Green Bank

The family room sleeps five, with two bunk beds, a small basin, and no other wash facilities in the room. The bunks are arranged with a single above and below one, and a single above a three-quarter double on the other. It was basic but clean and comfortable. Toilets and showers are shared, and the place isn’t set up for self-catering, though with the limited menu it seems fine to bring your own food to eat there. They do serve pizza at supper and a full cooked breakfast, both at extra cost. The dining room and deck have welcoming wooden tables. The Vagabond Bunkhouse is a lovely old-style building in a quiet spot, with forest behind it. Staff were really friendly, and we thought the pizzas were among the best we’ve had. It’s well placed for exploring Betws-y-Coed and nearby areas. Restaurants, Spar, Londis, and the station are all walkable. From the station, the excellent Sherpa'r bus runs to and from Snowdon. A family all-day 'bws' ticket costs £15, which is good value and means you don’t need to worry about parking at Snowdon. Good points are the location, price, and staff. The shared facilities and lack of self-catering are the drawbacks.

A good affordable stay. The hostel was clean and well kept overall, and it’s easy to get into Betws-y-Coed centre or use public transport. The toilet on the first floor wasn’t very clean, though.

I was a bit nervous about trying hostel travel as a young woman, but staying at the Vagabond made my first time such a good experience. Everyone, staff and guests alike, was lovely, and it was an easy crowd to get along with since people were there for similar reasons. Plenty of chatting and games in the evenings. The rooms were as you’d expect in a hostel, with comfy beds, fine kitchen facilities, and consistently clean bathrooms and showers. The one thing that made me uneasy was how creaky the beds were when climbing the ladders. I worried I’d wake someone or disturb them getting up and down. Nobody complained, though, and everyone was kind about it. I’m really glad I picked The Vagabond for my first hostel stay.

The bar downstairs had very nice beer and fresh pizza, which you order ahead. Breakfast works the same way, you order the night before and it’s cooked fresh when you come down. It’s a bunkhouse, so don’t expect everything to be perfect, but the room was warm and clean and the bunk was comfortable. I nearly stayed another night, but I was stopping on the way to the Dragon Rally. I’ll come back another time.