Jason Thomas
Google
I had a terrible experience at Wanderstay Houston, and I don’t want it to happen to anyone else. I love hostels and usually have good or even great experiences, but this stay was frustrating from the beginning. I’m writing this review to share what happened, factually and fairly, in hopes it helps other travelers and encourages Wanderstay to improve.
I arrived at Wanderstay Houston on a Wednesday at 9:37 pm for a five-night stay. When I reached the front gate, it was locked. I checked my email and found one message sent around 9 am that morning saying guests must complete a remote check-in form before 9 pm to get codes. I had never seen a system like this before. At most hostels, there is either a staffed reception or at least a process that doesn’t leave guests stranded.
I filled out the form immediately, but nothing happened. I waited for over an hour and called the hostel a dozen times, but every call went to voicemail since it was “after hours.” Yet, other guests were inside. I even asked another guest if they had a number for staff, but they could only find police and social services. No one on site and no emergency number for staff. This was alarming. What if there had been a plumbing issue, a safety concern, or a disruptive guest? There was simply no way to get help.
With no support, I gave up and took an Uber to America’s Best Inn nearby, paying an extra $90 for that night.
The next morning, I returned around 9:35 am, expecting to check in. Staff didn’t arrive until almost 10 am. The check-in itself took another 5–10 minutes, making me late for a meeting and leaving me embarrassed.
Later in my stay, on Friday night after a long day of work, I relaxed on the dark grey lobby couch to watch Netflix. Two hours later, I noticed six large, pepperoni-sized bug bites on my left arm—the only part of my body exposed and resting on the couch armrest. I had been wearing long sleeves the entire day, so the bites clearly came from that couch. To make matters worse, the couch was stained and looked dirty on closer inspection.
When I raised these issues with staff, they were defensive. Regarding the check-in problem, they claimed they tried to call me but my number showed up as blank. To investigate, I repeated a booking through Hostelworld and saw there is nowhere to leave a phone number. If they rely on numbers, they should request them separately. Hostelworld has my info, so it’s odd Wanderstay didn’t. They also insisted they sent me two emails, but I only received one.
As for the bug bites, they said pest control came in later that day and found nothing, and they asked another guest who reported no problems. Maybe that guest didn’t have exposed skin, but it doesn’t change my experience.
Other smaller issues included bathrooms running out of toilet paper, a broken sink faucet that made loud construction-like noises whenever used, and general poor upkeep. While individually minor, these added to the frustration.
To be fair, the hostel does have positives. It’s affordable, nicely decorated, and in a convenient part of Houston. But those things don’t outweigh being locked out on my first night, paying extra for another hotel, being checked in late, and dealing with bug bites and maintenance problems.
In summary: Wanderstay Houston provides inadequate service. Their remote check-in process is unreliable, communication is poor, staff are unavailable when needed, and cleanliness is questionable. Guests deserve better.
If you’re considering Houston hostels, I’d recommend looking elsewhere—BPoshtels Houston or America’s Best Value Inn were both better managed.
I love hostels and don’t write negative reviews lightly. But this experience was disappointing and costly. I hope Wanderstay improves, but until then: AVOID.