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you can't expect much as it is a backpacker hostel but we certainly loved the location. it was so close to the marina and all the hotspots in downtown Victoria. We booked a room last minute and they were still able to provide a room with a small window and had a parking spot ( additional $10/night) I did not like the idea that we had no other option but to pay cash upfront (no online payment) without any reservation or guarantee. It was risky but they ended up having the room they promised.
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Date of stay: August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I had expected to cut the costs of a 3X as long stay as planned by staying at the Turtle Hostel and cooking my meals. Despite phoning ahead to say I would be arriving late, I had to wait in the "lobby" for 2 hours before being shown to my very squeaky bunk at 1 am. The next morning I quickly realized that I would not be eating here as the fridge, sink, table, counter, and available dishes were all disgusting. The room I stayed in had 3 sets of bunk beds in a room that should not have housed more than 2 sets - when full, we had to plan our movements in order to dress, pack, or simply get out of the room. The shower room had mold in corners and the bathroom constantly smelled of urine (I went out and bought flip-flops to walk on the floors). The mop water used by the cleaning man was seldom changed an the mop was black by the end of the month when it was finally replaced. At one point we had a mentally unstable woman assigned to our room and it took two days and threats to call the police to have her removed. The sole window in our room could only be opened the height of a cookbook provided to hold it up and there was no screen to stop mosquitoes and flies. The room was often over warm but we were told we could not use the ceiling fan to cool the air. The owner/manager often asks people to pay cash and only gives out receipts for credit card payments. …
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Date of stay: July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Small cosy little place. Quiet and beautiful. The sun deck out the back is a great place to escape the outside world, and to watch the hummingbirds sip their precious nectar. And the location is a nice walk from most things in town too
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Date of stay: July 2019Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I did not spend much time in the hostel, but it was in a great location, had what I needed, and was a comfortable place to come back to after a night out. The woman who (runs it?) was very sweet and helped ensure I knew what was going on in town. Quirky but fun kind of place
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Date of stay: July 2019
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This ‚hostel‘ deserves 0 stars. But is it really a hostel or more so a shelter? Very weird vibe within the building with mostly elderly men staying there as well as from what it looks like street workers using the accommodation too. Bathrooms are filthy and dirty while there’s only 1 shower per floor and a separate toilet. The positive reviews are definitely not from travelers but people who are long term living in there and call it home, because as I said.. it’s a shelter after all. The building is run down, gross, stains all over the walls inside the room and the bathroom. This place shouldn’t even be able to sell their rooms online. STAY AWAY and trust the negative reviews!
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Date of stay: March 2019Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I came here on a Monday and paid for 4 days,place was flithy,lady who owns the place tried to rip(steal) me off on my four days that I paid(asked to pay again).nigth manager again tried to steal it again.lady tried again to ripe me off,because she has bed bugs and wanted me to pay.ice bee. To many hostels in third world countries,and this is the worst I've ever been to.smells,bed bugs,lady steals money from you
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Date of stay: January 2019Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Didn't read any reviews before staying here and I'm glad I didn't because wow people can be so negative. The owner is very nice and talkative; yes she speaks little english but I could still understand her no problem. The rooms are cosy and clean and yes small but what I expected since it's a heritage house/hostel. The location is great centrally located downtown and close to a grocery store/laundry/drugstore/bars/restaurants. As for the reviews mentioning homeless people being outside, It doesn't matter where you stay, Victoria has a bad homeless problem throughout the city. The door to each room locks with a key and I felt very safe. Quiet hours were respected and there was a sweet outdoor roof deck. A small kitchen area but stocked with basic pots/pans/utensils. Yes the bathrooms can be messy at times but that is only due to other travelers not cleaning up after themselves. I have stayed in dozens of hostels across Europe and in the States and I was happy staying here, it was a pretty typical experience for a traveler. My boyfriend and I stayed here for 3 nights and both were super happy with it. PS - the stairs that lead you to the second floor are completely fine and I have no idea why people are complaining about those either.…
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Date of stay: August 2018
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The worst place ever!!! Don't do it!!! Everything dirty, no sheet laundry, and the owners absolutely irrespectfull. I've gone to a lot of hostels and they usually are great, but this one is absolutely not worth it.
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Date of stay: August 2018Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I am 53 years old and stayed in this place for four nights in mid-July; my first time travelling around Victoria. Contrary to some of the past reviews, the place is perfectly fine. If there is hair in the shower, it's because the owner of the hair couldn't be bothered to pick it up. There are signs all over telling people to be respectful of shared spaces but some people will not be. There are no bugs in Victoria and there were no bugs in hostel. The Turtle Hotel has two decent decks out back, a nice big kitchen, fridges on both floors. It is close to almost everything including a supermarket. It was safe, it was full most of the nights that I was there, it is the cheapest place to stay in Victoria and most surprisingly to me, it was very quiet. I expected noisy young people but that's not what I got. Often when I got back around 11:00 p.m. most of the other guests were already quiet in their rooms. I rented a bike and there was a safe place in the back to lock it at night. (The bike rental people told this having a safe space was very important as apparently mini chainsaws are used to open even U-bars. Someone mentioned that there's a homeless shelter across the street - not true. I did see a group of homeless people about two blocks away but there were no homeless people around the hostel. There's a gigantic church right across the street and about 25 other places of worship within spitting distance. The only downside that I can think of is that the rooms can be hot which was a problem for some people. I slept fine. Sue was helpful, had suggestions for where to go, what to see and how to get coupons. I would fully recommend this place - it's not a hotel and it doesn't pretend to be. But keep focused that it is a decent - and quite cheap - hostel and you will be fine there. Thanks, Sue, for the four days I stayed with you.…
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Date of stay: July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The "hostel" itself is alright but the staff don't check booking.com to see if they have reservations, luckily they still had space for me.... The rooms are cheap and you get what you pay for really. It's essentially a house that has been converted to hold as many people as possible. I am six foot and my feet ended up being off the end of the bed and there was no way to cool the room down so it was almost constantly hot. The room came with a tv, which had no power button so I didn't use it. All in all an average experience that could be better served at another hostel, Ocean Island is right nearby. Go for that.
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Date of stay: July 2018Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CanadaBritish ColumbiaVancouver IslandVictoria Capital Regional DistrictVictoria
NUMBER OF ROOMS
40
Prices are provided by our partners for one room, with variable occupancy rules as provided by the property, and reflect nightly room rates, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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Are there any historical sites close to Turtle Hostel?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (1.2 km), Craigdarroch Castle (1.3 km), and Empress Hotel National Historic Site of Canada (1.0 km).