Boots Off Hostel & Campground — Hotel in Elizabethton

I recently returned from three nights at Boots Off Hostel. The experience, accommodations, and staff exceeded the expectations I had before arrival. I will definitely return. Upon arrival I was met by ‘Grumpy’, a friendly staff person who directed me to my parking area and cabin. The check-in with John went quickly and I was given a quick tour of the facilities. I was beyond impressed at how things were set up and all that was offered. A fully stocked kitchen...with two microwaves, utensils, soaps, running hot/cold water, coffee pot...they had more than I needed. Each morning started with hot coffee, fresh donuts (the big ones with frosting) several cereals and some left over cake from the evening before. (Every night seemed to host a birthday group and they were generous with their fare). The shower facilities where clean, plenty of hot water and unique in that the faucet was a big ole wash tub with holes in the bottom that produced just the right amount of spray. No worries if you forgot your soap, shampoo, towels/wash cloths...they were all there. Amazing. Port-a-potties were clean (serviced Bi-weekly) with hand washing. The cabins were very clean, had A/C, heater, fan, coffee pot (with Maxwell House) and condiments. The mattress/pillows were comfortable and I slept great every night. The cabin had a double bed below with a bunk bed above. They will sleep three comfortably but floor space for articles is limited. There were lots of hooks along the walls to hang my clothes. The nightly campfire was a great place for gathering and telling tales or singing songs. There were a couple guitars brought out. One night a young lady played her ukulele and a father of two played his bongo drum. Definitely a family place. I haven’t touched on the activities this area offers. You can Google that but I’ll mention a few; bike riding, hiking, kayaking, fishing, boating (Watauga Lake is a short walk) and of course, the APPALACHIAN TRAIL goes right by the place. Camping is also available with improved sites. Town is 10 minutes away. If you are thinking of spending a few days in the mountains, I highly recommend you check out BOOTS OFF HOSTEL AND CAMPGROUND. I can’t sign off without mentioning the good deeds Jim Gregory is doing for several individuals whose lives have been disrupted by the current Covid-19 issue. I was made aware of people that ‘live on the edge’. They typically travel from place to place and do seasonal work. Many of these places are closed and have turned them away. Jim has offered space and requires little of them. One lady described herself as a ‘van-dweller’ and for cleaning the bathrooms she is given a place to park her van. She plans to head out west soon. There are good people at BOOTS OFF. Thanks for making my stay so pleasant. Skip...

We are traveling cross country on a road trip, with no real plans or expectation of when and where to stop. We found boots off on AirBnB and decided to call to make sure a day of reservation with a dog would be alright, and Jim was so helpful and sweet! As a hotel manager, I always recommend calling directly instead of using Airbnb to get the best info when possible, and I’m glad we did as I enjoyed talking with him, and he lots of info to offer! We got in late, and all we had to do was call him and he showed us where to park, gave a tour of the grounds, and we got to talking for a bit. It was a great, personable experience; we aren’t hikers, we didn’t know where or what we were doing and their tiny cabins were so, SO comfortable, we were actually surprised just how comfortable it was! Even for the end of December, the cabin, the bathrooms and the common areas were plenty warm enough. I got to take my dog everywhere with me, there are beautiful hikes close by on the lake and in the parks, all at different lengths and difficulties, so there is something for everyone. The facilities were pleasantly updated with useful tech while still keeping the charm of an adventurous experience, the cabins had plenty of plug ins for charging electronics, and the bathrooms were no outhouses, although the showers are outdoor, they are still very usable and Jim was willing to help and answer questions. There are some awesome outdoor areas to hang out in, and a stage that I hear they do live music on in season, I hope we make it back around for the spring and/or summer time, but as I said, it was super comfortable for winter too. The breakfast they offered had some BOMB donuts and plenty of coffee, I got to pick up a guitar for a while and take in the grounds. Absolutely recommend for anyone, no matter your outdoor experience! It is easy to work with Jim on any questions you may have about facilities or environment to find out if it’s for you, but I encourage open minds and taking the...

The amenities are great, with a fantastic shower, and a clean, air conditioned bunk house. There are electrical sockets in every bunk, a personal curtain, and that's about where the good I have to say about this place ends.

As we were rushed through the entire process by a rude staff, I wondered why we stayed here for my birthday, instead of staying another night at Kincora. After an amazing day hiking through one of the best pieces of trail so far, and meeting a trail legend the night before, we show up to this place, and are faced with the bleak reality of obviously frustrated, overworked staff, who are strung up tight, though I can't seem to find the reason.

None of my friends are irate customers, but some of the most kind, loving, generous, and understanding people that I have ever known, who only expect what they're paying for. Is it too much to ask, when you've been out on trail, stinky, and hurting, to go to a fast food place you like?

Instead, you're herded, like cattle, into a van, where a mean man barks orders at you so he can have his personal time, instead of doing his job, which is to please the customer, not herd a group of what he obviously thinks are unruly sheep, not human beings, with wants, and needs, like himself.

I, as a customer, showed more empathy to the people my friends were paying, than the people who were making a dollar fleecing my friends.

This place is a business, plain and simple, and if you're cool with that, it's still not great. There is no heart here. No trail magic at all. This place is not what you write to home about when writing your own AT personal memoir. Not unless you're talking about how uptight, and downright rude, much of the staff is to their guests.

4/10

Would not recommend, unless you want to pay too much for way too little....