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HI - Vancouver Downtown Hostel

Vancouver (Downtown)

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Address
1114 Burnaby Street, Vancouver (Downtown), British Columbia, Canada   Map
Price
Dorms: $25-$30 for HI Members, Private Rooms: $62-$80 for HI Members. Check Current Prices by Date Here
Location/Contact
Details
HI - Vancouver Downtown Hostel Online Booking
Arrival Date:   Nights:  People: 
Their Description

Features

  • Free Breakfast
  • Kitchen
  • Lockers
  • Gameroom
  • Lounge / Common space
  • Pool Table
  • TV
  • Book Collection/Exchange
  • Washing Machine (laundry)
  • Clothes Dryer
  • Elevator/Lift
  • Travel information provided
  • Free City Tours
  • Bike Rental
  • 24 Hour Free Hot Showers
  • Phones (public or in room)
  • Currency Exchange
 
The Hostelz.com Review
The HI Vancouver Downtown is almost hostel heaven. It is a large, secure and friendly place filled with travellers from all over the globe. Amenities include a large, clean kitchen, library, movie/TV room and games room. Staff are helpful and the reception also contains a Travel Cuts office for those last-minute plan changes. A tasty breakfast is served every morning between 8-9.15am.

The downsides include small dorm rooms (though they do hold a max of 4 beds which is a bonus) with a fairly expensive price tag. Though when you consider the hostel is in a great location (within walking distance of downtown and nearby Davie Street has anything you could possibly need), coupled with the excellent breakfast, the price isn't too bad.

An in-house tour guide will take you around the city if you are so inclined and weekly activities (including the usual pub crawl etc.) are listed on the noticeboard. Cheap tickets to the Canucks games are also for sale through reception.

The number 6 bus stops just up the road on Davie Street and this will take you downtown or to the Skytrain station. Granville Island is within walking distance (the market is highly recommended) and a 24 hour supermarket is only a couple of blocks away. A handy internet cafe (cheapest rates in town) is across the street.

— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
January 2006


Ratings & Comments

3.8 Average from 17 Ratings

This is an open forum, and unlike other hostel guide websites we don't censor out the negative comments.
We can't validate the legitimacy of comments posted on this site—so take what you read here with a grain of salt.
Comment by Disapointed Traveller
August 2009
2 BedBugs!
After staying for one week at another hostel in Vancouver without any problems, I decided to try out HI-Vancouver Downtown. During the first night I was bitten all over the left side of my body by bedbugs. They changed me to another room the second night and I was bitten again by bedbugs! I could even see them crawling all over my pillow! Although the hostel itself is decent, I am very disappointed by the way the staff treated me when I explained the situation to them and that they even had the audacity to ask me to pay for the two nights I was there! Thanks for nothing HI. Will never recommend this hostel to anyone I know -- utterly disgusted.
Comment by Missinformation, USA
July 2009
3 Nice place for hikers but lacks a social atmosphere.
I stayed at this hostel for one week although it felt like much longer. When the weather is nice in Vancouver outdoor activities will keep you occupied, but when it starts to rain (and it will) the search for alternative activities begins. The downtown hostel's eating and lounging areas are inadequate to facilitate mingling with other guests and entertaining yourself on rainy days. The Downtown Hostel is on an amazing street where you feel safe and are right next to the beach and great restaurants. In summary, I have to say that considering its facilities (lack of areas to socialize and average rooms) the Downtown hostel is over priced, but if you have a full itinerary or are traveling with a group it gets the job done and gives you a great base location.
Comment by Marie, Germany
March 2009
5 Great hostel centrally located in the middle of downtown Vancouver!
This hostel is a really big hostel. We stayed in a private room with a shared bathroom. The room was very big and bright. I also thought that the price we payed (180 CAD for three nights) was really good. The hostel is pretty modern -- everything opens with keycards for example. There is free Wi-Fi throughout the common area and there are also four other computers to use. But you have to buy internet time for these computers. 4 CAD for an hour is okay though. They also have free parking but unfortunately there are only ten parking spaces. But six of them are under the east building and there cars are locked behind a gate there which is very nice I think. The hostel lies really close to Stanley Park, Granville Island, and the rest of downtown Vancouver. It is also a nice neighborhood. They have kitchen which seems to be getting a little small during "rush hour." Same thing goes for the dining room, but in summer time you can also eat outside at the picnic tables. The staff were really friendly and helpful. You feel very welcome in this hostel.
Comment by Michelle, USA
August 2008
5 Awesome!
I have to disclaim that this was my first hostel experience but it was great! the hostel was clean and very quiet. There were a couple families with small children and a handful of older women staying at the hostel. The rooms are very small, with a sink in the corner. bathrooms were clean. Hostel had kitchen, internet cafe, laundry room, and daily activities planned. The location is perfect. I walked to Granville Island one day which you cannot go to Vancouver without seeing! Breakfast was great -- toast, bagels, scones, muffins, fruit, oatmeal, milk, juice. I would definitely stay at this hostel again!
Comment by mil, welsh
May 2008
4 close to stanley park, clean and helpful staff, thumbs up.
Comment by Rosanne W, New Zealand
December 2007
5 All you need
Although I can say with some confidence that this is the quieter of the two HI hostels in central Vancouver, there are still a lot of fun activities organised with the other hostel (I had heaps of fun on the Granville Island tour, the Vancouver Whitecaps game, and the pub crawl!) and if you don't want bass from a bar keeping you awake you should definitely choose this hostel. Free breakfast was great. Location pretty good. Only complaint would be the lack of storage space in rooms. I couldn't fit my big bag in that little locker. The HI staff and volunteers were awesome. Extremely helpful. And a special thanks to Micah for helping me work out the Skytrain system!
Comment by Mitra
February 2007
4 The staff here are killer friendly and look out for the guests safety, comfort at all times. I am most impressed with the cleanliness, (friendly housekeeping staff!), ambiance, and safety. I highly recommend this place!
Comment by paul
December 2006
5 I am staying at the Downtown hostel this moment. Hostel is in best location possible near funky Davie street and a few blocks from beaches. Breakfast is free.
Comment by Jonathan Elting
September 2006
1 Do not stay here. This hostel is one of the worst I have experienced in my life and I have travelled extensively worldwide! I got bed bugs after one night in their dirty beds. When I complained they did nothing to help. Nothing! Everyone in the hostel was miserable staff and guests! The mood of the place was just dead! The breakfast was poor and the kitchen is too small and there is insufficient seating when you do get hold of a rock hard muffin or some past it fruit! The bed bug bites are driving me mad three days after leaving and boy am I angry!
Comment by Mick
December 2005
2 This place is so dead!! it was near impossible to meet people and its a fair enough walk from the main area! just stay in the one on Granville!
Comment by Tony & Tracey
February 2005
3 We stayed here for one week in Oct. 04. We were planning to stay for two but decided we wanted to go to Banff instead! They refunded our money without any problems. Beds were average, the rooms basic and smelt musty (but were clean), and there was a basin in the room. The location is good; the "delights" of Davie St are only one block away. Reasonable value for inner city hostel.
Comment by Pringle
January 2005
5 The free breakfast is great and the hostel is clean and very nice. I've been there several times and my showers have always been hot. The dorms are small, but they are set up in such a way that you have privacy because the beds are not across from each other. It was nice that there is a sink in the room. There seemed to be lots of programs and things going on — I didn't go on anything, though. The price is comparable to other large hostels in North America, and it's a great deal considering the free breakfast, sheets, blankets and towels. The staff were very helpful, and the music in the dining room was excellent (the staff have good taste in music!).
Comment by Ryan
January 2005
5 The rooms were average size, but the beds were comfortable and the amazing location and the quality of service was over and beyond anything I expected. The travel office in the foyer is very helpful too, and the staff have a great sense of humor, which is great for those times when things just aren't going your way. They even have a shuttle to the railway station if you ask nicely. Check out The Dish and the cool kebab place next to the Internet cafe on Davie Street.
Comment by Monkey
December 2004
4 The dorms were a bit small for four beds, but the hostel was clean and had everything you'd need. Like most places, try and grab the showers just after the cleaners have worked their magic, as this place seemed to suffer badly from bathroom trashers.
Comment by Polyester Pam
December 2004
4 I've stayed here twice — once for a week in August 2002 and in February 2004. It was cold the second time, but staff were very friendly and helpful to two girls who were unexpectedly stranded in Vancouver! The first time was fun because we didn't realize a Gay Pride parade was just one street away! We were able to walk home from the bars on Granville Island at 2 a.m. and had no problems getting in. The rooms are compact, with a tiny sink and dodgy lighting, and the bathrooms are what you'd expect, like at a gym. The storage for our luggage worked great. I got busted for being drunk in the hallways at 2 a.m., but it was a fine experience!
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