Adelaide Hostel

This place is okay, but I saw four big mice, about 6-8 inches long, on three different floors in a single day. The carpets in the hallways and rooms are dirty. They need to remove the carpet and upgrade.

The location and price are still the best parts of Adelaide Hostel SF. It's an easy walk to Union Square, Powell St. Cable Cars, and Chinatown, and rates stay affordable even in high season. If you're on a tight budget, it can work for a short stay. I used to love coming here for free breakfast and meeting international travelers, but since COVID the place has gone downhill. The lively Europeans, free ramen, and coffee and tea are gone. Cleanliness is questionable, kitchen utensils keep disappearing, and it's hard to find a decent fork or spoon. The linens are old, and the curtain dividers are falling apart.

I spent five nights at Adelaide hostel in September 2024, and coming back there in the evening was honestly the worst part of each day. The other customers mostly seemed to be people between situations, struggling to find permanent housing, so it didn't have a backpacker vibe. Staff mostly stayed behind the desk and gave minimal information. The whole building smelled bad, and everything felt dirty enough that I didn't want to touch much. Maybe it was cleaned during the day, but it needs renewal because you couldn't tell. The promotional pictures may be from years ago, and the place doesn't seem to have been cared for since. I've stayed in many hostels that were kind of trash, but at least they were cheap and felt safe. I travel with low standards for accommodation, yet I felt more like I was in a shelter than a hostel. I felt I'd paid a fortune for shameful conditions. I wished I'd brought my sleeping bag, and you'd want slippers for the bathroom. It affected my time in SF badly. I don't know how it got a fairly acceptable score on booking and Google map.

The social area was nice, though kind of dead compared with other hostels I've been to. It needs a fan. When it's warm and humid, the still air makes it unpleasant. The location is on the edge of the Tenderloin, so watch your step on the main sidewalks. The place is adequate and affordable. My room stayed cool from a good breeze when I opened windows at both ends, even though it was hot outside. There are very large luggage lockers with outlets inside, enough for my big suitcase and camera backpack, probably with room for another large bag. Storage before and after checkout was easy. Bathrooms and showers are shared but private. No towels are provided, so bring shower shoes too, especially since people walk in with shoes from the dirty sidewalks nearby.