The HI Campbellton Lighthouse Hostel is a must for anyone planning a stay in Campbellton or, more likely, planning to pass through Campbellton en route to Quebec or southern New Brunswick. The hostel is easy to find because it's right beside the Tourism Information Centre -- which in turn is easy to find, standing as it is next to Sam, the World's Largest Salmon. If in doubt, just look for the lighthouse, because that's where you'll be staying! Sleeping in a lighthouse by Chaleur Bay is about the best deal you can possibly get in the Maritimes -- and probably anywhere else, for that matter.
The atmosphere is casual and laid-back -- no locks on the room doors and no formal bed assignments. After checking in, you're handed a piece of green construction paper to tuck into the plastic envelope on the bed of your choosing, so the staff knows which sheets to change when you leave. Relatively small -- it's in a lighthouse, after all -- the hostel only has two rooms, one for girls and one for guys. The beds are the largest and most comfortable we've encountered yet in eastern Canada, and the un-institutional bedding makes you feel at home -- more like a sleepover than a stay in a hostel. The fact that there's only one bathroom for each room could cause problems when the hostel is full, but at least the bathrooms they have are clean and newly-renovated.
City-slickers might get uppity about just how laid-back this hostel is. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a sign saying the lone staff member was out getting dinner, and once we got in it took about ten minutes for a credit card transaction. An evening here is likely spent watching random DVDs with your fellow hostellers ("I don't know where we got them from," the front desk guy told us. "People just come by and drop off their old videos here."). The closest thing to nightlife we witnessed was a motorcycle rally in the empty lot next door. All in all, however, the Campbellton Lighthouse Hostel makes for a great place to relax, unwind, and brag to your friends forevermore that you got to sleep in a lighthouse.
-- Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
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