Green Tortoise Hostel - San Francisco Review

The Green Tortoise Hostel

Green Tortoise Guest House

200 bed hostel operated by long distance bus company. This hostel is located at 494 Broadway within easy walking distance of at least five of San Francisco's largest nude / strip clubs including the Hustler Club (1031 Kearny), Boys Toys (412 Broadway), Centerfolds (391 Broadway), The Roaring 20's (552 Broadway), The Hungry I (546 Broadway), and the Garden of Eden (529 Broadway). If you are interested in seeing a live nude show of this kind, this hostel is very convenient. The hostel's most recent rates were $25 per night for dorm room's near North Beach, and $65 for private rooms with shared bath.

494 Broadway @ Columbus Book The Green Tortoise Hostel

R. writes, "I just stayed at the Green Tortoise Guest House in San Francisco and wanted to share my experience. This hostel is centrally located in North Beach just steps from lots of Italian and Chinese restaurants.I stayed in a 4-bed dorm and the cost was $19. The hostel had free internet, free meals on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and free breakfasts of bagels,fruit, and coffee. They even had a free keg party one night with a live jazz trio! That was something I never experienced at a hostel! I wanted to cook my own meals instead of eating out a lot and the kitchen looked recently refurbished. There was plenty of room to store my food-a problem at other hostels.The front desk staff were young and from many different places. They put together lists of cheap drinking and eating spots so backpackers like me could afford San Francisco.I had a really great time there and made some contacts for onward travel, so I think it is a great place to stay for a while.Hostels may not be for everyone, but why travel and stay by yourself when you can meet so many other new people by hostelling? I would definitely go back."

Curtis writes, "I stayed at the Green Tortoise hostel two times. I absolutely love the place. I admit the people at the desk can be pretty gruf, but if you make an effort to get to know them they warm up quickly. The bathrooms and showers I used were just fine. The ballroom at the Tortoise is the best place I have found in all of SF to meet cool and interesting people. without spending a fortune, because you just buy some drinks at a store, and bring them to the ballroom. They have a room to store your stuff, they have Internet access that's usually not too lined up, and the best feature of all: they run adventure bus tours to places like Grand Canyon and Yosemite that are cheap and fun."

Rachel writes, "My recommendation would be to never stay at the Green Tortoise. From the moment I arrived, the staff were incredibly unwelcoming, and in a word rude - not to mention money hungry (not typical of hostels.) They made me pay for everything double what it was listed on their website (which i brought up to them, they informed me "tough luck.") Furthermore, I got bites all along my legs from the mattress in my room which was shaped like a lying down c. Even when asking for the number of a cab company i was told to get out of the hostel and try outside. I've spent time in collective houses, hostels, squats, motels and never before have i ever been treated so horribly. if you want itchy legs and rudeness, stay at the Green Tortoise. Otherwise i would recommend any other hostel..."

K.M. details "My favorite hostel is the Green Tortoise. It ranges depending on the season. Dorm rooms range from 3-6 people, and private rooms (more than double the price of a dorm bed) have either a double bed or single bunk beds. The hostel is owned by the same company that owns an adventure travel company which does highly recommended local, nationwide, and international bus tours. There is also a Green Tortoise hostel in Seattle.

What I love about the Tortoise: the people. I've met really great people there. They range from international travelers who are here for a few days to people who work in the area and need a place to stay for a little while (maximum stay is 3 weeks per season). The location can't be beat, either- it's near great bookstores, restaurants (even some cheap ones), the Financial District, the Bay, Coit Tower, several bus routes, and is also local to Fisherman's Wharf.

Things I don't love about the hostel: the kitchen. It's not the prettiest thing I've ever seen, and there is not always a clear distinction between the free food bins and the shelves that contain food that people bought for themselves. A lot of people love the hostel best because of its ballroom, but I don't like it because it's too smoky (people can smoke and drink in there). There's a TV in there, but it's not usually on. The ballroom is open until late at night, if you're into that kind of thing. In the morning, "breakfast" is served. This consists of a bagel , coffee/tea, and some fruit. But it's only available from 7:30-10AM. Cheap laundry facilities are available, there's a sauna, and there's web-based internet access.

Danielle writes, "This is by far the MOST FUN hostel I have ever stayed in! I met the most diverse group of people there and experienced the most fulfilling conversation. Granted, this may not be the best place if you are looking for a quiet, romantic, relaxed getaway (and if you are, most hostels aren't your best bet), but if you want to party and hang out with some cool cats, you're looking at the right place completely. The private double rooms are great (comfy beds!) and the bunks are kept very clean. The bunk room I stayed in had a sink and hairdryer in the room! Nice touch! Oh, and the free breakfasts and dinners are complete yumminess! And they have vegetarian options!"

Jeana says, "The write up at the top is quite disgusting, yet true. But I still felt completely safe in Green Tortoise Hostel. It is also in a great location for tourist attraction. The staff were great and so is the building. Free meals and events were amazing. I would recommend this hostel to anyone travelling on a budget, or even if you aren't."

Kathleen Mckenna writes, "I stayed at the Green Tortoise for five days this last November. Its clean, great location, the staff was awesome and helpful. I loved it and would reccomend it to everyone."