Sweet Peas Hostel

Such a cute and fun place to stay! Very clean, aesthetically pleasing, friendly staff and great downtown location. Felt very safe and comfortable there. We stayed in a private room, it was comfortable, with a bed, side table and sink. There are bunks right outside the door, but it still felt private, quiet, and stayed dark with the door closed.

This was my first solo trip and I was nervous about staying in a hostel by myself but Sweet Peas Hostel was amazing. Everything is very clean and you get your own locker/bed with a cubby and storage. They provide earplugs which is nice. The common area is so cozy and relaxing. The only thing is you do have to pay for $15 dollar parking across the street in a parking garage but I guess that’s city things. Highly recommend!

Great location, affordable. Clean and lots of amenities. Staff is super kind and helpful. Great atmosphere for meeting other travelers!! Highly recommend to anyone traveling in AVL. As a note, I stayed in one of the normal bunk beds. Locker storage made it secure and the bed was comfortable.

This is a fantastic place to stay! The staff is very welcoming and helpful. Everything is clean and well maintained, and the beds are comfy! The common space is beautiful, and has nice couches for relaxing and hanging out. The kitchen area is large and well-stocked with equipment for cooking. The location right in the heart of downtown couldn’t be better as it’s so convenient to get around. Looking forward to our next stay!

I had the best time staying at Sweet Peas Hostel. It was a 7 min walk to my retreat. I stayed in the private room and I had a sink and a ceiling fan with a remote. I slept more than 8 hours every night and didn't hear a thing with ear plugs in. The whole place was so clesn and immaculate. The kitchen has everything you need! The staff were all so lovely! The owners are hands on and just an awesome couple! I will come back and stay again soon! Thank you!

It's been years since I last stayed here and it is still just as lovely! I tried out a pod for the first time and I loved the built-in locker, shelving, and curtain. I sleep easily so the open concept is not a problem for me, and I actually prefer the vibe it gives the relatively small hostel! The attention to detail and staff are great, the common areas are comfortable, and the location is tough to beat. I will definitely stay here again!

Private rooms have NO windows. Pods are open and exposed. Parking is outrageous and very inconvenient.

Greatest hidden gem in all of downtown Asheville! I stay here every time I visit AVL & want to be staying smack dab in the middle of downtown. As others have mentioned noise can be an issue, either from the club downstairs or from others sleeping in the communal area--it's a hostel--wear earplugs! I love everything about Sweet Pea--unbeatable location, clean showers with plenty of hot water, comfortable sleeping pods w/ plenty of storage & blackout curtains, great communal living area with full kitchen, washer & dryers available. Most importantly very clean, comfortable, & quiet (during quiet hours). 100% recommended!

I gave it one star because zero stars isn't an option. After my reservation was accepted and I stored bags early, my reservation was abruptly canceled without explanation, but shortly after the hard-ass manager saw me show up with some anti-Trump buttons I created. Are they MAGA? That's all I can surmise. I was also Srtrong armed to leave the alcove where I was waiting for a Lyft with a thunderstorm looming. Attitude was hostile, menacing, unprofessional and authoritarian. Much more amenable local choices are The Lazy Tiger Hostel and BonPaul & Sharkeys.

Stayed at SweetPeas visiting from Atlanta over the weekend. I loved everything about this place. Staff was super kind, friendly and incredibly smart. Another guest and I got a whole history lesson on the architecture around Asheville. Great conversation!! It's in a fantastic location since there is so much to explore within walking distance. The hostel is extremely clean and well managed. My pod was cozy and very comfortable. I loved all the exposed brick and hardwoods. Everyone I spoke to that was staying there were very nice and doing their own thing. Family style kitchen and living space was inviting and lovely with loft style ceilings. It's also reasonably priced for staying right downtown. Honestly, I was very impressed with this place. Would absolutely stay here again. As a matter of fact, I'm really looking forward to another visit. Safety - Coming and going was great. They really care about safety and don't allow outsiders to come in. Only the people staying there have access to the place and you get a key for your cabinet to safely store your items. Walkability - Literally anything and everything is in walking distance. Food/Drinks - There are plenty of places to eat and drink within walking distance. Coffee shop two doors down, burger place with bar next to that. Brewery on the back side of the building with trading post across the street. Diner was around the corner as well as a dessert bar. I was a huge fan of everything SweetPeas had to offer on the block. Atmosphere - This place had such a cozy feel. It was warm and inviting with a lot of historic notes. Everything about this place was adorable. There's plenty to read, a guitar to play, and a ton of other stuff to do if you just feel like chilling.

I came in to spend 2 nights while I was in Asheville. Worst mistake ever. The lady at the desk around 6pm was delightful, got me in quickly and showed me around. The chick with black curls was an absolute disaster. She worked night shift. Came in my empty room at 10:58 and turned off the light and said "it's bed time" I was on the phone with my girlfriend so I kinda ignored the disrespect. I stepped outside to finish my phone call and said goodbye as I was walking to my bunk. I tried to apologize multiple times for talking after hours and she just said the cops are on the way. This chick is actually crazy lmao. I hope they watch the cameras and fire her. She belongs to the streets.

I like this place a lot! It's not the best facility hostel but it's definitely a unique hostel. The person at the front dest is super super friendly. He played the guitar all the time and played the guitar to greet people. You can be as social as you want or as social-less as you want. I love the design of the pod. The curtain gives you privacy and the cabinet is large enough to put your all of your stuff. There's a head light in your pod, and there's a small shelf on one side of your pod. WiFi is good in the shared area. But for the corner (I stayed at pod 1) the signal is really bad. Location is good. There's a parking garage nearby, $10 for a day. And there are lots of great food/bar within 5 mins walking distance. If I have chance to go to Asheville again, I'll stay here again next time.

Sweetest people, has that true home feeling. I felt safe and loved there. BIG warning though, they say the fridge is free use and to just label your food..... don't expect a lot of room, I put one bottle in there and had to do some maneuvering. They have people that work and live there so they probably take up most space with their own grocery's. It's not that big of a deal when being in downtown Asheville and having amazing restaurants a skip away :)

Very nicely constructed small "boutique" style hostel/private suites lodging establishment in a well rehabbed old brick building in the charmingly quirky Blue Ridge Mountain town of Asheville, NC. Pretty much everyone on the staff at the time that I was staying there (Sam, Shayla, Kweran, Myra, Bryan, Ann) were super friendly & very accommodating with getting me situated in the space and suggestions for what to do/how to around while in town. They allowed me to take my folding bicycle inside with me (sad to say that not every hostel allows bikes in, even small folding ones like mine, and forces bike riders to lock their bikes outside - sometimes at a designated spot sometimes just anywhere out on the street- thus placing the bike at risk of being stolen/damaged, so Sweet Peas staff allowing me to keep my bike inside with me was a def plus). There are a variety of accommodations they offer, from stacking metal bunk "dorm" style beds fitting 6-8 people to a room* to railroad train sleeper bunk style encased in wood "pods" that have heavy velvet drapes* (when stretched out across the bunk, these provide some privacy) and individual "en-suite" studio spaces that have their own private beds and bathroom spaces all at very reasonable pricing ( dorm style bunk dorm rooms and sleeper "pods" come with use of shared bathrooms and shower spaces). All those staying at SweetPea are provided with cleaned daily bedding/towels and access to the nicely laid out with modern appliances kitchen space for storing food and cooking where complimentary coffee, teas, and oatmeal are provided for consumption throughout the day. The other common space includes the retro-industrial styled living room / salon parlor area with lovely large windows that look out onto downtown Asheville. Definitely one of the "sweetest" hostels I have ever stayed at. Would ABSOLUTELY STAY at SWEETPEAS again next time I arrive to visit Asheville! (* only drawback which underlies why its a 4 star rating not a 5 was that the "dorm" or "pod" style accommodations appear to be ALL mixed gender arrangements, so that if you prefer an "all females" or "all male" shared dorm style room, which is an option typically available at hostels, its seems not to be an option at SWEETPEAS. This I only learned upon arrival & it surprised me as when booking the dorm style accommodations on their website, prospective lodgers are asked to select "female" or "male" which implies that one is being sorted into a "females only" or "males only" dorm style room which is a misleading issue in their online booking process that I brought up with the manager as needing to be corrected. So, while overall a very nice to stay, please be aware that if you are a female traveling alone and select "a dorm or a pod" bed, you may have to share a sleeping space with 5-7 unknown men. Have to say that this did indeed cause me some concern on a couple of nights during my stay due to the comportment of some of the men who arrived and had booked a bed in one of the dorm rooms).

A little haven in downtown Asheville! Perfect location, really awesome staff and a clean spacious living space to meet people from around the world. They offer an array of updated amenities (shower, bathroom, tv, laundry, fridge, dishwasher, etc.). Beds are comfortable, with black out curtains for shade and privacy. I will definitely be back!

I can't believe I've been coming to Asheville this long and I didn't even know this place was here. A great location. Beautiful amenities. Plus, friendly staff. The front door is on the same street as The Vault. Once you head inside you just get this instant feeling of being at home. After exchanging pleasantries with the girl that was working that front we were shown to where are beds were. We were also given locks for our lockers as well as towels. I'm not going to lie, I didn't spend that much time at the hostel. There is so much to do close by that I was out a bit. But, I did sleep well and loved everything about this place.

I had never stayed in a hostel before, but I'm so glad I stopped at this one! it's in a fantastic location in downtown Asheville and very cozy, you have everything you need! I felt very safe and cozy overall, and the staff were vert friendly!

When did I get so old? Not sure, but hostel life is definitely not for me at this stage. Sweetpeas was clean, centrally located, and inexpensive. However! The floors, beds, and plumbing are all very creaky. The walls, most of which are only 3/4 height, are paper thin, making every mid-night footfall audible. The private rooms don't offer much sound attenuation, as they are immediately adjacent to the bunks. The rooms also lack windows or clock, so it is literally impossible to determine the time. It is like sleeping in a large closet. Bunk rooms and shower stalls are co-ed, which is not clearly indicated online. Laundry is unavailable during the extensive quiet hours as well as a large chunk of the day for staff to wash linens, which I imagine they do approximately 1,000 times a day to get them to their level of threadbareness. The pillows were awful and thin, but no personal linens are allowed. The staff are young, strange, and absolutely indiscernible from the guests. I saw no security for the duration of my stay, and initially mistook the evening loop of staff person for creepy lurking. I wouldn't stay here again, but if you are on a budget, thankfully there is plenty to do in Asheville to exhaust yourself to the point where these inconveniences are rendered inconsequential, because you could fall asleep anywhere.

Great value, the best location, and they have a pretty cool common area with an Xbox One and a whole slew of DVD movies you can check out at any point. Oh, and they provide coffee, which is super cool of them. Those are the highlights that I would tell anybody else. Compared to other hostels, Sweet Peas meets Yelp's condition of "I've experienced better". Things that could be improved: All walls are 3/4 height, and there are no doors. Open floor plans may be great on HGTV, but even Chip and Joanna wouldn't want that for a hostel. Creaky floors, bed frames, lockers... if somebody takes one step, the whole building can hear it, no joke. Even in quiet hours (pretty strictly enforced, although this isn't a curfew), it's substantially noisy with these ambient failings. Lexington Ave Brewery down below. Okay, so going to Lab is fun, I like it. But sleeping next to it is another story. Sweet Peas offers complimentary ear plugs. For both this reason and the reason above, I highly, highly suggest you take them up on that. Bunk rooms are coed. Not a con for me, but may be for certain people - it's something you should know. Mattress is as basic as basic gets, and pillow is flat.. that may be a bigger problem with some sleepers than it was with me. The nice thing about the beds is that each one gets a lamp and an outlet, which was nice for everybody to charge their phones. As with most hostels, there's a no alcohol rule, be aware of that as well. For the weekend we had, Sweet Peas was totally great, and I didn't spend much time in there anyways, but for the lack of sleep I got while I was there, I would've much rather gotten an airbnb and paid a little bit extra for the z's.

Pros: cheap place to stay that is centrally located and has nice decor. Cons: Weird layout, very loud, stuffy private rooms, unhelpful staff. There are signs posted saying you can print whatever you need from the communal computer, however, that proved not to be true. The French speaking woman who was working there refused to let me print out google maps directions that I needed to visit Pisgah even after explaining that I don't have a GPS, am not from here, and get lost easily. Was very rude about it too. If you have the money to stay elsewhere, do so.

Location. Location. Location. This hostel is located right downtown and walking distance to tons of cool spots. I stay here multiple times a year. With the current management, it is super clean and friendly. I stay here multiple times every year and even use the shared spaces to work virtually. I'm very surprised with some of the low ratings. As with any hostel, good earplugs are recommended as people have different sleeping schedules and you do get the loud/rude guest now and again. As for the noise from the pub downstairs, that has certainly gotten better in the last year or so. I think they must have to turn down the volume after a certain time now. I recommend getting silicone earplugs and staying in this hostel rather than paying $200+ for a hotel downtown. I tried the other hostel in town once. Although the people were nice, it was like walking into a college house. I much prefer Sweet Pea's location and esthetic. Tip: It seems that some of the showers run out of hot water faster than others. Turn on the faucet and test it before getting undressed.

Since my family moved away, I find that little trips up to my hometown require accommodations and crashing on friends floors only can last for so long, so I stay here from time to time. It is a way to visit the town without paying a big price for a hotel. I have traveled all over Europe and hostels are a norm there....in the U.S., not so much. I just love to see reactions of my friends when I tell them I stay in them from time to time. I would say this one and one in Jackson Hole Wyoming have the most visits from me, but I have stayed in them in NYC, San Fran, and even Chicago. All and all a good value for your dollar, but you have to have an open mind. The folks here are a hugh cross section of both the US and the world and many folks are staying there for up to 30 days due to the affordability of this place. As hostels go, this one is the best.........yes folks, I wrote the best..........in all the ones I've ever stayed at....either here or in Europe. It is clean, the staff is on the ball, the bunks and kitchen are very nice and it is very affordable. Throw in the fact it is located centrally and it is by and far the best deal in that town for accommodation. HINT: Try and get bunks by the windows...the farther back you go the closer you are to a back performance room in LAB (bar underneath) and sounds will travel.....this also applies to the private rooms.

Sweet Peas was my very first hostel experience! I'm normally a huge planner, but when my friend (fellow Yelper Daphne A.) and I decided last minute to take a trip to Asheville--literally the day before we left--we didn't have a lot of time to plan. One of Daphne's friends suggested Sweet Peas, I called, there were openings, and I booked it... all within a matter of 15 minutes. We opted for the "pod" option--not a private room (I believe there are only two of those.), but not a bunk bed either. The pods are instead surrounded by three walls and are also bunks, with a drape on the side. They reminded me of what the little bunks on an RV are like. The location of Sweet Peas was a huge selling point. Yes, if you drive, you'll likely have to pay to park (We parked in the garage directly across the street.), but being downtown and within walking distance of so many local businesses was seriously perfect. The only time we drove in our few days there was when we went to The Biltmore Estate (which we followed with a drive to the River Arts District). Otherwise, we walked and skipped to the microbreweries, restaurants, shops, parks, and everywhere else we went. The location definitely makes staying here worth it. I don't have other hostel experiences to compare Sweet Peas to, but it was clean and fairly small. I felt safe there, which is pretty important when you're in such a set up. It felt like I was back in college with the communal bathrooms, which were never full. The staff was friendly but not intrusive, and we even encountered a friendly bunky upon arrival who gave us many suggestions for our few days there. My main issue was with comfort. The amenities are basic, so you're not in a bed at a Four Seasons (Duh!), but I had a difficult time getting comfortable in the bed first of our three nights. I guess I was so exhausted on the other two it didn't matter. The noise was a bit of an annoyance; it was quiet at night (There are quiet hours.), but not silent... so hearing the dryer and any noise from others bugged me a bit. It's almost like I wanted a noise machine. Haha. The LAB sounds woke me up our last morning too, in addition to other bunkys getting noisy when waking up. There are earplugs near the front for your convenience though, and for the price and location, it's really not a big deal. If visiting Asheville, I definitely recommend Sweet Peas. I think it was a pretty great place to stay for my first hostel!

Wow. I've stayed in my fair share of US hostels in my life and this one is unlike any other. I simply had to give it 5 stars. Very VERY clean, modern design, very nice kitchenette with fridge, hospitable, safe, great location in walking distance to shops, food and music. I went with the $35 pod (see photo). It's basically an extra long twin bed with a shelf, a personal outlet, locker and curtain for privacy. The curtain does a pretty good job keeping out the light but everyone around me were hostel pros and kept the noise down during the night and early morning. The showers are communal, like other hostels, but they're super clean. In order to use a sink you have to use the bathroom area, which is separate. Since this place is so nice and so cheap it books up fast. REALLY FAST. The private rooms were all booked up when I called. Asheville has many festivals, art galleries and Biltmore Estate nearby, so there are a lot of people moving in and out of this little town on a daily basis. ***A Biltmore Note*** If you're planning on a trip to Biltmore Estate and have no car (I went for their Christmas Candlelight tour), it IS indeed possible to get a taxi to take you straight through the front gate and right up to the house to be dropped off for your tour. A taxi can then come to pick you up. The person working the front desk our entire stay claimed this to not be true, which added a little stress to our trip, but a quick phone call to a taxi service cleared it up. Just a little weird working there for so long how she didn't know this fact. Regardless of that hiccup, STAY HERE!

Had this been a $20 stay, I wouldn't have bothered reviewing it. As it cost nearly twice that, here we are... You're forbidden from so much as whispering after midnight, apparently to ensure you can hear the noisy bar next door, and, my hand to God, somebody was moving metal furniture around at 4 a.m. This place also has the squeakiest wooden floors in the world. One unpleasant surprise was that I was in a coed bunkroom, without my prior knowledge or approval; they ask your gender when you make the reservation, so I assumed I'd be with other women or I wouldn't have booked it. You're also not allowed to bring in your own linens and are given one welfare hospital-quality blanket and a pillow that is still flat even folded over. Whatever hours the staff are there, it was not the hours I returned to sleep or when I left in the morning.

I wanted to love this hostel I really did but there was one major issue - the noise. I can't say they didn't forwarn me - they said so on the phone and offered earplugs upon arrival. The hostel is located above a brewery that doesn't close until 2 a.m. and likes to vacuum at 7 a.m. Since the hostel is in a really cool refurbed warehouse there is NO insulation turning our private room (apparently above the stage) into a giant speaker - as sound echoed up the walls (two of which your bed is against). This was on a Monday and Tuesday night - which foolishly we thought would be quiet. Not in this college town. The hostel itself has an awesome design asthetically - very loft like. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Super clean - looked brand new (opened in Jan?) Can't beat the location right downtown Asheville close to everything. Layout was a bit odd as common areas kitchen, lr, and even laundry are all open to one another and only half walls divide it from the bunks aka pods. Quiet hours are midnight to 8 am, but if you're an early to bed person this could be a major problem again noise wise. Free wifi, no breakfast but coffee/tea is provided. I would recommend it but only to those ok with noise and/or earplugs, or those on the same schedule as the hip crowd below.

The place was great overall! Ashley (an employee at Sweet Peas Hostel is super friendly and cute xD) Pros (bunks/pods): Affordable place to stay, can cook your own food, your own temporary home. The shower rooms are separate from the bathrooms (toilet/sink). Has a refrigerator. Has TV with selections of movies, Xbox games (When I was there, they had COD/Gears of war, a two more). They have rules in the hostel, which favors peace and quiet. They security guy that works in the Hostel, actually does security (I thought he was another guest, but wakes up at night and checks around the place). Here, you do your own clean up. Although the hostel does have their own employees to do some tidying up in the hostel, in general. Because the rooms are open, definitely no sex allowed (1 person per bed). Power outlet per bed (Huge plus). Public parking lot (less than 100FT from Hostel). Lots of bars nearby for late night hours. Cons: It can get quite loud. because there are no doors/closed rooms in both bunk beds and pods. (It's literally night/day when the lights go off). The bar underneath the hostel, may play music during the holidays and the bass will definitely penetrate through the floor. This is out of the hostel's power to control. Neutral: No alcohol - It can keep drunks/violence out of the hostel, but not entirely sure if you can bring it in without drinking it. Helps make the place friendly. Curfew hours - It does exist here, but Not entirely sure if they enforce it. Label - You must label all your food and supplies, otherwise Hostel employees will assume it belongs to no one and throws them out.

Nice place. Clean and a very inviting modern space. Could shoot a "reality" tv show there. Good location with lots of places to eat and things to do downtown. That being said most of my experience inside the US is with "hiker hostels". Terrible grungy places where everyone talks to each other. The guests there when I visited barely spoke to one another at all and had nothing resembling a meaningful conversation. Can't ding the staff for that though so I'll give it 5 stars. But if you're trying to travel the world on a budget you might want to get some tips from others that are doing the same.

On paper, this hostel is A++: great location, super cozy, well appointed, etc. But in reality, it is a far cry from this. First let me preface - it's a hostel. I know this. I've stayed in many. (I usually try to stay in those affiliated with Hosteling International, but alas, they have none in Asheville.) I understand that your space is not always your own, that noise carries between people and between rooms, and that, in a lot of ways, your stay is completely dependent on how courteous - or rude - other guests are. Yet in this case, the guests could not have been more pleasant. That leaves the hostel itself. I guess I should start with the pros. The location IS great. Truly smack dab in the middle of Asheville. The staff was hospitable. The laundry facilities, though I didn't use them myself, were reasonably priced and didn't seem overused while I was there, which I can only assume means it's possible to do laundry while staying there. And yet...(I'll start from least offensive to most...) - My shower was freezing. Upon returning from a hike, I hopped in the shower to clean off before exploring Asheville in the evening and the water was ICE COLD. I was shaking just trying to wash my hair as quickly as possible. When I walked outside of the shower, I passed by the front desk (they're right next to one another) and commented that the water was freezing, and the receptionist looked baffled. A guy - presumably someone who works there - asked what shower I was in and when I told him, he said, "oh, #1 and #4 are the best." The receptionist and him continued to go back and forth about how they've needed to get pipes fixed, water is intermittently cold, etc. It was super disconcerting that this was not an isolated incident and seems to be a perpetual problem. - The WiFi was horrible. For whatever reason, it seems contained only to the living/kitchen space, which I can't understand since the bunks are essentially part of that space (see my third bullet). And yet, the WiFi was limited. And when I WAS able to connect, I kept getting booted off the network (from multiple devices - it wasn't me) and pages were super slow to load. I ended up connecting to the free WiFi from Anthropologie below, which was spotty at best - but still better than Sweet Peas'. - It's not very clean. At first blush, it seems it. But I picked over two dozen stray hairs off my sheets - which seem to attract all sorts of lint and such - before making my bed. And when I dropped a hair elastic to the side of my mattress in my pod, I saw all sorts of bobby pins, fingernails, dust, lint and hair kitty-cornered between the mattress and the wall. It just takes two seconds to lift the flimsy mattress and vacuum in there, but apparently that thought never crossed their minds. Bathrooms were also dirty, though not as disgustingly so. The sinks were always wet, one stall was perpetually out of toilet paper, and two separate times I walked into unflushed toilets. (How this even happens is beyond me.) - There is no privacy. Every other hostel I've stayed at has a shared living space with private rooms. Now, these rooms may have 6,8 or 10 bunks in them - but they have a door. They're private. Separate from the living area. Not at Sweet Peas! The bunk space - pod or bunk - are all small walkways branched off from the living space that are only the length of two bunks end-to-end. The walls are ¾. No doors. So essentially it's like one big sleepover with everyone under the same roof - you can hear everyone's snores, everyone's laughs, the people in the kitchen making tea or popping popcorn, etc. And the floors, though a beautiful natural wood, creak like crazy. Don't fool yourself by thinking you can slide one of those velvet curtains over your pod and close the world out. If anything it just blocks the light. You will hear everything. - ...and that leads me to my last bullet: there is no quiet. Ever. It's above a bar. To be fair, I was warned of this ahead of time, but I thought it would just mean hearing a hum of chatter and muffled bass. NOPE! It was like I was AT the bar. I don't know how I can describe it to you and actually convey how loud it was. I heard entire conversations between women. I recognized nearly all the songs that were playing. When the DJ spoke, he might as well been speaking to me. Do yourself a favor and find an Airbnb or fork over the money to stay elsewhere.

Had a friend who lost their cell phone I needed to pick up to go home. The front desk manager when I called in said there was no one here by that name and said I called the wrong location. Then proceeded to just stop answering the phone. I then drove to the hostel and asked for help finding my friend in the hostel or if he could grab him. Told me to call him even though I had stated he lost his cell phone and I had no other way to get ahold of him. Then refused to ask if around time see if my friend was still there. Then just ended the call and wouldn't answer again. He went directly to the bed of my friend who he said wasn't staying there (so he knew who is was) and proved he did know who I was talking about. Extremely rude, unhelpful, would never recommend anyone staying here.

As someone who has traveled internationally and has had my fair share of hostel experiences, I was very disappointed with my stay at Sweet Peas. Great Location! Friendly staff! But in an attempt to be modern and have open community, they eliminated any chance you have of getting any sleep. Be aware of the bar downstairs that plays music long into the night and the fact that there are no doors on the rooms and the walls are only half walls, which means you can hear people coming and going all night long. You get what you pay for-a place to sleep (kind of) and a (maybe) hot shower.

Awful experience. I complained about the noise and they decided to kick me out rather than rectify the problem. Do not stay here.

Sure, this place has good reviews, and it deserves them. But it's still a hostel. The pros: bathrooms, showers and floors were very clean, way cleaner than expected (whatever that means), making a reservation was straightforward via email and the place is in a great location. The bad: worst bed ever, as squeaky as they come, noisy wooden floors and very thin walls. We got a "private room" to stay a couple nights in downtown Asheville and live the hostel experience, little did I know, the hostel life is not for me anymore, since I like privacy, soft beds and good customer service. The room was super small but clean and it had a sink (weird, but at least I didn't have to go to the bathroom to brush my teeth). It was completely dark, so much that you could never have a notion of what time it was. Sure, it was private, but there were beds right outside our door, literally like 4 bunk beds right in front of our door. I could hear a guy snoring pretty hard. The people that worked there were just meh, except for the girl who welcomed us the first night, she was great. We only picked this place because we were coming very late at night and didn't think it was worth paying a full day for only a few hours of a real hotel, it was very nice to be downtown and just walk everywhere, but although the price was low ($153 for the 2 nights), roughly half of the Holiday Inn's rate, it seemed expensive given the square footage and level of service you get. I wouldn't stay here if you are a light sleeper or like the general good things in life. On the bright side, it only made our next nights at a real hotel better. No sweet without the sour :)

I truly enjoyed my stay here last weekend. It was an impromptu trip to the mountains and I needed a clean, inexpensive place to crash; I slept in the bunk bed. It was equipped with a large locker and outlets. The hostel was very clean and the staff is on site to maintain the cleanliness and observe quiet hours (I actually heard the staff asking guests to be respectful of quiet hours around 5am which is awesome of them to do. The building felt secure. There's a bar downstairs, but they provide ear plugs upon arrival. Very great centralized location and cozy couches, clean showers. I would stay here again.

One of the best hostel experiences I've had in the U.S. The staff were very helpful at check-in and answered all my questions about local activities. The bunks are comfortable and the kitchen is well-stocked. I was also pleasantly surprised by the bathrooms and showers. Everything was clean and organized. The common area is also very peaceful and huge. The other guests were generally quiet and respected the designated quiet hours, which hasn't been my experience at other hostels. The location is perfect if you want to explore downtown Asheville and all the wonderful breweries. I highly recommend Sweet Peas

This is a great place to stay if you just need to crash in Asheville for the night. We wanted to stay downtown, but not pay "Downtown Asheville Hotel" prices. My husband I stayed in one of the private rooms. The hostel was clean, the staff was friendly and we were overall pretty comfortable. There are Quiet Hours from midnight to 8 AM, which all the the guests observed, however, the high ceilings and wood floors make it so you can hear every little creak even if people are trying their damnedest to be quiet. Also, it's above Lexington Avenue Brewery, which is pretty loud. We had a hard time falling asleep, but the hostel does offer free earplugs which helped. I highly recommend this hostel!

This hostel is like couchsurfing inside of a Target. You got that feeling of traveling on the road with the sense of minimalism that comes with wanting to travel affordably but everything around you in this hostel is so shiny and new and has hip colors and decor. For showering and sanitation purposes, this hostel is outstanding and far better than any other hostel I've been to in the past (though those were all in Europe where standards seemed slightly diff). My boyfriend and I stayed in one of their private rooms riiiight on top of LAB for just a night. First of all the cost of one private room for two people total costs $60. If you're gonna go to Asheville to see something, anything in Asheville, this is the way to do it on the cheap! And be downtown! Doesn't get much better than Sweet Peas for that. Being right on top of LAB was awesome for being able to meet some friends right downstairs and not have to worry about driving back anywhere or finding new parking downtown. Be warned that you the makings of your own private dance party courtesy of LAB on the weekends if that's not something you wanna embrace as a perk. If you hail from Kentucky like we do where bars close at 4, you'll have no problem just closing down LAB at 2 and then you've got no worries about loud music when you get back to your room. Also, these private rooms are not the kind of place you'd wanna hang out in. They may actually be the size of a full bath, but stay in there just a little bit longer than the time it takes to change your clothes and it feels like you're living in a half bath. I wasn't expecting anything more, but gotta divulge the full scoop in case anyone else is...To me, these challenges are part of the charm of staying at a hostel. I love the affordability first and foremost and the way all the little grievances people invariably have with the layout, cleanliness, annoying bunkmates, etc. bring out your desire to really get out and enjoy the actual city that you're in. The little quirks with hostels also add to the charm of the place and this one just didn't seem to have many quirks going on. And this is Asheville?!?! If you're gonna stay here, make your plans in advance. If this place ever was a secret, it's out... It's tough enough to get a room here a month in advance and even more difficult the closer you get. Last, but not least, hospitality is something you would not expect in a hostel but this place is top notch. We had a room on Friday night but we were able to be put on the "waitlist" for a room on Saturday night since every place in town was booked because of a beer fest and the show we were going to. When nothing panned out as being open for us on Saturday, the staff member on duty called up another place that she knew of across town in West Asheville for us who had an open room. So nice! One other cool thing about Sweet Peas Hostel: they have a whole community board like you'd find at a coffee shop with all the local music and yoga happenings posted up.

Easily the best designed hostel I've ever stayed in. The cleverly desinged "pods" are a rather pleasant middle ground between a private hotel room and a hostel bunk. Each pod has curtains that help block out light for sleeping in, as well as shelves, a power outlet and a reading light. As mentioned by previous reviewers, yes, this hostel can be LOUD, but then again, I've never believed that hostels were a good choice for the fussy, overly fastidious or light sleepers. Free earplugs provided for those that need them.

I am not going to go into specifics as to how I, at, 41, wound up staying in a youth hostel, suffice to say that my friend Heidi was in charge of accommodations for our trip to Bele Chere festival and if you knew her, you would understand. Also, suffice it to say that I was initially not remotely thrilled about the idea, and grumbled and whined all the way to Asheville, and booked the next night at the Biltmore in protest. Astonished, I was. Sweet Peas is a far, far cry from the hostels of my actual youth. Very clean, friendly, comfortable with a distinct absence of smelly hippies. Smack dab in the middle of DT Ashevillle. Fresh, soft linens and pillows, and private little bunks with curtains. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee greeted me in the morning as well as wifi and some really cool fellow travelers. I can honestly say I absolutely enjoyed my stay here and would return again without question- I think the stay cost $30.

This was my first hostel experience of any kind and it went very well. Sweet Peas is very clean, beds were comfortable, checking in was easy, Plus, the location is fantastic. It is right downtown so you don't have to stop drinking and pretend a half hour will sober you up to make the drive to your hotel. i would not recommend staying here if getting a full night of sleep is what you're looking for. We didn't get back to the hostel until pretty late, but still the noise from LAB was pretty loud for the final bit they were open. Luckily, i was exhausted from a day full of Asheville brewery hopping, and fell asleep. i forgot to grab earplugs that might have been helpful in blocking out the loud snoring in the room a few hours later. Then when people start waking up, you can hear them all talking, kitchen noises, and squeaky wood floors. Yeah, should have grabbed the ear plugs. i liked having the pod. The acoustic blocking curtain doesn't actually block any noise, but it is nice to have a touch of privacy and a shade to block out some light. Inside the pod, there is a light, a shelf and an electrical outlet if you don't forget your phone charger like i did. For just $32, you get a clean, safe place to sleep in downtown Asheville. i'd say i'm definitely a fan....almost as good as it gets.

My stay is complete. As soon as I checked in I felt that this would be a special place. During my weekend stay the atomosphere was very relaxed and quite. The staff is very welcoming. The layout inside is like a loft. Open spaces with a common area, a small library of books, TV, and kitchen. The bathrooms are clean and they have multiple showers. The sleeping pods are spaceous with an outlet for your electronics, cubbies for your stuff and a good size locker; it uses a key that is free with your stay. Worthy of mention, is the ease of reservation, check-in and check-out. I appreciate Sweet Peas Hostel for being above average in service and quality of lodging experience. Ya can't get a better downtown hostel stay; I am looking forward to my return.

I have stayed at many hostels. From the second you get to Sweet Peas (even the door from the outside) it's obvious this place wants to do as absolutely little as possible for the guests, and provide the LEAST. Cost: A bunk bed with a curtain costs $40 + 5 tax and if you want to park anywhere near the place it costs $12 a Day in the lot across the street. Total = $57 a day. NO soap in the showers, after four nights I asked for a new towel and was told "we don't refresh the towels." Signs threatening $10 charge if you stay beyond 11am. NO breakfast of any kind. NOTHING. They make a pot of coffee for the entire place and if you want more they say you can make some more. No real milk for the coffee. Looking at their website is laughable. You'd think this was a nice place. They TOTALLY want your money and nothing else to do with you. Not even a run down of where things are in the place.. all for $57 a night if you want to park. I am currently staying at a hostel on St. Charles Ave New Orleans, $33 total. Hee we get a great free breakfast including coldcuts biscuits croissants coffee with real milk, OJ, lots of street parking and even a happy hour every day. UNLIKE Sweet Peas, these are fun helpful folks with a sign saying, "Dirty Towel? Leave here and ask at front desk for another." In analysis, Ashville is becoming a tourist hustle town. You can feel it everywhere. Art galleries insanely expensive, expanding with rude people. Expesive restaurants in downtown, ja "keep you in the downtown area to take your money Corporate land," and Sweet Peas fills the bill .. they want your money, no soap, and be SURE to bring your towel and laundry to the front desk before you leave. LOTS of signs EVERYWHERE telling you what to do to make their life easier. --- Sweet Peas ain't sweet.

Clean, Very hospitable, Safe feeling, Relaxed and professional! check in between 3 and 10. Initially sounds a little pricey for a hostel but it's well worth it to be in the middle of everything within walking distance. Reserve private rooms in advance for weekends because there is only 2 available. Great staff! Hostel located above The Lab, which is a fantastic resteraunt/bar. We stayed 2 extra days!

Popped into Asheville for a foodie weekend with my sweetie.. We stayed in a private room at the hostel $60/day, parked our car $8/day and walked the whole town, ate like 12 meals in one day. The staff here is awesome, the prices are great, the amenities are commercial quality all the way.. the only drawback it it is situated on top of a bar, that plays loud music until late, but they do provide you with earplugs.

Sweet Peas is an awesome hostel. Really clean, hip, all the basic amenities you need. The location is prime as well. It would get a 5 star rating from me if it wasn't for the noise from LAB (the bar on the other side of the wall). Unfortunately if you want to go to bed before 2am or so you will have to deal with the noise from this establishment. If you are planning on staying out till 2am Sweet Peas is a perfect choice. Clean sheets and towels are provided, each bed in the common areas has a locker, reading lamp and an individual electric outlet. There is a common kitchen with cooking ware and condiments for guest use. Additionally, there is a nice living room area with TV, comfy couches, and big windows. The bathrooms are very clean and the staff was friendly. Not bad for $28.

Super cute, clean and open-floorplan hostel with TV lounge, community kitchen and fridge, countertop, dining table, bathrooms and showers in a loft-style layout. There's also coin-operated laundry and a computer! The location is extremely convenient to walking all around downtown Asheville - and right across the street from the parking lot where you can park for just $8 for a 24-hour period. My only complaint was that on Friday and Saturday nights the downstairs bar plays LOUD MUSIC until the wee hours of the night, which no amount of ear plugs will drown out. If you're visiting Sunday through Thursday - I think you will absolutely LOVE this hostel :)

Hands down, the best hostel I've stayed in or heard of. This place was immaculate. In fact, the morning after we arrived, the workers were cleaning the shower area with the wet/dry vac. The other guests were respectful of the quiet hours, which are midnight to 8am. It's also in the perfect location; in the middle of downtown and within walking distance to everything. We never had to wait for toilets or showers, which has been a problem in my past hostel experiences. We didn't have any problems whatsoever, with the noise from the LAB. And we didn't have to use the earplugs either. Great hostel experience!

I LOVE SWEET PEA HOSTEL! I arrived in Asheville from Michigan with the intention of finding an apartment and settling here. I needed somewhere to stay while I was apartment-hunting, and Sweet Pea Hostel was an absolute gem to stumble upon! The space is beautiful - big, clean, comfortable, with an absolutely incredible staff. (A special shout out to Shane, who was incredibly helpful and generous!) The living room is fully equipped with a TV, DVD player and a HUGE book case of dvds to watch while you're there. (Not to mention free wifi!!) There is a beautiful and clean kitchen, fully stocked with everything you could possibly need to cook. (There's also a fridge/freezer if you want to bring in groceries or leftovers, etc.) The bathrooms/showers are clean, and you are provided with fresh washcloth/towel upon arrival. The beds are very comfortable. I stayed in a pod, which was just fabulous. Each pod has a curtain that pulls across so that you have privacy, plus there is a locking storage area to keep your stuff safely. AND there is an individual reading light, outlet, and shelf in each pod! So cozy. Guests at the hostel seem to be very quiet and respectful also, which is great, so you can actually get a good sleep! (Oh and they also give you free ear plugs if you wish...) You also have the fun option of being social and meeting fellow travelers if you wish, but there's no pressure to do so :-) Sweet pea staff, thank you for making my transition to Asheville smooth, comfortable and affordable!! Warmly, Lisa

Our first hostel experience. Safe, friendly, and clean. Perfect location and priced right

FANTASTIC hostel. One of the cleanest places I've ever stayed in. Beautiful wooden floors, informative staff (I believe the owner is French). You can choose between pods, private rooms, or bunks. The bunks are about $32/night and the private rooms are $60/night. The private room is small but the bed is big enough for two and has a sink and complimentary towels. There's laundry and free wi-fi. A living room with a sweet TV, videos, magazines, and books. Clean bathrooms and showers - only 1 person allowed in a shower at a time so no funny business in the shower room (un) fortunately ;) Sweet Peas Hostel is in a great location in the heart of downtown asheville. Complimentary tea, coffee, utensils, and cookware. There's a club nearby but the hostel provides free earplugs if the music gets too loud. Only needed if you stay here on the weekends. Secure building with an access card and key to your locker or key to your private room. Have stayed here twice and had very pleasant stays each time. Verdict: If you're used to loud, bustling, dirty hostels, this one isn't for you. This place is serene. A perfect hostel for a peaceful mountain town.

The cleanest hostel I've been to! The staff is super sweet and helpful with info about town. The place has video surveillance for your protection and safety. To get in and out you have a door card and keys to lock your belongings. The common areas are clean with great info about things to do. The shower stalls are super clean with great shower pressure. I stayed in the private room and it has a small sink in there with a remote control ceiling fan. Definitely recommend staying here. You are in the heart of downtown. Other people said the noise was bothersome. Sweet Peas provides ear plugs. However I didn't use them. The noise was not bad at all. It was more background noise and LAB is a chill bar so the noise isn't super loud at all. Loved the hostel!!! Will come back!

This place is FANTASTIC!!!!! Like other reviewers - it is noisy at night, but I'd rather have noisy at night from a bar downstairs (easily muted by earplugs - if you insert them properly, which many people don't know how to do) than noisy from 18 year olds in the hostel.. which, you don't really have to worry about because the younger crowd tends to go to the less expensive hostel in West Asheville.. Anyhow, this place was wonderful! It was very clean (in all the important areas), the staff was very friendly, easy key-card entry, full kitchen and in the heart of Asheville. There is a parking garage across the street where you can park for $8/24 hours. They staff is very helpful with directions and venue recommendations. I will DEFINITELY visit here again. PS - to properly insert earplugs - roll them up so they are skinny and then insert them into your ear canal (IN your ear) so that the end is poking out your ear-hole. They will then expand and will block out about 95% of all sound... Enjoy!

Really cool place, priced right, everyone respectful, good shower. But the bathroom had a poo smell. Clean though. Maybe some better ventilation

Great location and friendly staff. It is really downtown and everything is walkable. A bit of a letdown is the private room. For once, it is extremely overpriced. Secondly, it is even for hostel standards absurdly small. During the night it was a bit chilly in the room. We didn't use the shower so can't say anything about that.

Our family (husband, wife, 15 year old son) took a chance and looked for a different experience. We definitely received it staying here. The staff was super friendly and helpful in guiding us to our desires. Because there were three of us, there wasn't much of cost savings versus a hotel but what we received was far greater. We stayed in the POD section of the hostel for 4 days and everywhere we looked things were clean. Showers, bathrooms, beds, common spaces were constantly being tidied up. We will definitely be back and highly recommend a visit to this wonderful establishment.

This is probably about as good as it gets in terms of hostels! As a hostel virgin, I was very apprehensive...especially after reading several reviews about the noise from the bar below. It turned out to be fantastic. Location: couldn't be better. in the heart of beautiful, eclectic downtown asheville. Sweet Peas is actually right above the LAB, a pretty happenin' pub. parking garages are right behind the hostel & there is plenty of street parking which is sometimes free (within certain hours). Staff & Service: very kind and welcoming staff. very relaxed but well organized as a team. booking, check in, and check out were a breeze. they are eager to help make your stay comfortable. I ran out of soap, and instead of charging me for some the weekend attendant showed me to the "freebie" bin where people leave things for whoever needs them. In there was an unopened bar of soap. woohoo! very cool. Accommodations: this hostel is spick and span. I was a little nervous about the cleanliness of the shared spaces (bathrooms, showers, etc.). All of these were virtually spotless. Sheets and towels were comfy and clean, with extra blankets available in addition to the ones that come on the beds. we stayed in one of their private rooms (YES they have those in this hostel!!) which was very quaint yet roomy with a bed, lamp, sink, shelf, and trash can. You can't beat the savings of staying in a hostel versus a hotel. Why pay over $100 for a place to crash? $30-$60 is more like it! Last but not least, I'll address the noise issue.This hostel is above a bar. A bar that plays music and has live bands on the weekend. If you plan on going to sleep early before the bar closes (midnight-2am), the hostel provides great earplugs. I popped those babies in & crashed!! The music downstairs never bothered me a bit. If you plan on enjoying the nightlife in Asheville anyway, you'll probably be going to sleep right when the music is ending anyway. Works out great!

I stayed here for about a week as I was getting settled in Asheville, and loved it. The staff were very friendly, professional, flexible, and helpful, and took care to address any issues as soon as they arose. I found the bed very comfortable and everything very clean (especially the showers). I appreciated the open kitchen, which had enough space for people to store food and all of the basic kitchen implements needed to cook for yourself. A beautiful, safe, comfortable, homey space!