Globetrotters Inn is located in a good central location of San Francisco but is in the Tenderloin area, which is the place where homeless people hang out. It is full of young international travelers who are engaged in active sports activities. The staff are friendly and helpful but the hostel itself is cramped and the rooms radiate off narrow hallways. There is twenty-four-hour security and someone on duty at night. There are lots of steep and narrow stairways, so keep that in mind if carrying a lot of gear.
The Location
The location is easy to find but the neighborhood is in a sketchy part of town. Within a few blocks' walk, however, are restaurants, shops, and public transportation. San Francisco is a walking city, so this location makes it easy to get around.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The rooms are a bit small and there aren't lockers to secure valuable items. The rooms are mostly bunk beds with six beds to a room. The mattress quality is variable. There is limited personal space but most people staying there just shower and sleep and use the time in the city rather than lounging around the hostel. The cleanliness is average for a hostel and there always seems to be a line to use the bathrooms. Because of the limited space guests strew their belongs around making it hard to navigate at times.
Common Spaces
There is a good size kitchen that is well equipped and a lounge area with a television. There is free internet access on a couple of computers and Wi-Fi is available. The amount of available public space is very small in proportion to the number of people staying in the hostel. The guests are young, friendly, and international. The staff will book excursions and provided advice. They sometimes organize a fun night.
Summary
For anyone looking for a young international crowd and an inexpensive place to stay in the heart of the city, this is a good choice. If spending time in the city rather than lounging in a hostel is the goal, then the location and price make this hostel worth considering. The hostel is non-smoking. It is a fun place and a good place to meet people from around the world to hang out with.
— Exklusive Hostelz.com Übersicht
January 2009