City Hostel-- HI-ST.JOHN'S

A special gem. I stayed 5 nights here and wish I could have stayed weeks longer. It is friendly and welcoming, easy to make yourself comfortable. Dave goes above and beyond to accommodate everyone's needs, Roxanne and Jeff keep the place clean and tidy while balancing all the check ins and check outs. And there are a handful of long term guests that make this place a home with the smell of good cooking, meaningful conversation, and a friendly smile. The location is great for exploring St. John's and feels safe with lovely neighbours all around and a great coffee shop just up the hill.

Five out of five! Yes, the place is a bit outdated, but that’s exactly what gives it so much character. The beds were super comfortable, and everything—from the rooms to the kitchen—was superduper clean, which I really appreciated. They’re in the process of installing a second shower, which will be a great addition, but even now, everything felt well managed. The kitchen was cozy, clean, and fully stocked with everything you could need—and then some! There was an absolute heaping amount of food left behind by generous past travelers, which added to the sense of community. While storage space is a bit limited with just one fridge, the overall experience more than made up for it. The location is fantastic, the staff were kind and helpful, and the atmosphere on the street outside gave it a true St. John’s vibe. Thanks for such a memorable stay(s)!

I stayed there for five nights and I would definitely come again. Yes there ist only one shared bathroom with a toilet and one extra toilet for 8 people in high season but I never had to wait for a long time, maybe five minutes. They offer rooms with private bathrooms too. Roxanne and Jeff always make sure that everything is clean. I loved the hostel and the area around. Everything is super close. David also offers a very nice three hour tour in St. John’s and around which was truly amazing (I went with his good friend Jeff and we had the best time). I can 100% recommend and can’t understand bad reviews. There is maybe no power outlet in every corner off the room but everybody can charge the phone easily. There is even a fridge in the room and the kitchen is nice and clean too! Keep in mind this is Newfoundland and not New York City! I loved it! :-)

My partner and I stayed at this charming, warm and welcoming hostel. Roxanne was a joy to meet and Dave was incredibly accommodating and went out of his way to help us out finding a place to stay. Thanks for the wonderful stay!

It's a cheap accommodation that got me by for my visit in a private room. There isn't management on-site which can cause delays. The mattress was awful. Fitted sheet was discussing so I replaced it with a top sheet that looked clean. Friendly people.

Great stay at the hostel. I met great people and it was really clean (no bed bugs). I had a room with the bathroom inside so I can’t speak about the shared one. The kitchen is quite small and in the “basement” (so not a lot of light) but everything needed to cook (except oil). There is no lounge where you can work unfortunately but there is a coffee place near to the hostel. The location could not be more perfect !!

We booked a room with a private bathroom — everything was as advertised, and the self check-in was easy ✅. It was cool to stay in one of the colorful houses in downtown St. John’s, just a short walk from the harbor, pubs, and shopping areas. The beds weren’t very comfortable, but you get what you pay for.

Excellent stay here. It’s very clean and looked after. In a great location in downtown St John’s. Walkable distance to everything you need. Kitchen is well kept and has plenty of space and utensils. Lots of friendly people around - make sure to stay here when in town!

Three stars for the establishment; FIVE stars for the staff! Located at the upper end of Gower Street, the hostel is central to just about EVERYWHERE in downtown St. John's. The rooms are Spartan, the accoutrements few: Our room was furnished with a bunk bed (with room for two below and one above), a dresser, a fan, and a trash can. The trash can was useful to prop the window open, as the sash was broken. The nearer bathroom was one floor down, and the other was next to the kitchen, three floors below our room. There is, however, free WiFi. That said, it is a hostel, and a pretty nice one at that! The rooms were CLEAN; the bathrooms well-stocked, and the kitchen had more than enough plates, bowls and tableware for all to use. Speaking of the kitchen, they had signs posted in at least 25 languages asking people PLEASE to do their own dishes. While we were there, there must have been a person or two that did not speak any of those... but that wasn't the hostel's fault. Oh, there is also a laundry facility on the second floor - one washer and one dryer, for a "twoonie" each. While the hostel itself was certainly adequate, what made it WONDERFUL was the staff. Anastasia (Anna), Haley, Erin, and - I'm so sorry I've forgotten the name of the young man with all of the ink - were splendid! They were warm, helpful, and just loaded with great ideas regarding where to go, what to do, what to see, where to eat, etc. All in all, this is a good hostel staffed by wonderful people. I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again!

Stopped here for a night as part of a 12-day roadtrip through Eastern Canada with folks met through a Craigslist ad. The #1 pro to this place is its location. Central to everything in downtown St. John's. I was able to hike up to Signal Hill on Thanksgiving (Canadian) morning, and it wasn't too far away. Our group was scheduled to arrive when no one was available to check us in, but the door code was sent beforehand and instructions were left in a mailbox. I stayed in a co-ed bedroom and accommodations seem on par with past hostels I've stayed at (and there have been many!). And being a hostel veteran, I always wear a sleeping mask and mp3 player to sleep. Came in handy when a couple guys arrived late from a night out. Slept right through when they came back! Although it was funny hearing them talk whether they remembered the night before when I came back to the room after my Signal Hill hike.

I would like to preface this by saying that I love hostels, and stay in them when I can. I'm a lifetime HI member, and love HI hostels. Which is why it hurts me to say that this wasn't my fave. Actually, if I go back to St. John's and stay in a hostel, I may see if there are other hostel options that aren't the HI. Another caveat: I stayed in 8 Gower. although the hostel is comprised of 3 buildings - 8, 18 and 20 Gower. I can't speak to 18 and 20; I walked through them but didn't spend any significant time there. I've never experienced a hostel with so few bathrooms for the number of people staying there. For all the dorms in number 8, there are two washrooms. There were a few times that I had to scoot on down to number 18 and 20 to use the facilities when the washrooms in number 8 were occupied. The staff were so friendly, and eager to make suggestions for places I may like to visit in St. John's. They were knowledgeable and helpful, and this made for a very positive atmosphere. I stayed in a 4-person female dorm. Like most HIs, the linens and towels are provided. I would maybe recommend bringing your own towel and your own pillow case if you can. The towel I had left linen flecks in my hair. I ended up buying a new towel from the nearby Superstore. The hostel is right downtown, and is only a 10-15 minute walk from George Street. It's within walking distance from restaurants and cafes, as well as the Superstore I mentioned earlier. Also within walking distance is Signal Hill.

We stayed in a private bedroom at Avalon Guesthouse. The complementary coffee was better than in many hotels.

I cannot say enough positive things about this place. Firstly, my friend and I flew over from Halifax to extend our Atlantic Canada trip. We had no idea where a hostel was, so when we landed we had found one. FYI, this is the only hostel in the city. People had told my friend and I there was more, but this was only one. When we arrived, we were told we were only able to stay a night, leaving us with 8 nights of whatever comes around. The first night was wonderful, met many people and the staff were so helpful to my friend and I. They helped us search for things to do and see, either from the internet or from personal experience. The owner had made more room for us and extended our stay for our whole trip! He really saved our necks, I am forever grateful. One of the most positive and helpful men I have ever met. Thank you, Dave. Always asked/helped us if ever needed, no matter the time. We really felt at home at this hostel. The rooms were very clean, and many of the staff cleaned daily taking shifts. The cleanest hostel we stayed at, during our whole trip. The location is perfect, about a 10 minute walk to Dominion grocery store and another 10 (opposite direction) to the downtown core. Thanks to everyone there, for everything Taylor & Dragan

Located only a couple of streets away from the waters edge, and within walking distance of nearly everything in St. John's, the HI Hostel is an amazing stay for a young couple on a budget. We were in St. John's for two parts of our trip to Newfoundland and stayed at the 18 Gower St. location both times. We visited St. John's in late June-early July and upon arrival we were welcomed by the staff who gave us a list of restaurants and sights to see, as well as a map which came in very handy since we were both from Ottawa/Toronto and it was our first East coast visit. Check in was quick and we got the key to our room and were on our way. The location is one of the best parts about this establishment. We didn't rent a car while we were in St. John's, but we found it easy to get around by foot. We had two sunny days of our trip, which we were told is out of the norm for weather there, and we spent it walking from the hostel up some trails to Signal Hill for an incredibly breathtaking view of the city and sunset and going on a whale watching tour (Iceberg Quest). Our room was moderately sized, we were on the top floor in our first visit, and on the 4th floor on our second visit, the rooms were clean and were very charming. Our bedroom had a queen size bed, television(limited channels, but who watches TV on vacation?), dresser, closet, mirror, a couple lamps, desk and chair. The en suite bathrooms were clean and large. Our first room had a claw-foot bathtub(right next to a window that gives you a beautiful view of the water), as well as a shower stall, and the second room had a tub/shower combo, both bathrooms had pedestal sinks. We noticed that we were never disturbed by the noises of our neighbors and couldn't hear anything until we got into the hallway which was good after a long morning of walking the town, when all you want to do is take a nap. I plan to go back to St. John's and intend on staying in this hostel again, I would suggest it to fellow traveler. It was my first experience with a hostel and I was very impressed, well worth the price.