Name: Dancing Bear Inn
Address: 171 Baker Street, Nelson, Canada, Nelson, British Columbia, CA
Price range: $70–$95 per night
Rating: 9.16

What guests think

Travellers describe Dancing Bear Inn as clean and welcoming, with cozy character, comfortable beds, and a central, walkable location, plus inviting communal areas that make it easy to relax or connect with fellow guests.

Accommodation options range from dorms to private suites with added space and amenities. Parking on site is limited, and a few guests reported isolated issues such as check in delays, room controls, or occasional noise typical of an older building. Overall, it delivers strong value for budget travelers seeking a sociable base in Nelson.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Common areas such as lounges, kitchens, and a small garden are appreciated for socializing and relaxing. On site parking is limited and can fill quickly.

Related guest reviews

8

Yasuko

Sep 26, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Only 4 parking behind building. I was lucky got last spot. I’m not sure is there additional parking? Overall friendly staff, clean shear spaces, I had nice stay.

8

Shaun

Sep 15, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great spot close to everything in town. Clean and tidy facilities. Not very sound proof in the rooms but that’s to be expected with the age of the building.

10

Kris

Jun 20, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great setting for talking with other travelers and location for knocking around Nelson. Nice lobbies and kitchen areas Shared bathrooms are on all the floors so that worked out OK So altogether a fun alternative to conventional hotels and beats tenting surrounded by RV's.

10

Katarzyna

Sep 10, 2022

·

Stayed 2 nights

We had a private suite and we could move in permanently. It was a well designed apartment. Beautiful floors, great bed, fully equipped kitchen. A private garden! Nice local soap in the bathroom. BBQ and super comfortable chairs outside. Compost container would be nice but this is a city decision, not just the hostel’s.

8

Lena

Jul 17, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Simple accommodations for our one night. There's a nice back garden to sit in and a cozy lobby/living room to relax in. Bathrooms are clean.

10

Michael

Feb 22, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

It felt like a great home, with super friendly staff, comfy beds and great common spaces

10

Aaron

Mar 5, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great little hostel, right downtown. Good couple spots to hang out in hostel, very welcoming staff.

8

Harry

Jan 16, 2023

·

Stayed 19,364 nights

The gas ranges do not self ignite. I could not see any matches or lighter provided and with the desk closed I had a very miserable meal, not suited to microwave cooking.

8

Mirza

Aug 8, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

Checks all the boxes for a hostel. Having built-in locks on the lockers and better wifi in all areas would make it better.

10

Theresa

Aug 30, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location parking was only problem

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Cleanliness

Reviews consistently report clean rooms, bathrooms, and shared spaces throughout the property.

Related guest reviews

10

Marlo

Aug 15, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Friendly staff. Clean facility

10

Phyu Mar

Aug 19, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

clean

10

Marlo

May 3, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Nice and clean place

8

Lena

Jul 17, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Simple accommodations for our one night. There's a nice back garden to sit in and a cozy lobby/living room to relax in. Bathrooms are clean.

6

Cheryl

Oct 9, 2022

·

Stayed 1 night

Pretty clean

10

Emma

Oct 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Clean, kind staff

10

Ashley

Nov 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

It’s always clean and amazing!

10

Marlo

May 17, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Clean and convenient

10

Marlo

Mar 28, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Friendly staff and clean facility

10

Marlo

Jun 13, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Friendly staffand clean facility

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Rooms

Rooms are cozy and comfortable, with multiple mentions of very comfy beds; some are small. Isolated comments note limited soundproofing or difficulty adjusting the A/C.

Related guest reviews

10

Wayne

Aug 26, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Beautiful character building. Very nice staff. Cozy room.

8

Shaun

Sep 15, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great spot close to everything in town. Clean and tidy facilities. Not very sound proof in the rooms but that’s to be expected with the age of the building.

10

Katarzyna

Sep 10, 2022

·

Stayed 2 nights

We had a private suite and we could move in permanently. It was a well designed apartment. Beautiful floors, great bed, fully equipped kitchen. A private garden! Nice local soap in the bathroom. BBQ and super comfortable chairs outside. Compost container would be nice but this is a city decision, not just the hostel’s.

8

David

Oct 3, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Comfy dorm bed

8

Natasha

Oct 6, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Clean, quiet (I had a room at the back) and comfortable. Check-in was a bit messy as someone didn’t show up for their shift at 4, and I had not received the email with check-in instructions. I was fortunately able to get in with someone else who called the appropriate number. The young Australian woman who took over was very professional and things went smoothly from there. I would definitely stay at the Dancing Bear pagain.

10

Bryson

Jul 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

This is our second time staying and The Dancing Bear is an incredible spot. The showers are hot, the mattresses are comfortable, and the staff are relatable. Highly recommend.

10

Michael

Feb 22, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

It felt like a great home, with super friendly staff, comfy beds and great common spaces

10

Aldo

Nov 4, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The rooms are small but clean and comfortable. Friendly atmosphere, staff and patrons. Great location. This is an excellent budget friendly place to stay in Nelson.

8

Mirza

Aug 8, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

Checks all the boxes for a hostel. Having built-in locks on the lockers and better wifi in all areas would make it better.

8

Julian

Jul 30, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Couldn’t turn off room A/C

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Service

Staff are broadly described as friendly, helpful, and professional, with smooth check in and responsive support for late arrivals. A few guests encountered check in hiccups or third party policy charges.

Related guest reviews

10

ADVAIT

Jun 26, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great service and very convenient.

8

Mark

Apr 21, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Pleasant staff, easy to work with

10

Marie-Soleil

Jun 9, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Elevated hostel living, great for a short term stay. Clean rooms and easy check-in/check-out

10

Francisco

Jan 26, 2022

·

Stayed 1 night

Due to unforeseen delays, primarily road construction, my trip to Nelson from Calgary took way longer than expected. At some point I realized I was going to arrive at the Dancing Bear past evening cutoff, so I called ahead and told them of my plight. They said it was no problem and made accommodations to ensure I would have a bed ready for me, along with keys to the hostel's front door along with a room key. It was awesome service! The place was very quiet by the time I arrived. I slept extremely well and this is a place I'd stay again and again. Recommended!

10

John Peter

Jul 31, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

Staff Manager (Cindy i think) was helpful in giving me info about local stuff. Checking in the guy at the front counter was very helpful too

10

Dianne

Aug 30, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

I had the most wonderful experience at the Dancing Bear Hostel. I stayed there for a night while I was evacuated due to fires. It was a very difficult situation for me. However, the accommodations were excellent. Most of all, Cindy at the front desk was absolutely incredible. She went above and beyond for me as I saw her doing for other customers as well. Cindy was friendly, professional and again, so incredibly helpful. She made my stay very comfortable and I would recommend the Dancing Bear, but most importantly, Cindy, very highly and I am looking forward to staying at this delightful establishment again soon.

8

Natasha

Oct 6, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Clean, quiet (I had a room at the back) and comfortable. Check-in was a bit messy as someone didn’t show up for their shift at 4, and I had not received the email with check-in instructions. I was fortunately able to get in with someone else who called the appropriate number. The young Australian woman who took over was very professional and things went smoothly from there. I would definitely stay at the Dancing Bear pagain.

10

Aaron

Mar 5, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great little hostel, right downtown. Good couple spots to hang out in hostel, very welcoming staff.

10

markus

Jan 26, 2026

·

Stayed 1 night

Great little place with historic pedigree. Quaint and pleasant building, with a wonderful staff. A stay in time, very much enjoyed the experience. Great work, keep up this wonderful landmark. Regards and many thanks. Markus Sturm

10

Natalya

Apr 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Really friendly and helpful staff, great property and good location

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Location

Central and walkable, close to downtown and restaurants.

Related guest reviews

10

ADVAIT

Jun 26, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great service and very convenient.

8

Shaun

Sep 15, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great spot close to everything in town. Clean and tidy facilities. Not very sound proof in the rooms but that’s to be expected with the age of the building.

10

Tom

Oct 27, 2022

·

Stayed 1 night

The place is clean and comfortable. The staff were friendly and helpful. The location is great for walking to a restaurant or cafe.

10

Kris

Jun 20, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great setting for talking with other travelers and location for knocking around Nelson. Nice lobbies and kitchen areas Shared bathrooms are on all the floors so that worked out OK So altogether a fun alternative to conventional hotels and beats tenting surrounded by RV's.

8

Starsha, Maria

Jul 2, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Had a great stay at the Dancing Bear! Location is amazing, staff are friendly and knowledgeable

8

Andy

Mar 18, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location

10

Aldo

Nov 4, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The rooms are small but clean and comfortable. Friendly atmosphere, staff and patrons. Great location. This is an excellent budget friendly place to stay in Nelson.

10

Aaron

Mar 5, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great little hostel, right downtown. Good couple spots to hang out in hostel, very welcoming staff.

10

Natalya

Apr 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Really friendly and helpful staff, great property and good location

10

Theresa

Aug 30, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location parking was only problem

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Dining

Not enough information in reviews.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	$64
February	$65
March	$65
April	$61
May	$63
June	$64
July	$68
August	$68
September	$67
October	$59
November	$54
December	$60

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17 $81	18 $81	19 $73
20 $84	21 $73	22 $73	23 $73	24 $81	25 $95	26 $81
27 $81	28 $81	29 $81	30 $81

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $81	2 $81	3 $81
4 $81	5 $77	6 $77	7 $77	8 $81	9 $81	10 $81
11 $81	12 $77	13 $70	14 $77	15 $77	16 $81	17 $81
18 $81	19 $77	20 $77	21 $77	22 $77	23 $81	24 $81
25 $81	26 $77	27 $77	28 $77	29 $77	30 $81	31 $81

Select dates to see prices and availability

Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Family Double Room

Twin Room

Quadruple Room

Double Room

Guest reviews

Superb

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property Policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

FAQs about Dancing Bear Inn

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Prices for upcoming dates