Woods Hole Hostel.... Honest opinnions

[WingedMonkey]

My stay was back in the day of just Tillie and a relative, older woman not Neville. Breakfast was limited to the first eight that asked if that many were there and everyone slept in the loft. It was a highlight of my '95 hike.
Now I read accounts of twenty or thirty hikers staying there and folks driving there and using it as a base camp. Seems everyone still loves it but it does make me miss what my experience was.
As for the donation thing, I can understand the confusion and the mindset of the free load hikers. There are still those that think dinner is free at Neels Gap because they already pay so much at the outfitter, or think the church in Damascus can keep that old building standing from just the joy of hikers stopping there.
Maybe Woodshole makes it clear what it cost to stay there but the 2010 Companion still uses vague terms to let hikers know what is expected of them.

The bunkhouse, with mattresses in the loft for sleeping, and nearby solar shower are free. Donations appreciated.

I know what that means to me, and I even carry checks in my wallet in case I'm out of cash, but maybe the guide should be more clear.

[Rain Man]

I led a section hike by there last fall. We stayed overnight and had dinner and breakfast too. We all loved it and some talk of returning just to stay there again.

As far as hostels asking for voluntary "donations" rather than "forcing" the payment of a fee, y'all might need to consider this is sometimes done because of laws governing restaurants and motels. Accepting donations means less stringent health, inspection, fire, etc. codes, and the like (thus, less costly for the owners and thus the hikers). Charging a fee means the opposite for everyone. Since AT hostels are often more like hobbies and labors of love than true for-profit enterprises, many choose the less "red tape" and less costly category for themselves. Has nothing to do with misleading sorry (in the true Southern sense of the word), complaining hikers.

Even though donations are voluntary, if hikers want a place to be there next year and in the future for others, they need to pitch in a generous voluntary donation "now," just as others in the past did for them. Pay it forward.

Rain Man

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[Serial 07]

in 07 it was a very nice place...

[dillard]

Stayed there a few weeks ago and it was a very pleasant stay. Neville was very nice and gave great recommendations about where to stay and what to avoid on the trail ahead of us(sobo). Dinner and breakfast were both amazing and lots of the food came right from their garden. We opted to stay in the shared room since a cold snap had come through and it was the nicest place we stayed at on our trip. I would recommend this hostel to anyone going through the area... just like the book says, "a slice of heaven not to be missed".

[Berry Belle]

I could have stayed there this May, but didn't because:
1--They apparently don't do shuttles. They referred me to someone else. And from their website, I gathered that I'd have to pay to leave my car there.
2--I would have had to cut short one day of hiking to stay there, and then make up the distance with a longer day than I can comfortably hike.

Maybe some other time the Woods Hole might work out, but for this trip it basically seemed like an inconvenient, expensive side trip that wasn't worth the effort. I ended up using a shuttle service that was able to provide low cost lodging at a convenient location and a free, safe place to leave my car.

[wornoutboots]

Sorry didn't want to wade through all of the drama, I was there recently & they're an exceptional Hostel. The constant problem here on WB that I've been noticing is that some hikers think that hostles = an opportunity to freeload. If this is you, you know who you are, so please do us all a favor & just move on, camp, and then stop in a real hotel with a group of "like" hikers. Most of us want & enjoy patronizing these special places along the trail & really don't need your frugality & drama.

[Bags4266]

" Nobody goes there anymore its to crowded" Thats how I felt, I got there rather early and it seems like everyone is hanging out more than one day. Only tent sites were avail. Nice place good concept, had some ice cream and split.

[WIAPilot]

Dogwood: Thanks for sharing that amazing story. You're a good guy.

[Rain Man]

Sorry didn't want to wade through all of the drama, I was there recently & they're an exceptional Hostel. The constant problem here on WB that I've been noticing is that some hikers think that hostles = an opportunity to freeload. If this is you, you know who you are, so please do us all a favor & just move on, camp, and then stop in a real hotel with a group of "like" hikers. Most of us want & enjoy patronizing these special places along the trail & really don't need your frugality & drama.

Well said!

Except I would not have used the word "frugality." What those drama kings/queens do isn't merely frugality, it's often a sense of entitlement and self-indulgent freeloading.

Rain Man

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[Mfrenchy]

I stayed, it was amazing. Great hosts.

[Zipper]

I loved loved loved Wood's Hole during my 2009 flip flop hike. Fabulous food, and sweet pets to cuddle, an incredible fire (it was October) and lovely company. I stayed inside and treated myself to a massage. Worth every penny. I was fortunate that I wasn't on a strict budget, but if I did do a hike on a strict budget, I would sleep in the woods and skip the hostels. I remember meeting a couple during my hike who never took a zero and never slept anywhere but their tent. They took neros in town, managed their errands, and hiked out. That's what Earl Shaffer did all those years ago too. If I were on a strict budget I would save my money to buy enough food and I wouldn't expect or rely on strangers to feed or house me for free. If free food came along in the form of trail magic cookouts and other wonderful things, I would enjoy it and I would get the name and address of the providers, when possible, so I could send them a thank you once I got home.

But this thread is not really about that- it's about Woods Hole which is absolutely a little slice of heaven. I look forward to returning!

[Stalking Tortoise]

I read all of these comments before my hike this past week and didn't know quite what to expect at Wood's Hole. But everyone I spoke to in the area strongly recommended that my buddy and I stop in for the night if we could fit it into our schedule. We did, and we were glad.

I consumed a few sodas, showered, enjoyed an excellent massage, helped prepare an outstanding dinner, slept inside in a comfortable bed, got a shuttle back up the hill to the AT and Neville slacked-packed our gear down to my car in Pearisburg so my buddy and I could hike quickly and make it to Dulles for an evening flight. We paid a fair rate for everything we received and got to chalk up a unique AT experience.

I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

[Carry-On]

I stayed at Woods Hole the first week of Dec, 2012. They were wonderful and accommodating, even though the three of us arrived late for dinner. We still got to eat the fantastic dinner and have good conversation. Neville gave us a choice of a fancier breakfast or just eggs, toast and coffee for cheaper, and we all chose the simple breakfast. We knew the prices of everything and I very much enjoyed staying inside the house, visiting with Swami.

I would happily go there again, as part of a thruhike, section hike or otherwise. Dang, now I'm remembering Neville's homemade bread and drooling.

[q-tip]

An incredibly Spiritual experience......

[Almost There]

Simple enough...go to their website, www.woodsholehostel.com. They make pricing very clear for everything, including shuttles. As a section hiker, I have never understood why so many who have thru'd think that all hostels ask for "donations." I know Ms. Janet did, and so does Bob Peoples, but in the south for the most part, the price is the price...even these other two asked/ask for so little, that if you can't pay it, then don't stay in hostels, or get the "F" off the trail because you're too much of a deadbeat to be on it.

[Almost There]

BTW, was supposed to stay there back in 2011, but had to get off the trail at O'Lystery due to medical issues. I had parked my car at their place. Neville didn't charge me for late cancellation of my room, and they were very understanding/accommodating of my issue. When I finish that section (maybe this year), they'll definitely get my business again.

[Sugarfoot]

Simply put, I could live there. I admire Michael and Neville and enjoy watching them approach living off the grid. I look forward to staying with them this year!

[Dogwood]

Going on two yrs since I saw this thread and my last post on it. Wow, so much has changed in my life in the yrs since I was last at Woods Hole Hostel. Thank you so for pulling it up. STILL, my stay there makes me reminisce about the AT, VA in the mountains on old dirt roads grinding it out on a 2200 mile hike walking north with Spring on a dirt bag budget as a basically ignorant new long distance hiker yet with such a contrite satisfied feeling in my soul to this day is still one of the key driving factors why I continue to long distance hike, history of Woods Hole Hostel, how it came about, what has occurred there, now extinct Eastern Elk, thru-hiking the AT, east coast hiking, and HOW GRACIOUS HOW HUMANE HOW GENEROUS HOW GOOD PEOPLE CAN BE *LIKE TILLIE*. Truly touched by my stay there and the people of Woods Hole Hostel. NOTHING but good thoughts about all that occurred there. Saying that I was eternally blessed and truly touched is still the only adequate way I can describe my experiences there. In my heart and mind, at the very core of all that I am, I've been changed somehow lifted to a higher ground by my thru-hiker stay there which was MAINLY due to Tillie, Neville, what Tillie's husband had done and, in some way, are still doing there. I think that was Tillie and her husband's aim when they started assisting hikers so long ago. Perhaps, my attitude, something that I connected(reconnected?) to on my AT thru-hike had something to do with it. It may sound mushy or overly dramatic or be described as a spiritual experience by some but I don't care about those opinions. With all the seemingly endless chit chat about gear, MPD, shelter etiquette, speed hiking, cals/oz, how much to thru-hike the AT, wild animals, blah blah blah, which I too can certainly be a participant in, and a sense of selfish self absorbed entitlement I can often detect that's inherent in some attitudes, it's places and people and experiences like had at Woods Hole Hostel that are SO MUCH what thru-hiking the AT was about for me. Forever grateful.

[wbrooks]

After hiking 16 miles from Trents Grocery, I decided to stop at Woods Hostel for lodging and food. I walked down a steep hill that seemed to be at least 1 mile long. I was told "sorry, we are full." You may pitch your tent anywhere you choose for $10.00. One problem, there are no suitable tent spots unless you wish to sleep on the side of a hill. I inquired about food. I was told the evening meal consists of soup and salad for $13.00. Being irritated, to say the least, I hiked back up the steep hill and proceeded another 2 miles to Doc's shelter for a good night sleep. I feel the hostel should post a sigh at the AT when they filled to capacity to prevent a tired hiker from walking 2 additional, useless miles.

[Drybones]

I didn't spend the night but I did stop by to shower and wash clothes, i talked with the lady of the house a lot while waiting for the laundry to process, very nice lady, works her butt off. It's hard for me to see how they can survice financially with what they're doing but I hope they do, very nice, rustic place.