Online booking is not offered for this Hostel. Contact them for availability and reservations (any contact info we have is listed below).
Please see Forks for other available Forks hostels and accommodations.
Please see Forks for other available Forks hostels and accommodations.
The Hostelz.com Review
Rainforest Hostel is a private home with hostel beds available.
The Location
This hostel is located on a main highway and a car is necessary to get around as there is no public transportation in the area. The location is beautiful but not convenient for those without a vehicle. The town of Forks is not within walking distance -- it is located approximately twenty-five miles north of the Rainforest Hostel. There is plenty of parking in the hostel driveway. There is an RV Park within two miles that has a gas station with a minimal amount of convenience supplies for sale.
Rooms and Bathrooms
This hostel has two rooms for guests -- one is the women's room with three bunk bed sets and the other room for men contains one full-size bed. The men's room is probably also used as a private room since it contains a full-size bed. You have to rent the sheets. There are no lockers and the rooms do not lock. There is plenty of room for changing in the bedrooms.
The bathroom has a shower and the conditions are ok, but there is some mold in the shower stall. Overall, this is not a very clean facility.
Common Spaces
There is no TV. The living room has two sofas as well as one computer station that is rented by the minute for internet users. The kitchen is shared with the regular facilities. There is also a small dining table for guests to use. There is no laundry facility, pay phone, or wireless internet.
Summary
In addition to the reasonable room rate, each guest must complete a household chore the following morning. Check-out time is 11 a.m. In order to access the hostel, guests must check in for the evening by 9:30 p.m. Guests are not given keys to entrance and the bedrooms don't lock. We do not recommend this hostel for someone that has allergies as the level of cleanliness is not high. There is a musty smell in the bedroom and the place just seems dirtier than normal.
Also, the owner likes to talk politics and we do not think that is a good way to do business. If opinions differ on politics, that can cause an argument. Our opinions on politics happened to differ from the owners -- we did not argue over them, but it is not the best subject to communicate in a business setting.
The Location
This hostel is located on a main highway and a car is necessary to get around as there is no public transportation in the area. The location is beautiful but not convenient for those without a vehicle. The town of Forks is not within walking distance -- it is located approximately twenty-five miles north of the Rainforest Hostel. There is plenty of parking in the hostel driveway. There is an RV Park within two miles that has a gas station with a minimal amount of convenience supplies for sale.
Rooms and Bathrooms
This hostel has two rooms for guests -- one is the women's room with three bunk bed sets and the other room for men contains one full-size bed. The men's room is probably also used as a private room since it contains a full-size bed. You have to rent the sheets. There are no lockers and the rooms do not lock. There is plenty of room for changing in the bedrooms.
The bathroom has a shower and the conditions are ok, but there is some mold in the shower stall. Overall, this is not a very clean facility.
Common Spaces
There is no TV. The living room has two sofas as well as one computer station that is rented by the minute for internet users. The kitchen is shared with the regular facilities. There is also a small dining table for guests to use. There is no laundry facility, pay phone, or wireless internet.
Summary
In addition to the reasonable room rate, each guest must complete a household chore the following morning. Check-out time is 11 a.m. In order to access the hostel, guests must check in for the evening by 9:30 p.m. Guests are not given keys to entrance and the bedrooms don't lock. We do not recommend this hostel for someone that has allergies as the level of cleanliness is not high. There is a musty smell in the bedroom and the place just seems dirtier than normal.
Also, the owner likes to talk politics and we do not think that is a good way to do business. If opinions differ on politics, that can cause an argument. Our opinions on politics happened to differ from the owners -- we did not argue over them, but it is not the best subject to communicate in a business setting.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
September 2007
Their Description
Rainforest Hostel Details
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Map
Location/Contact| Address | 169312 Highway 101, Forks (HOH Rainforest), Washington, USA |
| Location | look at the directions page of the website www.rainforesthostel.com |
| Website | www.rainforesthostel.com |
| Telephone | +1 (360) 374-2270 |
How is Rainforest Hostel rated on other websites?
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Hostelz.com Guest Reviews
Jim is a great guy I actually had a great time staying at this hostel. Ok, I would actually honestly give it four stars. Jim did not give me bad vibes. He made one comment about my Japanese heritage which I disagreed with, but I had just biked 120 miles that day with luggage and I did not take it badly because it was not said with ill intention. He let me know about the surrounding area and met up with me at the Native American drum circle in LaPush. I spent the evening drumming with him and the local tribal drummers. Jim is a spiritual person, and an elder to me so I don't judge him as a businessman or a peer. What did you expect from a lone guy who chooses to live out in the woods operating a hostel for $10 a night? Actually this is one of the best travel experiences I've ever had in America. I was so tired I did not find it exceedingly dirty. I had a tent but neglected to use it. I moved on to Oregon with a baileen pendant I received from the LaPush Natives and wonderful memories of this hostel. Not everybody is cut out for rough traveling. — Joji Kohjima , USA (2011-10-29) Definately bad ju ju I had planned to stay at this hostel 5 nights and spend 4 days exploring the area but I got a weird vibe off the rooms and the owner - that night as I slept I had nightmares and really bad dreams. they came out of nowhere as I never have bad dreams, and then in the morning when I was doing my chores -- moving mattresses around -- the owner confessed that the mattresses came from the local prison facility!! and seemed quite proud at the deal he got for them because he scored "all these mattresses" for free. no wonder I had bad dreams -- I was sleeping on a mattress that an actual prisoner has slept on and god knows what else on. Pretty filthy and creepy really. That and as I was moving mattresses I noticed all the dust, cobwebs, rat poo and general below public health regulation hygiene standard beds (not to mention they were also covered in the 'now suspicious' stains). I raced out of there as soon as I could on the first morning and found alternative accommodation in town, I did not feel safe there, and the remote location for people without a car makes you feel trapped. I cannot believe a place like this has been allowed to stay in business. I cannot get over this place -- it is creepy in so many ways, and the owner only adds to the creepiness. stay away people! — Kath , Australia (2011-07-01) I didn't make it inside Just happened to come upon this site but wanted to comment even though it is a year later. Last year myself and a friend spent the month of May traveling in the Olympic Peninsula. I had e-mailed once back and forth with Jim and he seemed rational. When you first pull into the drive and start moving toward the house and trailers you notice that there are about 15 cars. I found this comforting and thought we had chosen well. The house was a mess, Jim was a mess and after speaking with him for a few moments my response was, "I've seen this movie and I'm not willing to test how it ends in real life." We left went into town and for about 40 US dollars found a lovely place which was not by any means a resort but safe. A day later while we were hiking in the Hoh Rainforest, we went to leave and start our journey onward and we found a lovely shop. While talking with the owners we found that we were not been the first people there to have this experience with Jimbo at the Rainforest Hostel. Wish I would have seen this before then after hearing some of their travelers stories. — Amanda , Chicago, IL (2011-06-09) Disgusting! I stopped here with a friend intending to stay the night. After looking at the rooms, the kitchen, and the overall facilities, I left. It smelled bad, was unclean, and unbelievably cluttered. I have no quarrel with the owner sharing his political views, doing chores, the charge for the sheets, or for it being his home that he is sharing. But it was dirty and unkempt, and I do not want to share a home like that. This place did not deserve my respect. — Anonymous , U.S.A. (2010-08-17) Horrible Experience The reviews warning about the owner are correct. I too felt extremely uncomfortable around him and found him rude, intrusive, and even a little hostile towards me. The lodging itself is basic and alright for what it's worth. The owner is the main reason to avoid this hostel -- not hospitable at all and sometimes downright creepy. I would've been better off sleeping in my car. — Kevin , Chicago, IL (2010-07-19) Very Upsetting Experience -- BEWARE! First, understand that this is basically the owner's house, modified with a few bunk beds.You're basically staying at his house. In my experience, everything was going well, at first. Seemed like a great deal. Owner seemed nice. Had I left after a couple days, I'd probably have given a good review. Then he began acting strangely, aggressively, rudely, and unpredictably. I began feeling overwhelmingly uncomfortable because of him, and fled as soon as I got the chance -- even though it was pouring rain, with no bus service that day, and I had to hitch hike to get to another far away hostel. Probably the worst hostel experience of my life. Wish I'd read these reviews first!!! — David , USA (2010-02-17) Not up to hospitality standards While I was pleased to find an option for accommodation on the west side of the Olympic National Park at an affordable price, I'd much prefer to pay a bit more and know that I would staying in a clean and heated room. Unfortunately, this was not the case. The girl's dormitory consists of a converted barn/garage that gets quite cold at night, even in the summer. Meanwhile, the bathroom was moldy and the kitchen smelled of composting vegetables. Where I come from (Bavaria), we keep our compost outside in the garden. — Kristof , German (2009-08-22) Fun, and comfortable enough for a night or two I was nervous about staying at this place given how many dubious reviews it has. But actually my girlfriend and I found the place comfortable and fun. It's certainly very basic accommodation but I felt a welcoming atmosphere, it was clean and quiet, and there's a well-equipped kitchen. Not bad for 10 bucks a head. Note it's about twenty miles south of Forks, immediately off the 101. — Dave , USA (2009-05-26) Wish I had read the comments posted by others before sending my check to stay here. Upon arrival, I found the conditions so grimy, smelly, and deplorable, that I could not get out quick enough despite having prepaid in advance for the family room. I have stayed in hostels all over Europe and the U.S., and this was the first one that I found so disgusting that I refused to stay. I would give this a Sub-Zero star rating if this site allowed me to do so. Am shocked that Oregon puts up highway signs advertising this dump and that Hostels International allows their brand to be used in conjunction with it. Stay away! — Stephen Powers , USA (2008-08-20) Mouldy and hostile We were set up for camping, but one of us was not feeling well so we decided to stay at the Rainforest Hostel. The mould/mildew/damp in the place made that decision rather questionable -- it actually seemed like a health hazard to me. In addition, while I agree broadly with the host's politics and worldview (and I had no problem with doing the chore), I resented his lecturing us non-stop, including berating us and our life choices for basically having "sold out to the man." That is abusing your position as host -- if I want advice about my life choices I will ask for it, but at the age of forty-one, please don't assume I haven't thought long and hard about these things and don't lecture me like a child. It seems to me it's pretty easy to espouse communitarian values when you get to be king of your own domain, and the rules of hospitality demand that your guests remain polite. — Anon , USA (2007-08-29) I stayed here one night (too long) in the summer of 2002. Calling this a hostel is a wild exaggeration.This is a house with a bunch of bunk beds. There is one bathroom, one shower for the whole place. The entire place is in terrible repair and is grungy. My wife and I stayed one night of a planned two. This is by orders of magnitude the worst hostel I have ever had the displeasure of staying at. — Tom (2007-03-05) I stayed at the Rainforest Hostel on my first trip to the Pacific Northwest. Coming from New York, I couldn't have wished for a better host than Jim, with whom I spent much time talking about the ecology of the Olympic peninsula as well as the social and cultural factors that make the area unique. The hostel is cozy, welcoming, and I felt right at home -- which is the point. The hostel is Jim's home, not yours. He is sharing his personal space with visitors and you are being blessed with a brief glimpse into someone else's life. How rare and beautiful is that! For people who are turned off by having to do chores, why even bother staying in a hostel? Or visiting the Olympic peninsula? You might as well have spent a week in the Mall of the Americas. Dusting with a feather duster and emptying compost? Oh, the horror! — Jeanne (2007-02-19) I agree with the other one-star postings. I did not like the grimy feel of this hostel or the personality of the owner. Next time I will definitely opt for a nearby hotel. I loved Ruby Beach and the rain forest, it is a beautiful area. — Elisabeth (2006-08-13) A classic case of getting what you pay for. Yes, the rate is quite cheap at $8.50 per night, however, the accomidations were dirty, the house smelled of something rotting, and over all it seemed poorly maintained. The owner did want the people staying there to do a chore in the morning before leaving, which is good in theory, however, maybe just having people clean up after themselves is a better option. As I arrived by myself, I almost didn't stay because it seemed a little scary -- another guest did arrive so I felt somewhat better and did stay. Overall, however, next time I will stay up in Forks and pay a little more. I have stayed in many hostels in several countries and usually I love staying in them. This one, however I would not stay in again. I wish that I had seen the reviews on this page before my stay. — Anon (2006-06-13) This is not the place you want to stay if you are traveling in coastal Washington State. I did for a couple days in March and regretted it.
The host demands that paying customers perform "chores" around his home, and can be quite nasty if you don't comply with his wishes. His name is Jim, and he's a compulsive control freak. I blew off his last request to clean the toilet bowl, for which he provided explicit instructions. I strongly suggest consider carefully before you make a reservation. — Randy Reeder (2006-04-13)