USA Hostels – CLOSED
Hostels
711 Post St
San Francisco, CA 94109
I actually wasn’t going to review USA Hostels on Post in San Francisco since I only stayed here one night in March. But since I discovered yesterday on Hostelworld that management wrote back a smug ‘most people enjoy our atmosphere’ to my comment about it being a party hostel with an awful common room in the basement, I felt like I should expand my comment via Yelp. I only discovered their comment after reviewing a couple of other hostels during my Europe excursion. I also believe in some places not being for everyone – and this place holds true for me (and Cori N. on Yelp who similarly had a negative experience with regards to the amount of aggressively loud party people staying here).
I stay at a lot of hostels and this is by far the most overrated place I’ve been to. Besides the mishap of them having overbooked my room with one other person (the issue was remedied by me going to reception to get the guy out of my bed) and breakfast virtually having run out an hour after it began, my biggest issue was the main common rooms of the hostel are in the dim and narrow basement and all the couches either face the washer and driers in the laundry room or the pool table. Most hostels I’ve stayed at only have breakfast in the basement and have common rooms on other levels because it’s more breathable, enjoyable, and comfortable. HI City Center – my favorite hostel in San Francisco – has common rooms on two levels – the main area and the mezzanine. It’s incredible and pleasant.
When I say ‘narrow’ here – I mean the ceiling in the dim basement is really low. Their laundry room, which is about the size of a bathroom, is ironically the most comfortable space to do work. They’ve got washers and dryers on one wall and cozy couch chairs and tables three feet away on the other wall. Mind you, I am indeed saying that the laundry room is the MOST comfortable part of their common area. The kitchen, lounge and eating area are all one big room for partying. All of the couches in that lounge face the pool table. So if you decide to sit there, you are basically joining in on Game Night, which is the night I stayed.
When I went down into the dim basement on Game Night, there was this miasma – a heavy odor – of sweat and beer in this unventilated, narrow hallway and low-ceiling basement. It was only 11 pm! There were a ton of 21-year-old guys yelling and beer cups everywhere. I work at a really popular music venue so I am around people who like to unwind that way all the time. BUT THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMON ROOMS for people who want a quieter space to go on their laptops, except that laundry room, and there were literally two people on each couch chair and people sitting along the wall to avoid those loudmouths with beer odor. There is also the drafty waiting room in front of reception, which is basically as comfortable as the heavy fluorescent lights it is situated in.
I initially felt like I just stayed at the wrong place, but after reading the reply left by Ria S. to Cori N.’s review, I know that I stayed at the wrong place. This is probably a reply left by the same person who posted the comment to my review. If you really want to tout and celebrate your amazing diversity of guests, why is it set up so every couch and room is facing a pool table and beer?
I lived in San Francisco and there is nothing about this place that offers a semblance to the city. It is a very generic, culture-less party hostel. And that’s fine if that’s what most people want. But if management wants to leave a comment on MY review that pats themselves on the back about their beloved hostel with a spacious basement, then this is my response. I recommend anyone who reads my review to stay at my favorite San Francisco hostel HI – City Center as it has an awesome local staff and atmosphere, but if you are scared to navigate the Tenderloin, then try HI – Downtown. It’s got a cool common room on an upper level, it’s next to Market Street, and has got an amazing breakfast with SF bagels that don’t run out.
Useful: 8 Funny: 5 Cool: 3
7/1/2016