job to provide the PLACE for the "Hostelling Experience" to occur. We can not force it to happen. THAT is for YOU to do. Suggestion: Stop being so critical and make some friends, have some good discussions, clean up some dishes, fold a few blankets. We have given 30 years of our lives to you. Would it be too much to ask for you to give us a few MINUTES of your time to help us. Really you are helping the next traveller down the line. In the Hostelling World "what goes around" really does "come around". I have been doing this long enough to know that any decent hostel manager will have to evict, eject, or otherwise ask some inappropriate hosteler to please move on once in a while. In such cases, that person is likely to be offended or angry. They may complain, write a nasty comment, even try to strike back at the hostel manager. It is a testiment to a hostel manager's skill when he or she can move that person on his or her way with a smile on his or her face. Too often there are angry words exchanged and the parting is not so friendly. Such is the life of the "Hostel Manager". Abe Lincoln (who hailed from just across the river from us here in St. Louis) said it best when he said that "You can please some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you can NEVER please ALL of the people All of the time. We host between two and three thousand travelers every year. Many of them are pleased. Some are not. Isn't life great? Thanks for listening. Come visit us and we can fold a few blankets together. I will even charge you for the privilege. Mark Twain would understand. Enjoy your travels and send us your comments, you hard to please travelers, you. If you let us know how you feel BEFORE you leave us, you will be doing your fellow travelers a favor. We might just address some issue you raise before they arrive. It could happen...

In all my travels to St. Louis I've stayed at the Huck Finn hostel. The owner is a swell guy and does try to have the place re-arranged. Since you can get close to downtown St. Louis with public transit, it is, my spot to sleep in St. Louis. I found out that when you're away from home, hostels are not your home away from home, as you tend to do lots of sightseeing and visiting things in St. Louis! And since finding a similar spot in the main St. Louis area is very tough (and the rates are way higher), the Huck Finn for the meantime is, the place to get a good night's sleep when in the Gateway City!