Native Hostel
"How did it strike you on arrival?The outdoor bistro chairs and twinkle lights are so casually inviting, you might not even want to go inside. But once you do, you'll notice parts of the walls feel almost "peeled back" as if to expose the history of the limestone building, which has served as a boarding house for railroad workers, a brewery, and a factory since it was built in 1897. What’s the crowd like?Everyone in the exceedingly cool, young crowd looks like they work at a start-up or in the music industry. The good stuff: Tell us about the rooms room.Lodging is communal, but the decor is all boutique hotel: antique Oriental rugs, intricate woodwork, velvet wingback chairs, high ceilings. Some dorms have a curtained, lofted section with a king bed. Others are private with a king bed. One of the six-bunk dorms is female-only. And the private Romper Room has eight bunks and two full bathrooms, making it ideal for a bachelor or bachelorette party. We’re craving some deep, restorative sleep. They got us?This is a hostel, but the bunkbeds are oversized; so unless you're six-foot-three, you can sit up fully without banging your head. Each one has a crimson velvet privacy curtain, wall-mounted lamp, and is covered in soft Peackock Alley sheets. The large drawers beneath the bunks have a keypad lock for each guest to securely store his/her belongings. How about the little things, like mini bar, or shower goodies. Any of that worth a mention?No mini bar or booze allowed in the rooms. Please tell us the bathroom won’t let us down.Again, this is a hostel, but showers and toilets are individual with fully closing doors. Bath amenities, mounted to the shower wall, are the hotel's own label, in partnership with William Roam. What do they have for food?The Ranch Hand food truck is open until 10 p.m. and the bar serves a limited menu until 2 a.m., from Thursday through Saturday. Anything stand out about other services and features?By day, the bar is filled with millennials slouched over Macbooks. By night, it turns into a sexy cocktail joint, with low lighting, well-worn antique rugs, leather couches, and oversized gilded mirrors. Any other tips?If you drove, best park your car in the dedicated free parking lot. Though ample street parking is available, you'll have to beware of downtown restrictions and metered areas. What was most memorable about your stay?The hand-crafted bunk beds take hostel lodging to the boutique-hotel level. Bottom line: worth it?This is an affordable option for young people in a city that's becoming exceedingly expensive; it has enough amenities that you won't feel like you're slumming it." - Allison Bagley
