Bon Paul & Sharky's Youth Hostel

I’d still recommend this hostel, but expect a pretty isolated experience focused on having a place to sleep. Don’t count on much socializing or anything beyond that. We stayed over Memorial Day weekend when it was full, though it didn’t feel crowded. Plenty of people were just stopping for one night, which is fine. I liked the all-female room. I requested a bottom bunk and got one, and the room stayed nice and cool. The volunteers kept the place very clean, but their manner was off-putting. At check-in, which you do on your own, I greeted two people sitting on the couch. They stared at me as if I were bothering them and went back to their phones. I later learned they were staff volunteers. Other guests had similar experiences. One woman in my room thought a male volunteer didn’t speak English because he first answered her in another language and walked away, leaving her confused. When I learned the volunteers had been there three weeks, I asked for food, hiking, and activity suggestions. They said, “Yeah, I don’t do anything, so I don’t know.” It left a sour impression. The building needs repairs. Ceilings are peeling, cracking, or sagging in several rooms, and the bathrooms have broken shower tiles and flushing problems. Breakfast was described as free, with a note that it was very small, but what was actually offered was black tea bags, coffee grounds, rice, and maple syrup. I’m not sure why it was included at all.