HI San Francisco Downtown Hostel

For those of you, like me, who are used to 4-star luxury hotels, but hate the weekend upcharges and big city expenses, HI hostel will supplement adequately your need to save with a smile. With comfortable bunk beds or private rooms, working showers, kitchen space and a laundry facility on standby, and complimentary Wi-Fi, HI hostel has got you covered. Surrounded by people from around the world and a welcoming front desk helmed by caring volunteers, HI Hostel is the place to stay in downtown SF.

This hostel, located on Mason Street in downtown San Francisco, is conveniently close to Union Square and Civic Center. Its easy to reach from the airport via BART. The Powell station is within walking distance. The private rooms are modest and simple with access to private showers and toilets. The common areas are spacious and well-maintained with a California vibe. The hostel is close to dining and retail with small markets and bodegas available for everyday needs or staples. The price per night is competitive and affordable. The elevator is not the most reliable, but the stairways provide a healthy alternative and a chance to get in one's steps. I would definitely return here. An overall enjoyable stay.

Great location, close to Union Square and lots of restaurants in the area. Our rooms were very spacious. The bathrooms on the other hand are quite small, with the sink and mirror in the bedroom. Functional nonetheless. Both the bathroom and the bedroom were very clean and well equipped with comfortable beds. Due to the age of the building you can hear pretty much anything happening outside your door but that's manageable. Would definitely stay again.

A decent hostel! Super convenient location just 2 blocks away from union square, easy to go around by public transportation. I arrived early and the staff let me store my bags in the spacious luggage room. Compared with other HI hostel locations I’ve stayed, this one is relatively compacted. Bedroom and bathroom are small, but functional. And there’s only a few quiet space you can work for a while (except for the kitchen). Probably because of the renovation going on, there’s not enough natural light coming into the room or the common space.

This hostel was not bad. Good thing about it’s close to the landmarks including the wharf area I you mind walking for a half hour. But near places like the civic center capital in sorts. The staff pretty friendly that’s all

My main concern with this hostel was the attitude of the front desk staff. On the evening I was checking in, I was waiting outside and rang the doorbell. A long-haired employee saw me waiting outside but made no effort to acknowledge me or let me in, acting as though I was invisible. I was left standing in the cold until another guest kindly opened the door for me. While I was checking in, the front desk employee avoided making eye contact and mumbled throughout the interaction, making it difficult to understand what they were saying. The entire check-in felt dismissive. I would encourage management to reflect on the hostel’s sense of welcome or basic warmth. That’s especially disappointing because this behavior really doesn’t reflect the friendly and welcoming spirit of San Francisco, and I’m afraid foreign friends visiting the city will leave with the impression that this level of service and respect is ok and acceptable. I noticed that several previous reviews have raised similar concerns about staff, yet it does not appear that meaningful improvements have been made. Whether the issue lies with individual employees or with the culture created by management, I strongly recommend that it be addressed. Unfortunately, repeated interactions of this nature made my stay very uncomfortable. As a result, I chose to leave early and have initiated a chargeback through my bank. You simply cannot leave this issue unaddressed and think it is ok to take people’s money. At this point, it is not just a "welcoming" or "friendliness" issue, it is a respect issue.