The Hostelz.com Review
HI - Fredericton International Hostel has a mixed reputation among reviewers on the internet but it is definitely one of the good ones.
The Location
It is in a very nice building and is at a great location -- very near the downtown area and also the University of New Brunswick. It is literally two blocks from the bus terminal (you just walk up Regent Street and the hostel is on your left) and one block from the farmers' market (Saturday mornings). If you want to go running, the "Greens" area is also relatively close with nice and clear trails that you can follow depending on your distance-need. There are parking spaces available right in front of the hostel.
Rooms and Bathrooms
They offer single rooms that are furnished very nicely with a table, a chair, a bedstand, an extra armchair, a chest of drawers, and a closet -- rare gems in the world of hostels. The rooms are clean and have good locks, so overall they give a very good impression.
Common Spaces
The atmosphere in the hostel is all right, though not extremely friendly. Check-in times seem to be taken seriously, but they were very nice enough to make an exception for us. No curfew in the hostel, checkout is at 11, and they allow you to store your luggage in the hostel. On the down side, there are huge common spaces for using your laptop, reading, or watching TV but not many people seem to be using those spaces. Also, the Wi-Fi connection is provided through the city's free Wi-Fi system (Fred-e) and can only be used in certain parts of the building, which is not as user-friendly. The worst thing is that the signal strength is very low, so the connection keeps getting disrupted, making it rather difficult to have a Skype conversation, download stuff, or simply work.
The building itself is quite old but its condition, though not modern, is totally ok. The bathrooms are comfortable, large, and clean. There are several floors, and, we have to admit that, on most floors, there is a strange smell. The ground floor kitchen is actually hard to stay in. The usual "free stuff" stash is very thin and there is no recycling. They provide clean bed linens, but no towels. Maps and leaflets about the city and the greater area are available.
Summary
Overall this is a nice, clean, good hostel with few faults, but no superlatives here.
The Location
It is in a very nice building and is at a great location -- very near the downtown area and also the University of New Brunswick. It is literally two blocks from the bus terminal (you just walk up Regent Street and the hostel is on your left) and one block from the farmers' market (Saturday mornings). If you want to go running, the "Greens" area is also relatively close with nice and clear trails that you can follow depending on your distance-need. There are parking spaces available right in front of the hostel.
Rooms and Bathrooms
They offer single rooms that are furnished very nicely with a table, a chair, a bedstand, an extra armchair, a chest of drawers, and a closet -- rare gems in the world of hostels. The rooms are clean and have good locks, so overall they give a very good impression.
Common Spaces
The atmosphere in the hostel is all right, though not extremely friendly. Check-in times seem to be taken seriously, but they were very nice enough to make an exception for us. No curfew in the hostel, checkout is at 11, and they allow you to store your luggage in the hostel. On the down side, there are huge common spaces for using your laptop, reading, or watching TV but not many people seem to be using those spaces. Also, the Wi-Fi connection is provided through the city's free Wi-Fi system (Fred-e) and can only be used in certain parts of the building, which is not as user-friendly. The worst thing is that the signal strength is very low, so the connection keeps getting disrupted, making it rather difficult to have a Skype conversation, download stuff, or simply work.
The building itself is quite old but its condition, though not modern, is totally ok. The bathrooms are comfortable, large, and clean. There are several floors, and, we have to admit that, on most floors, there is a strange smell. The ground floor kitchen is actually hard to stay in. The usual "free stuff" stash is very thin and there is no recycling. They provide clean bed linens, but no towels. Maps and leaflets about the city and the greater area are available.
Summary
Overall this is a nice, clean, good hostel with few faults, but no superlatives here.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
October 2009
Their Description
HI Fredericton DetailsDetails
Checkout: 11:00 (11 AM)
Curfew: No Curfew
Lockout: No
Maximum Stay: Unlimited
Minimum Stay: 1 night
Open Dates: All Year
Size: Small (less than 30 beds)
Reception Hours: 8 am - Noon and 6 pm - 10 pm everyday
Free Amenities
Luggage Storage Parking Bedsheets Towels Wi-Fi in LobbyOther Features
Smoke-free Concierge / Info Desk Guest Kitchen Laundry Lounge Area TVNot Offered
Credit Card Payments Wheelchair AccessibleNot Allowed
Service Animals
Map Location/ContactHow is HI Fredericton rated on other websites?
Hostelz.com Guest Reviews
Awesome place to stay I've stayed at the hostel for a few nights and I had an awesome time. Well-equipped kitchen and very comfortable common rooms. The rooms itself are clean and fully furnished, a little bit old-fashioned, but that's just typical for the Maritimes. The staff is awesome, available 24/7, very helpful and always up to date of what is going on. They take you to all kinds of events downtown or on campus, so that it's really easy to get to know new people. The location is perfect, 15 minutes to campus and just 2 minutes to downtown Fredericton with all its pubs, clubs and restaurants, there is also a river with beautiful trails for biking and hiking. Don't miss the Farmer's market and a night at the Tannery district with live music. "Freddy" isn't huge but a very cute place, something is always going on. I became fond of it very quickly. I can highly recommend this place, no matter whether you are only planning to stay for a few nights or for long-time (insider tip for students: to stay at the hostel is way cheaper and comfortable than staying at a university residence and you get to see a lot more!) — Lena, Germany (2010-02-22) Try to avoid this place! I stayed in this hostel for one night and I would not recommend it to anyone. It is dark, old, rundown, smelly, and terrible. I really cannot believe that they are HI. HI needs to inspect them (without advance notice) and take away the membership. You stay in a private room, which sounds nice but because everything is so rundown it is not nice. There are a lot of long-term guests and it are strange and weird persons. For hostelers they have a separate kitchen (smelled to garbage) and living room. You have to lock the kitchen always, the same for you own room and the front door. It does not give you a safe feeling at all, so even in my private room I did not feel safe at all, especially because of all the weird persons and having to lock everything. During the night I even blocked my door with a chair to reassure myself a bit more. Avoid this place if possible! — Carola, Netherlands (2009-08-24) Somewhat dirty, smelled of garbage, still ok for the money I stayed in this hostel for one night during the summer of 2008. The hostel is huge and looks ok from the outside. There is free parking right by the hostel and the hostel is situated very close to downtown. As we walked up to hostel, we noted a few middle-aged guys sitting outside around a table smoking cigarettes. They looked a little beat up by life. Entering the hostel, we were somewhat brusquely greeted by the desk staff. He seemed to be annoyed to be working. He seemed a bit confused by our reservation, even though it was sitting there at his desk. He told us they only accept cash, so we had to walk to a bank. Walking to our room, the general atmosphere of the hostel was a bit dark. The halls smelled of rotting garbage and there was an aura of neglect to the paint. The room we were assigned was generally clean, but dingy. That evening we gathered in one of the common rooms and met some other folks who were staying there. Apparently some students from the nearby university stay there all year long. That might explain some of the decor we noticed (e.g. posters of "muscle cars" on the wall). We never felt in danger there and in the morning the hostel staff was more friendly. Still, a hostel is generally a charming and uplifting experience. This place was certainly neither charming nor uplifting, but it certainly sufficed as a place to sleep for a night as you pass through. As a side note, the hostel seems so well located that it could be turned into a really interesting good hostel with a little work. I hope this happens. — a traveler, USA (2008-08-26) Awful. Dirty, very old furniture and absolutely no charm at all. Very noisy all night, and the large creepy old building made me very uncomfortable. Felt like staying in a disused prison or lunatic asylum from the 1800s. Booked for two nights, 'slept' for one with the lights on, got up at the break of dawn and left as fast as I could. I can't believe this place has a HI associaton. The worst place I have stayed in anywhere in the world in several years of travelling. Avoid at all costs. — A traveller (2006-10-05) I stayed at this hostel a few weeks ago and loved it! Our room was gigantic (though I don't know if all the rooms are the same size) and the hostel was incredibly quiet at night and in the evening. Perhaps it wasn't as well organized as some of the other hostels I've been to... but the location is great and George, one of the owners, is the friendliest guy you'll ever meet! — Isa (2006-09-16) I've stayed here twice and think it's a really good price for being right in the center of Fredericton — a short walk from the river, historic sites, shops, restaurants, etc. It's near a bus line to UNB and only a couple of short blocks from the SMT bus station.
Fredericton is not a very noisy or bustling city, and is really quite small in comparison to most. But if you're looking to relax and enjoy a bit of New Brunswick history and culture (there's at least one decent pub within walking distance of the hostel) it's really a nice place to spend a day or two. — David E. Curtis (2005-08-04) This hostel sucks. Many kids live there and they always make noise and it's very loud. It's so annoying. And the kitchen is quite big but totally useless. There is no kitchen stuff like pans, kettles, or knives. I'll never stay there. — Shu (2005-04-13)