HI San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Hostel — Hotel in San Francisco

The Fisherman's Wharf Hostel at Fort Mason in San Francisco is the perfect place to stay if you are looking for clean, inexpensive, and centrally-located accommodations in one of America's most vibrant (and most expensive) cities.

The rooms and bathrooms are certainly no-frills- bunk beds, somewhat cramped sleeping quarters, shared bathrooms and showers (bring shower shoes!). However, the rooms and bathrooms were always clean, and guests are provided with clean sheets, a comforter, and towels. The breakfast is good and standard, consisting of fruit, a bagel or two pieces of toast, jam and peanut butter, and unlimited coffee, tea, orange juice, and water; they also have things such as cream cheese, hard boiled eggs, and cereal available for purchase. There is a grocery store right down the street to purchase other food items to cook for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and you can safely store them in the spacious kitchen. Fisherman's Wharf is only a short walk away, as is the Golden Gate Bridge and multiple beaches and city parks. There are also multiple bus stops nearby that can take you to nearly anywhere in San Francisco. The area is very safe, and I never felt afraid walking to and from the hostel at night. The hostel itself is very safe, and I never worried about my things being taken- but they do have lockers under the beds and locks to purchase, just in case you're worried about the safety of your things.

It's all the little extra things that this hostel provides that make it such a special place. There's a large common are with plenty of charging stations for electronics. The common area is a fun place to hang out and meet interesting people from around the world. The hostel also has a small library, where you can pick out a book to read and return during your stay. There's a small movie theater downstairs, where movies are shown every night. The kitchen, mentioned above, is also a great place to hang out; there are tons of free food items from around the world to choose from! There are several pool tables and chess boards for games with friends, and a vending machine and drink machine, as well. The staff are all extremely friendly and accommodating, and truly go out of their way to make your stay pleasant and enjoyable. I also noticed that for such a busy hostel, it was very quiet and calm at night. I had no problems sleeping, and the week that I stayed the hostel was housing several groups of excited young people. People of all ages, from young people to families with children to elderly travelers, stay at this hostel, providing a great range of people to get to know!

This is the perfect place to stay for a frugal, flexible, and friendly traveller! I will certainly stay here the next time I am in...

Be warned - If you (like me) have spent time in hostels in other parts of the world, the USA experience is a bit different.

I am not squeamish about hostels and honestly, I’m not trying to rag on the place. They have a good location, in my experience the staff are really trying, and the amenities are serviceable. But this was not pleasant. I lasted a night before I got a hotel and checked out early, losing two nights accom with glee.

First off, it smelt absolutely rank. Like a mix of boiled cabbage and stale sweat. This was enough to get my hackles up immediately. Second, the parking is about 300m away in another area, with little lighting. It felt quite sketchy at times walking up to the main building, especially at night with your possessions.

I think the blurb about the hostel needing proof of international travel is fiction. Plenty of people ‘between homes’ at this hostel, and honestly it felt more like I was in a men’s refuge than a fun place for travellers to meet.

The hostel isn’t so much a place for young people or solo travellers to meet, but used as accom by a very wide range of people who can’t afford anything else. This environment makes for fun times when you’re engaging in a communal experience with peers, and very strange times when you’re sharing a room with 50+ year old men who certainly seem to have ‘made the room their own’ during an extended stay.

I say this to try and help you avoid the same experience I did. USA hostels are not the same as other parts of the world. Do not come here expecting a social or fun environment. It felt like a prison, and genuinely looking at the photos again made me feel queasy. I’ll never...

Pros: The best location at the best price. You are right on the bay up on a hill with great access to the Marina and Fisherman's Wharf, and a 30 minute walk from the Presidio or North Beach. If you stay in a 4 person room check to see if room 16 is available as it has a direct view of the bay. I lucked out with random roommates but this would be solid for a group of friends. They also have single bedrooms but they go quickly. ||So-So: Shared bathrooms. Is what it is. The bedding is also very simple and in general would be fine but the sheets tend to slip from the mattresses. Very much dorm/summer camp quality. You are in a great location but you are on the very north end of the city so the location itself doesn't have the best access to public transit. If you're coming in from SFO be prepared for either an expensive Uber ride or a long BART & bus ride. ||Con: The included breakfast is extremely limited. If you're staying with a group it is worth noting you can cook your own meals in their kitchen, but as a single/couple traveler it would be a bit inefficient when it comes to a use of your time. Also, while it wasn't my direct experience, in the larger sleeping porch style room there seemed to be some annoying people. Not surprised when you think upwards of 20 random people would move in with each other for a short term stay. ||Overall, for what it is it would be fair to give this 5/5, but overall I am going to say 4/5 since there is a significant difference to staying in a hostel that may be confusing for...