Favorite Hostel

[Drybones]

Has a poll ever been done on what everyone's favorite hostel is?

[Lone Wolf]

the original Shaw's

[joshuasdad]

Only done half the trail, but, my favorite hostel has been Kincora, just because of what it is.

Aquone Hostel (NC, south of NOC) was the nicest, because it was pretty much a luxury cabin.

The Doyle isn't really a hostel, but needs to be mentioned because of the excellent food.

[Sugarfoot]

My favorite would be Woods Hole, just south of Pearisburg, VA. I'm planning a zero there this year.

[SOBO_Pace]

Woods hole was one of if not the worst that I stopped at.

[Old Hiker]

Up to mile 497: Mountain Harbor Hostel - tented in the parking lot, but the breakfast was AWESOME!

[Drybones]

Up to mile 497: Mountain Harbor Hostel - tented in the parking lot, but the breakfast was AWESOME!

That breakfast was a hiker's dream come true wasn't it, I got to bunk in the loft, nice folks...cute goats also.

[Southerner]

I stayed at these hostels during my MEGA hike:

AT Lodge, Millinocket, Me.; White Mountains Lodge & Hostel, Gorham, NH (for sale); Green Mountain House, Machester Center, Vt.; The Bird Cage, Dalton, Mass. (now closed); Presbyterian Church of the Mountain, Delaware Water Gap, Pa.; Harpers Ferry Hostel, Knoxville, Md.; Bears Den Trail Center, Berryville, Va.; The Place, Damascus, Va.; Kinkora, Dennis Cove, Tn.; Mountain Harbour Hikers' Hostel, Roan Mountain, Tn.; and Mountain Crossings, Neels Gap, Ga.

I had a tie for my favorite: Green Mountain House & Bears Den.

I was going to rank the rest, but I thought doing so might hurt feelings for those associated with the hostel rated last or near the bottom. If they were just typical businesses, I wouldn't hesitate to rank them, but almost all of the hostels I stayed at were, at least in part, labors of love, charities, and/or ministries toward hikers. And, on that note, thank you to everyone who runs a hostel or hosts hikers in their home.

[Southerner]

Oh, forgot one from my list: Shaw's, Monson, Me.

[Drybones]

Could someone with the required expertise set up an actual poll?

[hikingshoes]

This was my first hostel to stay at . I love it,plus the food is awesome too.

[Praha4]

have stayed in several great hostels, but my favorite so far was Mtn Harbor at Roan Mtn, TN. It's not really classified as a "hostel", but #2 on my list of favorite AT hiker stays was the Inn at the Long Trail on Rt-4 near Killington, VT.

[Tharwood]

Ha .. I notice No one mentioned the hostel in Erwin TN...lol

[bigcranky]

I loved the hostel in Erwin - wait, weren't we talking about Miss Janet's House?

[neighbor dave]

goh's homestay in singapore,cat had some mean thai stick i tell ya

[flemdawg1]

Ha .. I notice No one mentioned the hostel in Erwin TN...lol

Not surprising, Miss janet's was the perferred one in Erwin when she had it open.

UJ's simply has the advantage of location. Offers no food, and has a rep for grouchiness.

But he's running a business, and he approaches it that way, not pretending to be a missionary or run a spa-resort. He offers shuttles, hot showers, and bunks, and I had no problem paying him for the 1st 2 (always stayed elsewhere though (section hiking)).

[Hot Sauce 2011]

+1 on all those listed by Southerner... Green Mountain House was outstanding, clean and comfortable, great setting. Mountain Harbor offers "not just the best breakfast on the trail, but possibly the gold standard for breakfast, period" (Swift)...Kincora because, well Bob Peoples, duh. Woods Hole is just a special, special place- I know there are a few who disagree, but Neville and Michael were awesome to me while I recovered from a staph infection. The food there is excellent as well.

[Tharwood]

@ Cranky.. No not Mr.Janets. She's great.. When did she close..? I thought she was still in business.

[Tharwood]

I have the luxury of parking and using Mt. Harbor as a shuttle for several sections I enjoy revisiting around home. Mostly Carvers Gap to 19E... Then just walk down the road to a awesome breakfast...

[bigcranky]

@ Cranky.. No not Mr.Janets. She's great.. When did she close..? I thought she was still in business.

Right, sorry, that was meant as sarcasm. Loved Miss Janet's place, never stayed at the other one. She's been closed for several years.

[Praha4]

where's 10-K when we need his commentary on "the hostel that shall remain unnamed" on the AT at Erwin, TN. Knowing the diplomat he is, I'll bet he would only have nice things to say about the place.

Got a ride from them once, but stayed at the Holiday Inn Express just up the road .... felt like splurging that day. Ran into some other hikers up the trail that picked up that norovirus in that vicinity too.

[Lybarger]

Have not visited all hostels along the AT but really appreciated how clean and orgainized Green Mountain House in Vermont and White Mountain Lodge in Gorham were.

Some of the "famous" hostels on the trail need a good cleaning. I tried to leave them better than I found them, but wow, lots more work required.

[wcgornto]

I don't know about 2013 availability, but from 2009, I will add Free State Hiker Hostel in Maryland, Dutch Haus near Montebelo, VA and Rambunny's place in Atkins, VA as being among the best.

[Lybarger]

I don't know about 2013 availability, but from 2009, I will add Free State Hiker Hostel in Maryland, Dutch Haus near Montebelo, VA and Rambunny's place in Atkins, VA as being among the best.

Pretty sure Rambunny is closed again this year. It was great when open, especially compared to the nearby Relax Inn.

[Deacon]

Surely one if the best, if not thee best hostel in terms of cleanliness, hospitality, and service is The Green Mountain House Hiker Hostel in Manchester Center Vermont.

[Chaco Taco]

Standing Bear, Hikers Welcome, Kincora, Green Mountain House

[soilman]

I have to agree that Rambunny's Happy Hiker Hostel had to be one of the best when it was in operation.

[RED-DOG]

My all time favorite hostel is White House landing with Uncle Johnnies as a close second.

[IrishBASTARD]

Would say hands down for me was, Brierley Hill outside of Lexington VA, Ken and Joyce the owners were the kindest people, ive met on trail. Besides of course Father in Pearisburg Va. Truly a very generous couple as they discount their rooms for thrus, but also for the time spent making sure youre treated as a guest, and not some bum, sadly which some hostels treat hikers as.

[Grampie]

My favorite hostal stop on my thru-hike was the Blueberry Patch. Gary and Lennie Poteat are great folks and run a fine hostel. Of all the hiker service places I stopped, I'll always remember the Blueberry Patch.
My second best hostel was the Hikers Welcome in Glencliff, NH.

[brian039]

I'd have to say Green Mt House, Shaw's, and Terrapin Station were my favorites. I also really enjoyed my stays at the Mayor's house and Tom Levardi's though they aren't really hostels. A really rainy day in Mass compelled me to hike a ways off trail to go to East Mt Retreat Center, a place I wouldn't have normally gone had it not been raining. I was very pleasantly surprised to have the place to myself and it was stupid cheap for what you got. They had perhaps the most comfortable beds of any hostel I stayed at.

[4shot]

. I also really enjoyed my stays at the Mayor's house and Tom Levardi's though they aren't really hostels. A really rainy day in Mass compelled me to hike a ways off trail to go to East Mt Retreat Center, a place I wouldn't have normally gone had it not been raining. I was very pleasantly surprised to have the place to myself and it was stupid cheap for what you got. They had perhaps the most comfortable beds of any hostel I stayed at.


all great places. I also liked the church hostels at DWG and Wayneboro (caught both of them on the night of a hiker feed!!!!!)

[Maddoxsjohnston]

I've always enjoyed my stays at Uncle Johnny's

[Carl Calson]

Greasy Creek Friendly! also, Dutch Haus was awesome, as was Woods Hole. Standing Bear was rustic to say the least. Uncle Johnny's had a leaky ceiling but I did get a free beer and ordered pizza in a downpour, so it was a nice layover for a few hours.

[Lybarger]

My favorite hostal stop on my thru-hike was the Blueberry Patch. Gary and Lennie Poteat are great folks and run a fine hostel. Of all the hiker service places I stopped, I'll always remember the Blueberry Patch.


Agreed !!! This upcoming season will be their 20th.

[SCRUB HIKER]

My personal top 5, in no particular order, and not including hotels (any place where I was in a private room):

1) Bears Den in northern VA
2) The Chapman Inn in Bethel, ME--well off the beaten path, but a neat old building in a neat old town and my favorite breakfast on the ENTIRE trail
3) Birdcage in Dalton, Mass. (no longer open ... the Birdman moved, there's another thread about this somewhere)
4) Grace Lutheran in Waynesboro, VA
5) Shaw's in Monson, ME

[mtnkngxt]

Bear's Den.