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Hostelling International Point Reyes Hostel
Category: Hotels & Travel Hostels Hostels [Edit]
1390 Limantour DrPoint Reyes Station, CA 94956
(415) 663-8811
10 reviews for Hostelling International Point Reyes Hostel
10 reviews in English
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Review from Karen Z.
9/4/2011 2 photos
Another great hostel experience!! Went with a girlfriend to get away. Great, calm, pretty hostel. Close enough to restaurants. Sebastian (the staffer) was totally amazing. Just a lovely, lovely time. :)
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Review from kimberly v.
Berkeley, CA
2/15/2011
I'm hesitant to write a review since I don't want my new-found hideaway getting any more crowded. It's said that this is one of the world's nicest hostels. That said, hosteling is not for everyone. If you're used to 600-thread count, room service, and a jacuzzi, it isn't the place for you. In fact, if you're used to cable and a private bath, it's probably not for you either.
But we're economically challenged, and it you've ever looked for places to stay up in this area, you've noted that it's tough to find anything for less than about $140 a night. Since we're enthusiastic car-campers, we thought we'd give this a try.
They have men's and women's dorms, with bunkbeds, but with a young teen son, I was a little uncomfortable about us having separate accommodations in a place I hadn't visited before. So we got the "family room", which was closer to $60 - still a steal relative to local rates. We had room for 5 people, with a double bed, a bunk bed over it, and another bunkbed next to that. There was a chair, a light, plenty of room to put our stuff, and shelves full of warm comforters. They give you your clean sheets, and you put them on. The room is off the laundry room, so it's not for the super-fussy or security-obsessed, as it doesn't lock. The laundry room is between the family room and the kitchen, although we didn't suffer from noise that other people mention, and actually liked being out of the thick of the action in the rest of the building.
The kitchen is stocked with pots, pans, dishes, etc. This was my only slight hesitation, as I am a very private cook. I don't like working around others, but I sucked it up, and ended up having some nice conversations with others who were eating when we were. The common "living room" is incredibly cozy, with hundreds of books, games, and super-comfy chairs and sofas. Some of the folks ended up playing chess together, playing guitar, or reading in the common room. There is also one internet station that you can put a credit card or dollar bills into if you absolutely MUST check your e-mail - I had to, unfortunately, but normally wouldn't have.
The whole aesthetic of the place is old and funky, but that didn't bother us a bit. The people working there were extremely nice and informative, with trail maps and advice about this area as well as other California hostels. There are fantastic hikes close by, and if you don't want to walk it's about a 5 minute ride to the wonderful Limantour beach.
We approached it slightly differently. We checked in, then drove up to our longtime favorite, Drake's Bay Oyster Co., got a coupla dozen, and brought them back to the hostel. They welcomed our choice and provided us with handtowels for shucking. LBM amazed me - he watched the gal at the Oyster Co. shuck one oyster, and did it perfectly the first time...and for the other 26 oysters (they always give you extra). A rite of passage moment.
After we were full of that and the pasta we'd brought to make, we went to our room, plugged in the laptop and watched the DVD we'd brought, sitting on the bed, leaning up against the wall with the rolled comforters making a great backrest. In the morning we had a yummy breakfast and went for a nice hike. We'd do it again in a heartbeat, maybe even try Pescadero or Monterey next time... -
Review from Paul p.
Provo, UT
8/9/2011
We stayed one night at this hostel. The facilities were clean and the beds were new and comfy (although bunk beds squeak a little of course). Other guests were friendly and non-invasive. 10 beds to a room in one building of the hostel. It is a short drive to trails and to the beach. We enjoyed the location and the surrounding scenery. We took the Muddy Hollow trail which was a little over a mile hike to the beach. We had 4 children ages 2-9 but the hike was not a problem for them. Scenery was very nice - lots of little hills and inland water. The people that ran the hostel were helpful and friendly. There are rules at this place like quiet hours from 10pm-7am. The only disadvantage to this hostel over the one at Pt. Bonita was that you had to check out at 10 (even if you would be staying multiple nights...no one is allowed on the property from 10am -4pm) It would have been nice to be able to shower up or use the facilities to cook lunch or dinner after a day at the beach -especially if you had booked more than one night. The pt. Bonita hostel lets you come back and clean up or cook.
Overall, this was a great place to stay. Parents of the kids were skeptical at first but felt safe and a fun time was had by all. -
Review from May D.
East Bay, CA
11/30/2010
I stayed at this hostel for about three days while on a retreat. It's a fairly remote location and makes for a nice getaway to either enjoy nature and/or the company of those with you. We had the private house separate from the the main building where the kitchen was. It was nothing fancy. We slept on bunk-beds and the nice lady at the front desk provided more blankets if needed. The restroom was also clean.The only thing that bothered me were the holes in the roof that caused water to leak onto my top bunk.
The entrance to the main house had a museum/living room like ambiance filled with books on marine life, old board games and a warm fire for those cold coastal mornings. The shared kitchen was large and fit all 20 of us either cooking or eating in the adjacent dining area. The bathroom in the main building was super creepy though. It's reminiscent of those bathrooms you would see in some horror movie with a pedestal bath and 1920s style tiling.
What I especially loved about this place is the trail right beside the hostel. It's a tough and long walk, especially if you're hiking right after a rainfall as I had done, but it's definitely rewarding to get to the end and see the Pacific ocean that is secluded from the public. -
Review from matt m.
San Francisco, CA
Admittedly, I'm a bit of a hippie cyclist.
I ride my bike nearly everywhere, don't like shaving all that much, wear sandals from time-to-time, against the war, etc etc etc...
Recently, a friend and I decided to embark on a long distance tour of California's North Bay. You can actually see the route we took there & back by following the link at the end of the review. It was actually a moderately tough ride, a decent amount of sustained climbing, the most being at the end of the 45 miles before we made our final descent to the Point Reyes Hostel.
We arrived at dusk, and were greeted by Sebastian, the resident supervisor & Scrabble genius--she knew all the rules & proclaims that she plays it on line constantly. She got us checked-in with our new elderly friends Jerry & Viola (who were a little scared of us), and showed us the ropes around the place.
They have various choices of how you would like to hostel here--separated men & women's dorms, co-op dorms & private room. I'm guessing the private room is more expensive, but the others cost a mere $20 per night.
Yea, $20! And $2 more if you didn't bring sheets/pillow case/towel.
This hostel does not allow the consumption of alcohol, so be discreet if you are going to do it. Also, if you have a problem with bathroom privacy, spending more and doing the private room would probably be better.
There's a great common area for travelers to hang out with each other and chat, and plenty of places to hike and enjoy this wildlife-filled, untouched portion of California (i added a few photos).
Whether you're looking to get away for an inexpensive weekend and head North from San Francisco, or wanting an intermediate long distance bike tour--this is a great spot along the way.
Bike Route (Thanks TUJM!):
http://www.gmap-pedome...Listed in: Bay Area Cycling...
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Review from Renee C.
Sacramento, CA
5/30/2008
I stayed at the hostel with my kids in October of 2006. It was a great experience in a beautiful location. I chose a hostel vacation because it's affordable, but there were a lot of bonuses I didn't expect.
The hostel location is really pretty. It is isolated and about a 20 minute drive from downtown Point Reyes in a narrow valley. There's some great hiking trails that leave right from the property.
We booked a private room which had a double bed and set of bunk beds. The room was small but clean and adequate and away from the main dorms, so it was quiet. Even with a private room the bathrooms are shared dorm style (separated by gender) and this wasn't an issue since we expected it. They were clean and had plenty of stalls and showers for everyone.
Traveling with my kids is a challenge, which is what made the hostel perfect. They were 2 and 4 at the time, and can be crazy like all 2 and 4 year olds. The hostel had a large, clean, well equipped kitchen, so we bought groceries and had plenty of room in the fridge. The communal eating area was fun and clean. Some hostels will close their kitchens during the day, but will still let you access the fridge.
There is also a really comfortable communal room with some toys, games and lots of books others have left behind. The crowd that was staying at the hostel was friendly and respectful. The guy who ran the place was a character and I think he said he's worked there for 25 years.
October is a great time of year to visit Point Reyes. The weather is often perfect around this time. We had no fog and it was sunny all day. There's a lot of great local beaches and downtown Point Reyes has great shops and food. The Point Reyes light house is also worth the drive.
There are hostels all over California, and most have private rooms and great locations. Our private room in Point Reyes was $55 per night. It is definitely not a shmancy, modern place or super intimate, but if you enjoy the company of other polite travelers for a great price, I highly recommend the Point Reyes hostel. -
Review from Doublejack X.
San Francisco, CA
8/6/2007
Dilemma: You want to go hiking and exploring one of the most beautiful areas in California, for days at a time, but you don't have a lot of money and you don't want to go camping.
Solution: Point Reyes AYH-Hostel.
If you're already familiar with AYH hostels, then you know the drill: For very little money, you can stay in a dorm-style room with 4 to 20 bunk beds (bring earplugs and a sleep mask if you're a light sleeper). There's usually a kitchen with all the necessary utensils, so you can cook your own meals (but you can also just drive into town to eat, if that's your preference). There are lots of globetrotters of all ages, and usually some books and games in the living room.
It's more like spending the night, or a weekend (or a week) at your grandmother's house with your cousins and maybe an aunt & uncle or two than staying in a hotel.
I've stayed there a few times over the years, and it's a wonderful way to get away from The City. I've met some very memorable people and had terrific, long conversations with them in the common areas.
One guy used to go to Pt. Reyes and drop acid when he was a student at UC Berkeley. He and a buddy had discovered how to find mountain lions and watch them from a distance. He was living in Boston when I met him, but he was back on one of his almost-annual trips back to Pt. Reyes to check in on the mountain lions. I mean, how cool is that?
Another guy was a shiatsu massage master visiting from England. We went hiking together for most of a day, and talked about everything under the sun.
Those are the kinds of memories you just don't get staying at a hotel.
Here's a Tip: Go in January or February. The hostel and the trails are less crowded. If you time it right, like I did, you can go during one of Northern California's week-of-summer-in-the-middle-of-winter, when we get a week of warm, sunny days between rainstorms. -
Review from Steven T.
7/26/2008 ROTD 1/5/2009
Such a great get-a-away and only about an hour or so drive from the Bay Area. Take the scenic route up the 1 or just cut straight through. Either route you take be ready for some winding roads. Had I some new tires on my motorcycle it would have been a perfect and enjoyable ride... or if your a cyclist it would be a good days ride. Just a note, if you print directions out on google it can be kind of confusing when it says turn left on limontaur. According to the directions the hostel should be .1 miles after you make this one turn, but in essence you should keep following the road for about 5 miles or so.
The hostel itself is well maintained with the main building and a separate sleep quarters about 100m away. Each building has designated male and female sleep quarters along with communal bathroom and showers. Sheets or sleeping bags should be brought or you can borrow it from the staff along with some pillows. Upon arriving they give you a brief speech about hostels and a tour around the kitchen, etc... They make sure to emphasize that the price is so cheap because the guest is also the maid. Let it be known that you should leave the place cleaner than you found it for good measure. The main building requires that noise be cut out by 10pm while the other side is free to do whatever until whenever. They supply ample books as well as board games to keep guests entertained in their down time away from nature. Trails can be followed through the hills and even to the beach which is about a 2 mile walk. The air is so clear you can see every star and make out the galaxy standing outside the hostel... so beautiful and serene. -
Review from Star B.
San Francisco, CA
5/26/2010 4 photos
Difficult to rsvp & location is nice, but the Hostel is terrrible! We had the private room & NOT private @ all... I've stayed @ Hostels & when they say "private room", I didn't expect the 5 bunkbeds, a door w/ no lock, & the room being in the kitchen. The "quiet hours" is when the Kitchen is closed (9pm), but they forgot to mention it's closed to every1 else... NOT staff, so we heard pots/pans/loud convos ALL night.... if you need to use the restroom, expect to walk through the kitchen, then the lobby, & down the hall @ the end of the women's sleeping quarters to find it. NOT worth $60.
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Review from ben c.
Walnut Creek, CA
11/19/2009
Wow! Only two reviews. I am glad, though. it is still a hidden jam. It is not a beach front resort, but after a great time at the beach, great place to prepare for the night. I am happy that is so close, and hasnt been change for years. Great stars for night photography too!
