Green Hostels: HI Vancouver Downtown Review

by GiovFranco 4 years ago

If you are visiting Canada’s west coast, there is only one city you can not miss: Vancouver! It’s a gem that encloses a vibrant mix of events and an incredible melting pot of cultures.

In Vancouver, you will be able to find an incredible skyline, amazing green areas, parks along the bay and perfect locations to relax and to admire the sunset from the beach. Moreover, from Vancouver, you will be able to reach some of the most stunning hikes of Canada and to organise a huge variety of day trips. The compromise? Vancouver may be considered one of the most expensive cities in Canada, if not the most expensive. Therefore, finding a good place where to stay, especially in the busy Downtown may be tricky.

As in the USA, also for the Canada section of our North American Tour, we have been looking for a hostel chain that could share the values of our project. Offering to travellers the possibility to discover the world with accessible prices and with a Sustainable approach and we found the perfect chain: HI Canada.

HI Canda is a not-for-profit organization that is providing a huge offer of hostels all around Canada, with a set of Socio-Cultural, Environmental and Economics principles. In Vancouver, they have 3 different hostels, located in 3 different areas of the city. As it was my first time in the city, I decided to stay at the HI Vancouver Downtown, here is the full review:

HI VANCOUVER DOWNTOWN REVIEW

Location 4,5/5

Guess what? Yes, the HI Vancouver Downtown is located exactly in the downtown of Vancouver. Despite the central location, the area around the hostel is a residential zone so most of the time will be quiet and calm. Within 5-10 minutes of walk, you will be able to reach almost everything. The hostel is well connected also to the public transport system, the closest bus stop is only 3 minutes away from the main door.

Design & Rooms 3,5/5

During my stay at the HI Vancouver Downtown, I have been sleeping in one of the 4-bed private dorms. The hostel is also offering 2-bed dorms and female 2 and 4-bed dorms plus a variety of private rooms. It is rare, really rare, to find a hostel offering this kind of rooms set up with the 4-bed dorm as the biggest rooms. What does it mean? Less crowded rooms and more privacy! The space inside the rooms is good, moreover, each room provides a desk and some lockers with an in-room private sink.

One of the negative aspects of this hostel, if I must find one, is the lack of personality of the structure. In fact, the structure is showing some age-signs and the internal design of the hostel is clearly showing off all the age of the building. The common areas, the kitchen and the reception did not really communicate me any personality, any unique element. Most of the time, as I said in the HI San Francisco City Center Hostel review, people that are travelling in a hostel are not just looking for a “dorm” where to stay but they look like for a unique structure that could represent and identity of the city they are in.

Cleanness 4,5/5

Perfect, the cleanness standards of this hostel are high. I liked the common kitchen being cleaned and arranged multiple times a day and at night. Despite being a big and busy hostel, I always found everything clean in the HI Vancouver Downtown.

Services 4,5/5

Inside the hostel structure, you will be able to find a huge variety of common rooms and services. It is not common to find: a movie room, a library and a games room open to the guests. This huge offer of services is being completed with the free breakfast offered every morning with a selection of bagels, bread and muffins. The “cherry on the cake” is the great open space terrace that could be used from all the guests enjoying your all-day-long free coffee or tea service!

Prices 4/5

As I said during the introduction, Vancouver is one of the most expensive cities in Canada, if not the most expensive. This is also reflected in the prices for the housing and the rooms. The hostel prices in the city are aligned with one of the rests of the country but also of the USA. In fact, the shared dorms are sold for about 30€/night that if compared to the prices that could be found in the area is not bad at all. Moreover, is important to underline the great quality offered by the HI Vancouver Downtown for the price. Making this one of the best quality/price structures of Vancouver.

Sustainability Score 4/5

HI Canada is one of the hostel chains that is mostly committed towards sustainable tourism and ecological action, promoting the respect and support of the local communities and the respect of nature. HI Vancouver Downtown is a clear example of this commitment, but there is still space for improvements. Starting from actions will be possible to furthermore reduce the environmental impact of this hostel.

The best green Hostel in Vancouver? Yes!

As said during the review, HI Vancouver Downtown is definitely the best structure in terms of quality/price for the numbers of services, the great location and the long-lasting eco and social commitment of HI Canada. If you are looking for a place where to stay in Vancouver this is the one for you, for sure!