Green Tortoise Hostel Seattle — Hotel in Seattle

This was my first experience staying at a hostel. I traveled alone to Seattle (my first time there and traveling solo). I was initially nervous, but after looking thoroughly into the reviews (especially by women), I decided to make a reservation. I will say it was all around a great first experience staying at a hostel.

The price was reasonable, the location was perfect (walking distance to downtown sights and along the same path as a Target), everything was clean (workers vacuumed and mopped daily), and the employees were friendly/helpful every step of the way. Rules are set in place to ensure visitors aren't being a nuisance to those surrounding them and safety is enforced (e.g. no non paying guests allowed to rooms, security cameras in place, etc.). I paid extra for towels to be provided whenever needed and I am so glad I took advantage of that. Breakfast ingredients are provided every morning from 6am-10am. You're responsible for cooking your own meals and cleaning up after yourself. Fridges are provided along with labels for your food. There is an oven, microwave, toaster, and toaster oven for you to use. There is also a washer and dryer that you can use (at a small cost) if you need to wash clothes.

Ladies, if you're feeling uncertain, I can personally say that I felt safer staying here (knowing that I was constantly surrounded by people) than I would have if I chose to stay alone at a hotel. People are less likely to bother you considering they're 1. not from town and 2. won't have anywhere else to go (at a reasonable price) if they get kicked out. Guests are likely to avoid risky behavior/breaking the rules.

One of my favorite aspects of this hostel (and one of the reasons I chose it) is the sense of privacy in the bedrooms. There are curtains surrounding your bed that you can (and should) use. An outlet is in your bed space and you can plug up to 3 items (one plug, your lamp, is already in use; also there is a plug for a mini fan connected to the bed). Lockers are conveniently placed under the beds and you can buy a lock if you forgot to pack your own. You can also buy soap if needed. If you're a light sleeper, they have ear plugs as well (they really have everything!).

Bathrooms are first come first serve (private shower, toilet, sink, and mirror) and there are multiple in the hallway. If the bathrooms are occupied and you don't need to shower, there is a bathroom downstairs in the lobby as well (it requires a code).

My only critique (a very minor inconvenience) was that the first 3 days, my key wouldn't activate when I tried to go back to my room (each time it occurred around 5/6pm). Luckily, the employees were able to swiftly get me back in order (up to 5 mins if they were busy with another guest, extra brownie points for them). Also, if this applies to you, there is no alternative to taking the stairs to get to the lobby or the rooms on the second floor.

5/5 Stars. Would absolutely recommend. And I will gladly use their services over and over whenever I get the chance to visit Seattle again. 💯

Bonus: They do plan cute little social activities throughout the week (free wine, ice cream, beer, pub crawl, etc.). I never participated because I was too tired (and introverted 😅). But I think that's pretty cool that they plan events like those for guests.

Kind regards from a...

I just stayed here in August 2024 for a few days and I loved it so much! I will most definitely stay here again and again.

Overall: Let’s be honest here, it’s not the most high-tech and luxurious place. It’s an older building but it’s really well taken care of and it’s a great place to have a roof over your head and make some food for a few days. If you want something fancy and modern, this is not the place for you and you will be disappointed. Skip this, and go find a hotel. If you want a nice, comfy, summer-camp-feeling place, this is it!

The rooms: I stayed in a 4-person room and it was just fine. Every bunk has a large lock box under your bed to store your things. The beds are alright, I didn’t have a problem sleeping on them. I do wish the blankets were slightly heavier/bigger, but they were still good. Each bed has a fan and a reading light, and little privacy curtains! The outlets are super conveniently located at the head of each bed. There’s also a sink and mirror in the rooms! It’s great if you just want to do your makeup or hair, brush your teeth, or wash your face.

The facilities: My floor had 4 full bathrooms on it. Each one had a mirror, toilet, shower, shelf, wall hooks, and a place to dry off and change. Just like your bathroom at home :)

The common room & kitchen: The kitchen is a little small, and you kind of feel like you’re always underfoot lol. But it’s got two full gas ranges, three sinks, toaster ovens, microwaves, coffeemaker, a whole dish rack, three fridges, and a book shelf that acts as a pantry. I wish the pantry was just a little bigger. The common room is mostly just for eating, there’s only two comfy chairs for relaxing. It gets very full at meal times.

Breakfast: They offer a daily breakfast which is great! You can make your own eggs, as many as you want. If you don’t want to do that, they have three different kinds of cereal, and some fruit you can pick from. I had some corn flakes with a banana, a cup of coffee, and the yogurt I bought from the store, it was great.

The staff, etc: All of the staff I encountered were SO NICE. When I checked in they brought me up to my room and showed me everything. They showed me the kitchen, common room, etc as well. I had to check out at 11am, but didn’t leave on the fairy until 2pm. They had no problem storing my bags for a few hours for me. They even offered me to use the common room, kitchens, and showers as needed too.

Location: The geographical location is amazing. You’re close to the piers and all of the attractions there, the ferry terminal, the train station, and all of the bus routes are close by. Traveling from here is super easy! And of course you’re right beside the Pike Market! Just be careful because as most downtown areas in the world, they are the slums for victims of capitalism, etc. I’ve never had anyone approach me or try anything, but...

Recently I stayed at The Green Tortoise hostel and it was nothing short but abysmal. I have been doing a west coast journey, starting in Canada working my way down, I wanted to go to Seattle and being one of two hostel I could find I book the Green Tortoise hostel, which was a mistake. Lets starts with the pros. Pros -Good location if you like to be downtown ( unfortunately they can’t control this but the homeless are seriously deranged and unhinged. Constantly surround by them 24/7, they are literally right at the doorstep. ) -The beds are pretty comfortable for a hostel and they even give you 2 pillow which is a huge deals since most only give you one -They have personal fans in the room to help keep you cool at night -The showers are big and spacious, single occupations. Cons -The biggest con that really makes my stay unfortunate was how rude the staff was, I just couldn’t believe it, given that I have been in the customer service industry for near 10 years I couldn’t believe how unfriendly and stand-offish the people were. I know that it is like a volunteer/work trade basis but you think they have something to go off of like previous work experience, I am assuming its pretty competitive. It feels like they found just anyone of the streets and ask them to come work. Everyone minus a few seemed like they just hated their jobs and didn’t want to be they, complaining and rolling there eyes, you probably picked the wrong career pathway if you can’t handle people. They might be going for a very abrasive or crass environment I just dont think its working for them. I even asked fellow travelers what they think and they agreed with me on similar experiences. -The cleanliness also was a big thing for me, especially with some of the staff. I notice many foul smells coming from some of the workers especially the one guy who checked me in. I dont think he had showered for weeks. It was just so gross that the owner would let people show up to work like that. The rooms had a bad smell some nights as well. -The hostel itself is very small, I do work from my computer and the common area was like people crammed on top of event other. There isn’t much seating if you need a quiet space, I even tried to look for cafe nearby to sit and most of them didn’t have indoor seating. The kitchen and rooms are also very small.

Conclusion, I have been to many hostel as a frequent travelers and I dont expect it to be a 5-star hotel, this and maybe one other time was the only expectation. Hostel are suppose to be a community of international travelers that come together. There is no community in this hostel, the hospitality is one of the poorest I have ever witnessed, I advice you to steer clear...