Spenard Hostel

I’ve been staying for the winter community season since middle of December. This place is so nice! The showers are hot and have great water pressure. Laundry is on-site and affordable, and with three different common areas and kitchens to choose from it isn’t difficult at all to find a quiet place to read or to find someone to chat with, without feeling like the whole place is eavesdropping. The staff is friendly, understanding, and helpful, and the new owner is so cool and caring and kind! I would recommend a stay to any traveller, whether on a budget or not, and couldn’t be happier with my stay.

This was a great place to stay and is the cheapest hostel in town. Everyone was friendly and the beds we're comfy. Melissa, our "House Mom" was warm, kind, and ever so helpful! It was a bit chilly at first, but as soon as a guest asked, the heat was turned up. I would definitely stay again!

Very disappointed! I was very excited and slightly nervous to experience a hostel. It was part of our Alaskan experience and I was On Board! When we arrived we were greeted with such kindness, not only from the staff but everyone staying there. My mind was rest assured that all would be ok. We were shown to our room and placed our luggage there which was secure and safe by a lock and then we all set off for a day to explore Anchorage. After our lovely day we went back to rest a bit to prepare for our flight home. When we arrived, we were greeted immediately with attitude from the lady working, and that was even before I even realized our room with our luggage was filed with 4 people who were unpacking and resting on our beds. We were told the gentleman working earlier would be fired for giving us misinformation. Supposedly we were only suppose to have a resting place in the common areas for what we paid. Now I realize what happened was all a misunderstanding, but to treat people who are in your place of business with such disrespect and attitude for not knowing the rules just blew my mind. There was no apology or anything. That is what makes me want to give this bad review. I was willing to overlook the unclean house and unappealing outside area to have a unique experience with a hostel, but I changed my mind. To The Lady who was running the place: take pride in your business....clean up and bit and make it more welcoming to your guests. Also tone down the attitude....it turns people off.

I'm a traveling nurse and was part of the Spenard hostel winter community for 3 months when I first moved to Anchorage. I found the place to be clean and quiet and comfortable. The other residents were welcoming and interesting to talk to with out being intrusive. I would stay there again and encourage my visiting family to stay as well.

I've stayed at Spenard Hostel multiple times over the past few year, as I pass through Anchorage every spring and summer. I always choose Spenard because it has such a homey feel. It's clean and comfortable. Staff are friendly, competent, and helpful. It's a short walk from the hostel to cool bars and restaurants and it's also close to the bike path which gives you easy access to downtown. Super close and convenient access to the airport as well! Highly recommended :)

I stayed here for vacationand it was amazing. The staff were all nice super helpful and very accommodating. The overall atmosphere was very warm and friendly. There was some free food, laundry, comfy beds, really nice bathrooms, and lockers to keep your stuff safe. This is by far the best hostel I've ever stayed at.

We really tried to have a good experience with this being our first hostel. We were up for the adventure, however the adventure turned into a very unpleasant experience. Our supposedly secured rooms with our luggage was given to others while we were away. When we questioned what had happened to the lady in charge, we were not greeted with kindness, only rudeness and attitude. The gentleman that showed us our rooms ended up being fired because he was kind and helpful and according to her gave us misinformation. Go figure? Regardless we trusted what he told us...I mean he worked there we didn't know any difference! I would have dealt with him any day compared to the lady in charge. No apologies, no refund, no empathy towards our situation from what we were told initially when we arrived. We may have not fit the "mold" of a typical hostel seeker as we just needed a place to rest before our long flight home...I'm not sure why we were treated with such disrespect. Regardless if we were told one thing when we arrived a little kindness would have gone a long way in this situation. We ended up leaving and not even using the hostel. I sure wish our first experience with a hostel could have been a positive one, but unfortunately it was not. Loved our visit to Alaska, so at least that was a good thing.

After a few nights camping and hiking in Denali, my wife and I were in need of a shower before flying home from Anchorage. The Spenard Hostel was staffed with friendly people who were more than happy to accommodate us. The hostel and bathroom were clean, and at $5/person the price for a shower (no timer like in many campgrounds) was completely reasonable. We were even given free WiFi service to use during our brief time there.

This hostel is great and the guy (Mike) who manages the hostel is excellent, helpful and immediate to help with...anything. The hostel is really close to the airport and lake Hood which is an airport for seaplanes. It's not loud though! Really relaxed atmosphere. Safe place to stay for short term or long term.

I truly wanted to like our experience with this hostel, but can't. We booked a secure room for 6 people and when we arrived we were shown to our locked room with 6 bunks. We left our luggage and headed out for the day; only to come back with 4 people unpacking and sleeping on our beds. When we addressed this with staff we were told the individual that checked us in gave us the wrong information and was fired. She was not friendly nor professional about it and wouldn't refund our money. So we took our luggage and left. The hostel itself needs a serious deep cleaning and some maintenance. Won't go back.

Great place. Multiple kitchens. Like a quadplex was converted into an interconnected hosteling space. So works well with distribution of guests. I found it laid back, mellow, easy to relax or chat. Close to float plane aerodrome, which is sweet sightseeing. I hear a 20 min walk to REI. Alcohol ok. Very friendly and helpful staff.

The best of the four hostels I experienced in Alaska, or anywhere else for that matter! I have stayed at hostels in Europe, Mexico and the US-- and Spenard has the right balance of cleanliness, organization, and hospitality. I met a diversity of folks of all ages here: dedicated mushers from the Midwest, bicyclists on a group tour, seasonal workers and other tourists like me. I stayed here on my first and last nights on my trip. The bunks are gender-specific and the beds are comfy. There are phones for free local phone calls and rooms for striking up conversations and for quiet reading. There's also a resident organized potluck once a week on Sunday nights that I missed. The folks at the hostel are superhelpful and gave me useful information for getting around. It's one bus stop away from the airport (about an $8 cab ride) and 30 mins from downtown. The amenities (kitchen, bathrooms, laundry) are convenient. They'll give you a painless chore to do to help keep the place running. Make sure you make reservations in advance, because I overheard lots of folks calling when the place was already full. Skeeter, the resident black lab, is adorable and anyone can walk him along the creek. He knows the way.

Although this is a hostel, they offer camping and I stayed in my tent on their property for one night. Anyway, this is a great hostel. I've been to hostels across Europe and in Hawaii, and this is definitely a very nice one. It's clean. The staff are friendly and helpful. They offer cool amenities like free wi-fi, potluck dinner sometimes (like every Sunday), a food exchange, a camp stove fuel exchange, and a bear spray exchange. The bus line is close by, less than 5 minutes walking, so it's easy to get to the airport or downtown. The only part that was less than ideal was that it costs $20 for 1 person to camp or $35 for 2 people in 1 tent. Overall, I definitely recommend this place if you are trying to travel cheap.

Best hostel ever! I've stayed in hostels all over the world and this by fair was my best experience. The staff was friendly and helpful and the facilities comfortable and clean. Thank you for s great experience!

Spenard Hostel far exceeded my expectations! It was very clean, and felt like home instantly. I travelled to Alaska to work for the summer and I can't imagine starting my adventure anywhere else. I was given helpful information about fun things to do in anchorage and throughout Alaska. David was especially helpful (one of the house parents) went out of his way to help me when I arrived off business hours, and give me extra info about anchorage bike trails, shopping, and beautiful places throughout the state. All of the staff old and new are very friendly, fun and had great things to say about working there. It is also very close to the airport and right around the corner from the 7 bus downtown! I would highly recommend this hostel!!

Laid-back, quiet, friendly hostel with good books and great vibes. It's in Spenard and thus not far at all from downtown Anchorage (and closer still to Koot's, if that's your thing.) The owner and staff are thoughtful. I came in late and was greeted with a friendly note; a few days later, I got a text telling me to watch out for a slippery driveway (those are treacherous this time of year) which probably saved me at least a few bruises. I'll definitely be back. Great, mellow place.

Needed a room after getting bumped from standby flight. Very cheap rates, friendly staff, bike rentals on property. Clean rooms and bathrooms, quiet, and safe. All guests were easy going and low key. About a $10 cab ride from airport if you miss the $2 bus ride.

This is my go to for affordable accomodations in Anchorage. I have stayed three times now, and each time it has been clean and comfortable. My only criticism is that during it's busy times, it can get a bit crowded, but that can be the nature of a hostel... If you are without a car, it is not the most convenient location in relation to downtown, but public transportation is close by, and makes this quite workable. The staff has always been wonderful and responsive.

I have stayed here at least 6 times over the past year, including twice this week, always in the off-season. I can't speak to summer in Spenard, but winter has treated me well. My very first stay there was BO smell hanging out but it has never happened again since. If figure that someone REALLY stinkybwas hanging out that first visit. I've come to appreciate the variety of spaces to hang out in, with others, or alone, and the space to store food and cook. It's fun to see what's in the free food cupboards! The hostel us colorful and funky and my dependable, oh-so-affordable home away from home. I look foward to seeing KK whenever I roll through!

Very disappointed! I was very excited and slightly nervous to experience a hostel. It was part of our Alaskan experience and I was On Board! When we arrived we were greeted with such kindness, not only from the staff but everyone staying there. My mind was rest assured that all would be ok. We were shown to our room and placed our luggage there which was secure and safe by a lock and then we all set off for a day to explore Anchorage. After our lovely day we went back to rest a bit to prepare for our flight home. When we arrived, we were greeted immediately with attitude from the lady working, and that was even before I even realized our room with our luggage was filed with 4 people who were unpacking and resting on our beds. We were told the gentleman working earlier would be fired for giving us misinformation. Supposedly we were only suppose to have a resting place in the common areas for what we paid. Now I realize what happened was all a misunderstanding, but to treat people who are in your place of business with such disrespect and attitude for not knowing the rules just blew my mind. There was no apology or anything. That is what makes me want to give this bad review. I was willing to overlook the unclean house and unappealing outside area to have a unique experience with a hostel, but I changed my mind. To The Lady who was running the place: take pride in your business....clean up and bit and make it more welcoming to your guests. Also tone down the attitude....it turns people off.

Its an older house but the people are nice and its pretty clean. I would stay again.

This Hostel is one of the best I have stayed in. The staff are all very welcoming and helpful with the advice they give. The price is just right, it's clean and I love that they had a food for sharing refrigerator and cupboards for those who are not able to get to the store and are only there to sleep. I'd stay here again in a heartbeat.

We really tried to have a good experience with this being our first hostel. We were up for the adventure, however the adventure turned into a very unpleasant experience. Our supposedly secured rooms with our luggage was given to others while we were away. When we questioned what had happened to the lady in charge, we were not greeted with kindness, only rudeness and attitude. The gentleman that showed us our rooms ended up being fired because he was kind and helpful and according to her gave us misinformation. Go figure? Regardless we trusted what he told us...I mean he worked there! I would have dealt with him any day compared to the lady in charge. No apologies, no refund, no empathy towards our situation from what we were told initially when we arrived. We may have not fit the "mold" of a typical hostel seeker as we just needed a place to rest before our long flight home...I'm not sure why we were treated with such disrespect. Regardless if we were told one thing when we arrived a little kindness would have gone a long way in this situation. I sure wish our first experience with a hostel could have been a positive one, but unfortunately it was not. Loved our visit to Alaska, so at least that was a good thing.

I cancelled more than 48 hours beforehand (per the cancellation policy), but the hostel still charged me. When I found out on my next billing statement and called in to have the charge removed, the desk clerk Chris McKenna refused to credit me back the charge without a cancellation code. I told him that I had never received a cancellation code and he said that I had to request it be emailed to me at the time that I made the cancellation! This place messes up reservations and refuses to correct their own errors. They tend to charge credit cards even after the customer has canceled his/her reservation. Definitely avoid Spenard Hostel International!

When I arrived at Spenard Hostel in the middle of the night, I found a handwritten welcome note with my bed assignment and I was greeted by a small black cat (Esmerelda). I've stayed in hostels all over the world, and this is one of the friendliest and best run. Good things happen in a small establishment when there is a good owner (Jen) who lives on site and runs the business. The location is close enough to the airport that I walked to the hostel with two bags in just over 30 minutes. Some of the things I appreciated: free wi-fi, comfortable bunks, clean sheets, multiple kitchens and bathrooms, comfortable common areas, food storage space, bike rentals, free locked storage space for guests, free bear spray exchange, friendly staff, 2 friendly cats, option to work for your stay (just 3 hours earns 1 night), and an array of friendly and interesting guests.

I love this hostel! I stayed as a camping guest so I can't speak to the bedding accommodations, but I loved everything else about it. Friendly people, 3 clean bathrooms, kitchen was so useful, and all the guests were of course your fun interesting world travelers. The hostel is a fairly quiet place at most times, no wild parties or anything like that and we also didn't have any problems sharing space. There are signs that set the tone for a chill and considerate environment.

Yeah, i liked everything but the Owner, Jen Avery, its been a while, but..The other people there were mostly extremely nice friendly kind considerate... I stayed 2 months during winter community having just come to AK and wanting to learn about it with others like me vs being in a room by myself. This proved a good choice and made some good friends, One couple even baked me a cake for my bd, however, I was shadowed by somewhat of a wierdo at one point, not wanting to be mean, but really feeling I should, the guy always wanted to hang, well he was wierd I got a bad vibe and just wasnt my type of character for friendship. I was polite but never hung out with him or walked around like he wanted to, figured he was uh, not in to women, so I spoke often of my GF when he was near, he spoke to no one else. I did hang out with a group of others most of the time, I had a job lined up in the Aleutians and one in town until. Sure enough, one day APD came and hauled him off, turns out he was wanted for bad things done with his family. Why the f did he always want to hang with me? probably for the crime of simply being nice. I had just paid for a months stay here and the owner starting that day let me know in loud language in from of other guest what she thought of me, her having no idea of why the police took him. She knew I had tried to avoid the guy and had requested NOT to be room mates with him and why, despite that, she treated me like I should a have been arrested....based on what I know not, I knew details of his charges as he left papers behind his room mate showed to a few of us. I was uncomfortable as heck and stopped being around at all in the common areas, coming and going to work and the br only, the rest of the time I spent in my bed, reading or away. Crappy thing to experience at a place you paid to stay especially after the friendships I made. One day 3 weeks later, a lady pulled me aside and said I should hang again, I said I didn't feel welcome to do so do to what her friend the Owner Jen Avery had said to me and acted towards me, .This woman and her boyfriend ahd always been kind though So i continued and mention what the paperwork the one guy showed me had said and if they and the owner knew that? I knew it was just bad luck, but I had nothing to do with that man or it, him arriving before me. And that treatment for occasionally talking to the guy BEFORE I knew what he was, I was scandalized by the owner for being nice to someone no one else was including her in her place. FK THAT, I think they passed all this on to her as she nicend a bit for the week or so til I left, when I did she let me know I was not welcome to return, I was not concerned, when I did return from my new job, I had a better job as a fisherman. I lost contact with most of the poeple i met there but have good memories. Except those of Jen, and even if I need a hostile again, I would not choose this one. i had bad luck with that but never got an apology, that would have cleared the slate as far as I am concerned, but as is, I hope she looses it and gets even larger than the last time I saw the beast.

Clean beds and rooms. Good location. Nice staff.

Sadly a bad experience. The first night we had a terrible night with two of our four beds infested with bed bugs. The management found us other beds and treated the room and our belongings and refunded us for the first night. They said it was a rare occasion. Which I believe to be true. But even after that we cam to find the girl who booked us at the front desk overbooked us and charged us for an extra night and said we could not get a refund because we did not notify her within 24 hours of the reservation. Luckily our paperwork showed otherwise and we were refunded after a very unfriendly encounter with the same girl. All in all its a cheap way of staying and isnt a bad place to stay but i just wanted any potential guests to know past issues.

Best hostel in the Anchorage area on a really good location. Five minutes from the airport, two from Midtown and five from Downtown.

My first moments in Anchorage were spent at Spenard hostel, and I recommend this hostel to any backpacker, couch surfer, or other traveler I run into. The staff, the owner, and the resident cats are lovely, friendly, and fun. Full of bright colors, great people, and beautiful art, Spenard feels like a home away from home. There's a big yard, and plenty of common areas which makes it perfect to either socialize or find your own little nook for reading. Big kitchens, plenty of bathrooms, lockers, and a laundry room. It is close to the airport, right off the bus line, and only a couple miles (10 min bus ride) from downtown. Overall, Spenard Hostel is a wonderful place to stay!

This is the first hostel I've stayed in in the US and I'd do it again in a heartbeat! Spenard has great amenities including multiple kitchens, multiple living room/common areas, comfortable clean beds, free Wifi, a library, computers, yard games, etc. It's more than just a warm bed to sleep in- it's a great atmosphere for meeting new people and feeling at home when you're away from home. Anchorage is easier to navigate if you have a car but there are 2 bus routes that stop close by that will get you downtown. They also have a bike rentals, bear spray trades (which is super convenient if you are planning on hiking), and a work program if you want a free night's stay. The only reason I give Spenard 4/5 stars is that there is a no shoe policy which just weirds me out (but I hate feet so take that as you may) and three bathrooms are just not enough if the place is packed. But all in all Spenard is a great place to stay!!

Nice little hostel. We arrived quite late from our flight but had no trouble getting in ( no lockout).

There so amazing this hostel is not what you think a regular hostel is there better they care about you and your stay.. The houseparents are awesome friendly and if you loose items they will be returned to you. You can rent mountain bike for cheap 4 an hour or 20 for the day. The beds are comfortable they provide you with sheets blanket and pillow for your stay. You have access to three different kitchens to actually cook food not like a hotel at all if anything it's better than any hotel you will get in my own opinion. :) it's a great hostel I recommend to any travelers or any movers like me who needed a place to stay while I found my own place as I just moved here to anchorage from 2000 miles away. It's clean nice and not hostile at all ( lil joke) There so helpful and friendly it makes it so much fun here!!!!! Come now if you wish to travel to anchorage it's the best hostel in town, I would not recommend any other hostel here other than "spenard hostel international".

The Spenard hostel was one of the nicest hostels I stayed at. First of all, the entire staff was very hospitable and helpful. Jen, the owner, went out of her way to answer everyone's questions and to make suggestions about things to do in Anchorage. If she didn't know an answer, she'd look it up on the computer for you. The Sunday night we arrived, they had a barbecue. So we had a delicious, free dinner. There are several kitchens and the one that I used had a fridge with free food in it. How nice and welcoming is that! We slept in a clean room with 4 bunk beds. There are several bathrooms and they were clean as well. I could not have been more pleased with this hostel. Jen was wonderful and better than a concierge at a 5 star hotel. My friend and I didn't reserve a shuttle to get to Whittier, where our cruise departed from and she ensured us that we would find a way. And sure enough we did! There is also a pretty lake with some seaplanes nearby. I highly recommend this hostel.