HI Whistler

I used to LOVE this hostel, every time I go to Whistler it’s my place to stay. The little cafe inside the building is very convenient, the rooms are clean and cozy, nothing bad to say about this place. In my recent booking I’ve had a problem with the online reservation and now I have to fight to get my money back , very disappointing. It’s not a little amount too…. Not sure if I want to come back again and that makes me very sad..

I had the opportunity to stay at this establishment for one night with a colleague, and unfortunately, the experience fell significantly short of expectations. While the staff assisted with the check-in process, their behavior was notably unprofessional and discourteous. The room itself was devoid of basic amenities, such as shampoo and hand soap, which was highly inconvenient. Additionally, the hallways were excessively noisy, and the sound easily penetrated the room, disrupting any sense of tranquility. The room featured an old, uncomfortable bunk bed, and the overall cleanliness of both the room and the bedding was questionable. Given the high cost of the stay, the quality of service and accommodations was extremely disappointing. Regrettably, I cannot recommend this location and would not consider it for a future stay.

Clean and comfy. Has a ski room and the staff have always been lovely! Would definitely recommend. Pity about the Whistler prices.

tl;dr: No running water (stagnant #2 in toilet), thin mattress, noisy at late hours, and issues with belongings going missing - front desk offered no remediation for any issues 1/5 stars My expectations were very low going in and was somehow still disappointed. Dorm had no running water and front desk had no remedy due to being fully booked - which means if I wanted to use the bathroom, shower, or brush my teeth I had to walk across the building - and use someone else's bathroom. Disgustingly, there was no "Out of Order" sign on the bathroom so someone unknowingly used the bathroom (#2) and it was there for at least 24 hours. Sleeping was difficult, mattress was very uncomfortable and there was little to no sound insulation between the surrounding dorms. With neighbors noisily returned at 3AM, snow plows at 5AM, my sleep was significantly impacted. Security was also an issue, had a locker in the dorm and I mistakenly left my reusable metal water bottle on my bed instead of in the locked cabinet, came back and the water bottle was missing, again front desk offered no remediation. The only positives is the location and relative price. Won't find a better price for the proximity to Whistler, but in my experience that came at significant compromise.

I'm sure the place is adequate; however, the cancellation policy and communication is horrible. I asked to cancel a booked room on a Saturday and received an email that they would cancel it ( in writing). Four days later I received another email notifying it wasn't cancelled, and now am told it is a non-refundable booking. This is understandable if it had been a last minute cancellation, but it was submitted Saturday Feb 8th and the room was booked for Feb 15th. I am out around $200 USD. As a visitor from Washington state, this leaves a bad impression of Whistler businesses and nonprofits as well. I am not under the impression this note will have any influence on anything other than my peace of mind. It is disappointing to see that Whistler has truly devolved into a money-grab culture, even at hostels.

I very much enjoyed my stay. The staff are all so friendly and happy to help. Location is a bit further but still easily accessible by bus which comes regularly. It is in a great location as it is close to the trainwreck and has activities and sports surrounding the properly. Rooms are great as they are all 4 bed dorms so it is better than being in a 6+ room. Kitchen, dining and fun amenities are all clean and tidy and you wouldnt be able to get what they offer at other locations. I will miss the memories I made at the hostel.

Stayed here for over a month to finish a coaching certification. The staff in general are nice and helpful, however the housekeeping manager (a small Japanese man) made me feel extremely uncomfortable from the day I got there. It started with this constant stare when using the kitchen that is akin to the feeling of being followed around a store to see if one is stealing. As a woman of colour, I am all too familiar with this behaviour. This disquieting behaviour continued throughout my stay and I considered leaving, but was already settled and didn’t want move. One day I came out of the elevator and he followed behind me so closely that he nipped the bottom of my heel. I stopped to let him pass but he just stood creepily lurking behind me. When I got to the room, he immediately pointed to the shower and accused me of staining it with dye, although there were 7 other females sharing the same shower. In fact, there was a person behind me, but he did not interrogate her like he did me. Another time, I came into the kitchen when it was closed because I lost track of the time and there were other guests in the kitchen. He stared me down and finally came to me and in a strict tone told me the kitchen was closed, although other guests were coming in and out of the kitchen during that time but he said nothing to them. He also showed blatant disregard for privacy and respect when entering rooms as he would just barge in without knocking; whereas, the other staff would knock and make themselves known and wait. Also, the faucet on our shared bathroom was rusted out and not working so women would be standing in lines to brush their teeth and use the only sink. He did nothing about this until a staff member pointed this out and he finally mentioned something about having maintenance fix it. This did not happen during my stay, however. Maybe instead of erroneously accusing people of causing stains, he should have been having the faucet fixed so that women were not lining up for one sink. Altogether, I have stayed at many HI hostels but have never been treated with such blatant disrespect and hostility. I will not be coming back here again if I am in Whistler, nor can I recommend it, esp if this housekeeping manager is still employed at this facility.

Having extensively traveled, this is one of the most brutal hostel experiences in recent memory. Chief complaints include super rude and unwelcoming UK employees (with one or two exceptions) operating this Canadian hostel, hygiene issues, loads of flies inside the building, very poor internet service, cramped or tiny shared shower and toilet area in the rooms, beds that are super old and creaky to the point of making me wonder if the bed would collapse and wakes everyone up when anyone turns over, then super loud with music usually blasting almost everywhere all of the time or few quiet spaces, and super far away from the village, requiring a bus that takes a good half hour to get to the village. This hostel is deceptively marketed as one of the best, and not even close. There are much closer hostels to the village, and if this is one of the best, then what does one of the worst look like.