The Cambie Hostel Gastown

Beware this is a very loud hostel considering there is a bar on the street level. The bass thumping goes on into the wee hours of the night. The staff working the check in desk were cordial but not necessarily friendly. I never saw the 2 hostel cats so that was disappointing lol Likes: The location/proximity to BC place was convenient. The room was clean. Dislikes: Matress & pillow was very thin. The key was hard to get into the lock. Bathooms were out of order at 8am on Monday due to cleaning. Under bed lockers are more suited for a carry on. There isn't an elevator so you have to lug your luggage up a couple of flights of stairs depending on where your room is.

There is no ac and no airflow. They don't even have fans available for the rooms. I woke up at 4am and it was 85 in the room with no airflow out the window at all. There were no fans when i asked and no help at all to get one. They didn't even refund the next night when i canceled the rest of my stay to move to somewhere else. On top of all that they don't even have locks to borrow or buy for the lockboxes for your things and the lock boxes are wire mesh so everyone can see what you have in there. If you want to see what sleeping in a prison is like, try this place. The only consolation was the mattress was surprisingly comfortable.

Kitchen, common area very nice

I liked this property because it was convenient for me. Very central and easy to get around. In a historic park of the city. The property was old and a pub was downstairs. It could be noisy but I never experienced that. Only two female and two male bathrooms on each floor, (first and second floors) so became crowded at certain times.

The kitchen was well-equipped, and the site required many keys to access the rooms, which made me feel very safe. The common room was a bit dark, and I had to wait a couple of minutes to get in, as there was no one at the service desk, which made it a little bit of a minus. But overall, it was a very pleasant stay!

First, it’s a hostel so make sure you are clear on that. I regularly stay at them but this one was still a bit rough. It is a historic building and also low on amenities as hostels go. I guess it’s all about location (why I chose it) I arrived on a Saturday night and the first floor bar was in full-on nightclub mode with loud music. I had ear plugs so slept fine but it was pretty intense and you can hear the music upstairs because it’s an old building so there’s no AC & the windows are open. Rooms are on floors 2-3. Be aware there is no elevator and old steep stairs meant I didn’t bring my heavy bag upstairs. They stored it for me no problem (still needed to navigate some stairs) and I just slept in my clothes, as there was no place in reception to open it. I didn’t have high expectations and I was only there for and a few hours sleep before boarding a cruise ship. The bed was fineand my room was spacious. You get 3 keys (that make too much noise) a key for getting in room, a key for the bathroom and a key to get upstairs. The bathroom was really challenging for me. Two stalls and two tiny showers on my floor for everyone and once I had to walk up to the next level bc it was being cleaned - not what I wanted when I woke up. I didn’t even shower in the end and there were 4 of us trying to brush teeth and get ready in front of a tiny counter with 2 sinks. The staff are great and it was my bad for not researching that Gastown is a party zone. I didn’t know - now you do :)

Rooms are not air conditioned and the bar downstairs plays LOUD music on Saturdays until about 3am. The photos also make the place look a lot nicer and more inviting than it actually is. At the end of the day: it’s a hostel.

First the good: Very helpful and friendly staff. I had two bags to carry, one very heavy, up two flights of stairs. Staff member carried my heavy one for me. Another went and got us ice when we needed some because my wife sprained her wrist. Now the bad: Our private room was on the second floor. For those from the United States, that would be the third floor. That's a lot of stairs when you are older and have to haul luggage up and down because it has no elevator. One of their less experienced staff checked us in. Good thing a more experienced staff person was listening, because we almost got changed for towels, which are no extra charge with a private room. There was little bits of hair and lint stuck to the sheets. Room was hot, no a/c, but thankfully they had a couple of small fans. Window opened but no screen. I had to climb on a chair and reconnect one of the curtain hooks. I'm 6 foot tall, and could barely stretch out on the bed between head and foot rails. If I stretched out my toes even a little, they hit metal.

Dirty kitchen and bathroom. The shared dorm was okay, the bed was clean but the room itself was a little dusty and only had 4 outlets available for 4 people plus the provided fans. As expected it was pretty noisy due to the bar below but quite bearable in my room, and the noise died down at like 1am. One thing I appreciated was the security; you need keys to access the front door, the stairs to the rooms, the rooms themselves, and the women’s bathroom.

I enjoyed my stay at the Cambie don’t get me wrong! For someone who’s not picky it’s a great place to stay. The things that follow are just for those who want a better idea of what they’re in for. Cleanliness wise things could be better - specifically the bathrooms. The arrangement of the female toilets is pretty crap, no private change space at all. The common room and kitchen area are super, super good. Food storage a huge plus - the staff actually do something about it if they find someone taking your food which is great! Most of the staff at reception were kind and helpful. I loved having the bar downstairs as I like a good pint and a boogie plus they have events almost every day of the week, and the cheapest pints in town. But if you want quiet, the Cambie is not the place to stay - loud music until early hours. There’s a number of stairs to keep in mind if you’re lugging heavy cases or if you’re a bit older than us young folk.

The room was clean and comfortable, also the sheets. The bathroom altought was decent it could be more attended.

직원들이 친절해요! 위치도 최고! 건물이 정말 오래되어서 소음이나 냄새는 심할 수 있지만, 청소는 직원분들이 매일 하셔서 깔끔합니다. 1층에 있는 심바, 사과덕에 힐링하고 갑니다.

Got what was paid for. It is not as good as other hostels but it is the oldest (I think) so it’s a little cheaper I think. Could do a little better at cleaning the sheets.

Bathrooms were beyond dirty

Can't beat the location for the price. Music can be loud late on the weekends but it didn't disturb my sleep. Great staff, room was clean.

The staff were amazing! You couldn’t ask for nicer or more helpful people! The bedrooms were fairly clean. It depended on who was on shift. Sometimes it was so clean, mopped and sheets changed, sometimes forgotten and I would have to ask. The staff would always accept my request if I thought it could do with a mop or change of sheets. The kitchen is fully equipped and kept very clean. I love the fridges so you can store your food. There are a couple or so of homeless people who stay there a day or two. They can be a little smelly or talking to themselves but I never felt unsafe and was lucky with excellent roommates every time. I was usually with all male roommates and I am a female but again they were very respectful. Most people here are travellers and really trustworthy people. It’s interesting to hear their stories:) I didn’t lock my stuff up for 2 weeks in my room and nothing was stolen. Most guests are travellers too. A big shout out to Danny! He helped me carry my bags upstairs as one was too heavy for me. When I got a cold for a couple of days he brought me tissues, also he would clean the room spotless when he was on shift. All the staff were amazing but he went the extra mile. I would definitely recommend highly but remember it’s a hostel and you are not paying for 5 star amenities. The old building does also have character as it’s a heritage building. Thanks for the amazing experience Cambie hostel!

Clean room and facility. Friendly, helpful staff

This hostel is one of the most disgusting places I have ever been. The floors have a thick layer of grime, the common area couches and chairs are stained and reek of cat pee, the washing machines are mouldy, the bathrooms are dirty and hard to use, and the fridge was filled with rotting food left by previous guests. The place smells HORRIBLE, it is grease layered on top of every food smell layered on top of cat pee layered on top of the thickest must that could only have been caused by a severe rodent infestation. There were nests of dust and lint in corners, most likely caused by mice. I checked in at 3pm, showered and washed my clothes, and then realized I could not possibly be able to sleep in this place. I would have rather slept on a park bench. I left that same night at around 9pm and found another place to stay. I felt so gross after being at this hostel that I showered AGAIN after I left and rewashed my clothes at a laundromat. The service here is horrible and the manager needs a serious reality check. A child could do his job better than him. I was only refunded a portion of what I paid to be here, which is fine but I was offered no apology and was spoken to in a very demeaning manner. When I told him he could do better, he said some nonsense about Vancouver being the most expensive city in the world. I dont believe that is true, and even if it was it does not excuse running a business that puts customers in a place that may damage their health.

The hostel was clean and convenient.

Dirty kitchen and bathroom. The shared dorm was okay, the bed was clean but the room itself was a little dusty and only had 4 outlets available for 4 people plus the provided fans. As expected it was pretty noisy due to the bar below but quite bearable in my room, and the noise died down at like 1am. One thing I appreciated was the security; you need keys to access the front door, the stairs to the rooms, the rooms themselves, and the women’s bathroom.

actually a bit noisy when the bar held some event then dlfficult to sleep sometime. And, some stuff are nice and kind.. The bed is too unstable to get good sleep. I got a backpain at first time

Hostel ist im großen und Ganzen in Ordnung. Was mich aber gestört hat ist das Badezimmer im 2 Stock wo auch mein Zimmer war also die Türen von den Toiletten sind zu kurz aber ich glaube das ist irgendwie Norm in Kanada das die Toiletten Türen nicht so hoch sind wie in Europa. Wenn ich duschen wollte konnte ich nicht lauwarm einstellen nur entweder extrem kalt oder extrem warm also nutze ich für duschen den Badezimmer vom 1 Stock der ist viel besser und neuer. In meinem Zimmer gab es keine Steckdose am Bett, ich war in sehr vielen hostels und dort gab es immer Steckdose am Bett es gab nur eine Steckdose leiste was man nutzen konnte.

Beware this is a very loud hostel considering there is a bar on the street level. The bass thumping goes on into the wee hours of the night. The staff working the check in desk were cordial but not necessarily friendly. I never saw the 2 hostel cats so that was disappointing lol Likes: The location/proximity to BC place was convenient. The room was clean. Dislikes: Matress & pillow was very thin. The key was hard to get into the lock. Bathooms were out of order at 8am on Monday due to cleaning. Under bed lockers are more suited for a carry on. There isn't an elevator so you have to lug your luggage up a couple of flights of stairs depending on where your room is.

Pas d'air conditionné dans les chambres et l'air était étouffant au mois de juillet. Il faisait plus chaud dans la chambre que dehors. Je n'ai pas aimé la salle de bain partagée pas pratique du tout et l'état du lino laisse à désirer. Sinon point positif l'emplacement de l'hostel est idéal pour visiter Vancouver. Ma chambre était au deuxième étage et je n'ai pas été dérangée par le bruit du bar du rdc.

There should be a small refrigerator in the rooms

Only downside was how loud the bar is at night. My room was right over it and it shook the bed.

Definitely one of the barest-bones hostels I've ever stayed in, and I think they'd probably have to go for a full remodel to match the lowest requirements for any standard modern hostel. tl;dr: lack of outlets in room, building not designed for summer weather, very cramped bathrooms, & ask specifically for a towel I had one bed in a 4-bunk room. Room was fairly spacious. Top bunks had no safety bar. There was a total of four outlets, but they were all behind the room door, out of reach for all four bunks. One had to be used for a room fan, since hot summers are a relatively recent thing for Canada (no AC), so I ended up charging my phone in the common room (lots of outlets there!). Surprisingly small number of toilets for the number of beds, but I only stayed one night so no issue. bathroom design is weird and cramped. there's like ~1 foot / 30 cm between entrances to toilet stall and shower stall. Towel rental was not offered at check-in so I thought towels were maybe included with linens - not the case, so just remember to ask if you need one. Overall, would not stay again, but fine for the one night.

Cons-They are bunk beds. When the person on the top bunk moves, you feel it on the bottom bunk. (Shakes a lot) The rooms were hot with no option to open a window. There was a stand alone fan that was used. But a little war on positioning w the other bunk mates. Someone would get hot and turn it towards them, and continued throughout the night. Weekends are loud as there’s a saloon/bar underneath-attached. So bring earplugs. Pros- A couple of blocks down is the famous steam clock, shopping, and dining options. $2 oysters, limit a dozen, souvenirs and regular shopping, several bars and outdoor cafes. Easy walk to convention center, ship terminals, shopping, and parks. Can use an app and get a bike and ride around or walk. Abt a 30 min walk to Stanley park

Rooms are not air conditioned and the bar downstairs plays LOUD music on Saturdays until about 3am. The photos also make the place look a lot nicer and more inviting than it actually is. At the end of the day: it’s a hostel.

First the good: Very helpful and friendly staff. I had two bags to carry, one very heavy, up two flights of stairs. Staff member carried my heavy one for me. Another went and got us ice when we needed some because my wife sprained her wrist. Now the bad: Our private room was on the second floor. For those from the United States, that would be the third floor. That's a lot of stairs when you are older and have to haul luggage up and down because it has no elevator. One of their less experienced staff checked us in. Good thing a more experienced staff person was listening, because we almost got changed for towels, which are no extra charge with a private room. There was little bits of hair and lint stuck to the sheets. Room was hot, no a/c, but thankfully they had a couple of small fans. Window opened but no screen. I had to climb on a chair and reconnect one of the curtain hooks. I'm 6 foot tall, and could barely stretch out on the bed between head and foot rails. If I stretched out my toes even a little, they hit metal.

Never once felt welcomed by the staff.

Shout out to The Legendary Cambie in Gastown. The staff were amazing from check in to check out. The rooms were clean and well designed. The security of the hostel is high and the staff are on hand 24/7 Highly recommend for anyone travelling or anyone who is stranded because of an airline strike! See you in a few weeks Cambie! - Jake

Great service

We stayed one night. Only a few blocks from Waterfront Station. Our flight came in after dark and very good connection from airport (Canada Line). It’s a hostel- so if you’re used to staying at the Ritz it will not meet those expectations. it is like a basic university dorm less the dining hall. Clean basic accommodation and a comfortable bed for overnight. Shared bathroom down the hall- but only needed to pee a few times. Great front desk staff.

Overall, I had a good stay at The Cambie Hostel. The location was great, the atmosphere was lively, and the facilities met my expectations for a hostel. It’s a solid choice for travelers looking for a social, budget-friendly spot. That said, my checkout experience was a bit frustrating. The staff member helping me seemed overwhelmed and ended up snapping at me, which left a bit of a sour note at the end of my stay. I understand he was under pressure and juggling a lot, but the attitude wasn’t great and felt unnecessary. Other than that moment, everything else went smoothly. I’d still recommend the hostel — just hoping for a bit more patience and professionalism at the front desk next time.

The room was in fairly good condition and the staff were friendly upon arrival. The location was great and easily accessible from Waterfront skytrain station. One issue I encountered was the noise from the bar downstairs. The bass carries through the floor, making it impossible to sleep prior to 2 am. I was also surprised by the fact that I was not allowed to have visitors in my private room. A friend came by to wait with me while I got ready to go out, and the front desk worker informed me that he was allowed to come up to my room, but later agreed to it. About half an hour later, however, the worker came to my room and knocked on my door and once again said my friend needed to leave. I have never paid for a room in a hotel, etc where I was not permitted to have a guest inside, and I really don't understand the logic. It was off-putting, especially since my friend was only waiting for me to get ready so that we could leave. If I had known of this policy, I would have paid the extra money for a regular hotel.

The staff are friendly and helpful.

The staff were amazing! You couldn’t ask for nicer or more helpful people! The bedrooms were fairly clean. It depended on who was on shift. Sometimes it was so clean, mopped and sheets changed, sometimes forgotten and I would have to ask. The staff would always accept my request if I thought it could do with a mop or change of sheets. The kitchen is fully equipped and kept very clean. I love the fridges so you can store your food. There are a couple or so of homeless people who stay there a day or two. They can be a little smelly or talking to themselves but I never felt unsafe and was lucky with excellent roommates every time. I was usually with all male roommates and I am a female but again they were very respectful. Most people here are travellers and really trustworthy people. It’s interesting to hear their stories:) I didn’t lock my stuff up for 2 weeks in my room and nothing was stolen. Most guests are travellers too. A big shout out to Danny! He helped me carry my bags upstairs as one was too heavy for me. When I got a cold for a couple of days he brought me tissues, also he would clean the room spotless when he was on shift. All the staff were amazing but he went the extra mile. I would definitely recommend highly but remember it’s a hostel and you are not paying for 5 star amenities. The old building does also have character as it’s a heritage building. Thanks for the amazing experience Cambie hostel!

We had a disappointing experience at Cambie Hostel. Upon check-in, the receptionist was extremely rude, not just to us, but also to another couple, yelling at them for not having their IDs ready. It set a very unwelcoming tone. One of the reasons we chose this hostel was the advertised availability of towels, but none were available when we arrived. We were told they’d be ready at 10 a.m., but when we returned, we were told it would be 2 p.m. instead. Ultimately, we had to buy our own towels from a nearby drug store just to shower. This made our stay much less comfortable than expected.

I had a disappointing experience checking in at Cambie Gastown Hostel. I arrived at 11:30 PM, expecting to check in smoothly and get some rest, but was told by the front desk staff that I would have to wait until after midnight due to a shift change. I found this incredibly frustrating, especially because when the new staff finally checked me in, the process only took about 5 minutes. It made me wonder why the first receptionist couldn’t have handled the check-in instead of making us wait for an additional 30 minutes. This delay felt unnecessary and really set a negative tone for my stay. I would recommend they improve their check-in process, especially for late-night arrivals.

立地も大変良く味わいのある宿でした。 コンビニ､飲食店などとても近くて便利でした。 シャワールーム､トイレなどもキレイでした。 キッチンには色々なものが揃っていて､とても快適でした。 一階のバーの音が少しうるさかったです。 階段しかないので、荷物が重いと結構大変でした。 早めに来てしまったのですが､チェックインまでの間荷物も預かってもらえて、ゆっくり観光ができとても助かりました。 ウォーターフロント駅やガスタウンなども近く、グランビルからもとてもわかりやすかったです。

I stay at the cambie every time i go to Vancouver- it's close to the train station, easy to commute to different areas of Vancouver, and gastown is such a unique area. The dining and shopping optings there and in chinatown arw always fun to explore.

Very clean organized hostel. Mattress and sheets were soft. They had 2 adorable cats! Women's bathrooms were tidy, including 2 showers. Area around it had grocery + fast food available, but is located in a rundown area. Don't recommend walking alone at night.

We stayed one night. Only a few blocks from Waterfront Station. Our flight came in after dark and very good connection from airport (Canada Line). It’s a hostel- so if you’re used to staying at the Ritz it will not meet those expectations. it is like a basic university dorm less the dining hall. Clean basic accommodation and a comfortable bed for overnight. Shared bathroom down the hall- but only needed to pee a few times. Great front desk staff.

Decent hostel, sadly the immediate surrounding area is full of drug addicts which gives a very unsafe feeling

The location was close to everything downtown like BC Place and Roger’s arena. It’s close to most bust stops and is about 10 mins from the subway that takes you to the airport. It’s a pretty old building and sits above a bar so it can be loud. It’s run down however the staff do work hard to keep it clean and are friendly. The homeless run that area though which is really unfortunate.

Overall this was a great hostel. The staff was very nice! I found everything to be clean and pretty comfortable! Here are a few things I think everyone should know: - CHARGERS: charging your devices may be a challenge. this is an older building, so there are not many outlets in the rooms. the ones that they provide have been so used that it’s difficult to get chargers to actually stay in the port. plan to charge elsewhere or have some sort of backup. - NOISE: this is a party hostel, so there will be noise. however, i want to be clear: on the weekends the noise is unavoidable (especially on the first floor). during the week, i had no problem sleeping as i would just pop in my earphones. the hostel also provides ear plugs on request. however, on the weekend, the music was EXTREMELY loud until ~ 3am to the point that my bed was vibrating. not a huge deal for me, but i do think people should know!! if noise is a big deal for you, you might consider booking elsewhere. - CLEAN and COMFORTABLE: everything was great otherwise! the kitchen and bathrooms areas were very clean and i saw no issues.

We booked this property due to it proximity to our cruise ship. It is only a 10-minute walk to the port.

A good hostel in a great location. Within walking distance of Granville St, Waterfront Skytrain station and Rogers Arena.

For what you pay, this was a pretty good hostel. The building is a little old so the interior isn't the nicest, but staff try to clean the common areas and bathrooms as often as possible so it is still pretty good. The two cats on the first floor are amazing and very friendly hosts. The walls are a little thin, same with windows so sound from outside and inside travels a fair bit, so maybe not the ideal place if you want to go to bed early (especially on Friday/Saturday). Management were pretty nice and helpful, and for the most part guests staying were friendly too. The hostel is close to a somewhat sketchy part of town (but not directly in it) and I found that the room temperatures fluctuated (others felt cold as well). Overall was a pretty positive stay and would definitely recommend for those on a budget and looking for a more party environment.

$3.50 beers at the bar

Me agrada la ubicación, cada día hay una persona diferente y aunque la mayoría son lindos, hay algunos con mala actitud, el restaurante esalgo raro, en horas pico no hay donde sentarte y nadie te procura un asiento, pero evitando horas muy saturadas el servicio, los precios y la comida es buena. Bastante accesible, si regresaría

We checked in and hit the bars under the hostel 10/10

Everything is okay, but there's a pub downstairs. It gets a bit lousy at night.

It’s a nice place near waterfront! Good ambiance with nice and friendly staff! Close to everything that a tourist need it!

It was a fantastic stay at the prime location close to the rail station. Special Thanx to the bar situated right next door. I had my favorite fish and chips and delicious Canadian beer.

It's a hostel, nothing fancy and the bar music is loud but it's inexpensive and right next to waterfront. They offer a great discount at the attached bar too

Great staff, location and great restaurant downstairs

Thanks for nice stay because I love club music and dance music.very exciting hotel !

I enjoyed my stay at the Cambie don’t get me wrong! For someone who’s not picky it’s a great place to stay. The things that follow are just for those who want a better idea of what they’re in for. Cleanliness wise things could be better - specifically the bathrooms. The arrangement of the female toilets is pretty crap, no private change space at all. The common room and kitchen area are super, super good. Food storage a huge plus - the staff actually do something about it if they find someone taking your food which is great! Most of the staff at reception were kind and helpful. I loved having the bar downstairs as I like a good pint and a boogie plus they have events almost every day of the week, and the cheapest pints in town. But if you want quiet, the Cambie is not the place to stay - loud music until early hours. There’s a number of stairs to keep in mind if you’re lugging heavy cases or if you’re a bit older than us young folk.