HI-San Francisco Downtown (Union Square)

In the heart of San Fransisco's Union Square. One block to the World Famous Cable Car. Walking distance to cafes, museums, theaters. Read more

Completely renovated in 2008/2009, the San Francisco Downtown Hostel offers a jet-setter's location at a backpacker's price! Union Square is the heart of San Francisco's tourist district for a reason -- within a few blocks of the hostel, you'll find world-class shopping, plenty of arts and culture, a vibrant nightlife, and a slew of restaurants and bars ranging from the super trendy to the super cheap. You'll also be just a few blocks from the cable cars and other public transit to anywhere in the city (and the rest of the Bay Area, for that matter).

In the hostel itself, you'll find plenty of common space for befriending other wanderers, staff members who are happy to share their San Francisco know-how, a newly remodeled kitchen, and a theater-style media lounge with a widescreen satellite TV and surround-sound. This is San Francisco's best option for budget travelers seeking a modern, urban home-away-from-home.

Our guests enjoy great services and amenities including:

* Free breakfast
* Free WiFi
* Free linens and towels
* Free activities, including walking tours, pub crawls, $5 pasta dinners, more
* Low-cost tours to Yosemite, Wine Country, Muir Woods, more
* Daily housekeeping service
* On-site laundry
* On-site high-speed Internet facilities
* Vending machines with snacks and supplies
* 24-hour reception
* Secure lockers
* Luggage and bicycle storage
* No curfews or chores!

Guest rooms and services
Stay in shared Dorms or Private rooms (private bathrooms available). Free Linens and Towel as well as daily housekeeping service are included, and Laundry facilities are available on site.

A free continental breakfast is served every morning in our newly remodeled guest kitchen and dining room.

Guests can relax in our roomy guest lounges, and enjoy the free WIFI. High-speed facilities are available for rent.

The hostel also boasts a brand new theater style media room with widescreen satellite TV, surround-sound, bean bag chairs, and free movie screenings nightly.

Activities & Outings
All three of our San Francisco hostels offer free or low cost activities every day of the week! Get to know your fellow hostellers on walking tours across the Golden Gate Bridge and around downtown, and nightlife outings to museums, bars, and comedy clubs.

We offer low-cost day trips to scenic Wine Country, Muir Woods National Monument, Monterey/Carmel, and more. You can also book an overnight trip to Yosemite at our front desk, and spend the night at our Yosemite Bug Lodge or camping under the stars.

Green Practices
We are committed to eco-friendly, low-impact travel, and are proud to use green practices at the hostel including:

* providing composting and recycling programs
* purchasing earth-friendly products
* operating in an energy-efficient manner

We are not-for-profit
The San Francisco Downtown Hostel is operated by the Golden Gate Council of Hostelling International USA, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting intercultural understanding, environmental stewardship, and world peace through travel. There is an additional daily membership fee of $3 per adult for non-Hostelling International members.

"Just a block from Union Square, amid five-star hotels at a tiny fraction of the price." -- Lonely Planet, USA & Canada on a Shoestring

"The cleanest and most central hostel, and, consequently, the most popular." --Rough Guide

"A budget traveler's dream in the land of pricey downtown hotels." --San Francisco Bay Guardian