Turtle Hostel
1608 Quadra St, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2L4 Canada
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#3 of 3 hostels in VictoriaLocation
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HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Budget
Languages Spoken
English, Chinese
Property amenities
Paid private parking on-site
Street parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Internet
Airport transportation
Shuttle bus service
Baggage storage
Non-smoking hotel
Shared bathroom
Shared kitchen
Shared lounge / TV area
Sun terrace
ATM on site
Room types
Family rooms
Location
1608 Quadra St, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2L4 Canada
Getting there
Great for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Grade: 98 out of 100
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110 Restaurants
within 0.5 kilometers
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Detailed Reviews
don't stay here I told Sue the manager she had bedbugs and of course she blamed me on bringing them there even though I had just started my trip, nice try Sue and thanks for not taking ownership ...by now there will be bedbugs all over BC... also many other disturbing things went on at this hostel but to keep it short stay anywhere else.
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Date of stay: July 2013Trip 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.
If you want to enjoy beautiful Victoria don't stay here. The owners are rude and just want your money. They seem to have invented a fee for everything so even though it's the cheapest hostel in Victoria- the fees make it just as expensive. The owner wouldn't even let us store our bags on our final day so we could walk around without a $2 charge and it was just a tiny over night bag!!! Not only that but their English is terrible so it is very frustrating trying to make them see sense in their money-hungry madness.
As for the rooms, there were holes in the wall, the beds were tiny and the mattresses were covered in vinyl which are so loud and sleep disturbing!
Do yourself a favour and pay the extra $5 or whatever it is to stay at another hostel- it will prevent you plotting murder later on.
As for the rooms, there were holes in the wall, the beds were tiny and the mattresses were covered in vinyl which are so loud and sleep disturbing!
Do yourself a favour and pay the extra $5 or whatever it is to stay at another hostel- it will prevent you plotting murder later on.
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Date of stay: September 2011Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Call another hostel
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'm a seasoned traveler and have used hostels throughout Europe and this place has to be the most hostile environment that I've ever stayed in.
The Chinese owner opened the conversation by telling me that I was fat and needed a smaller mouth. She took pains to establish that I wasn't an alcoholic, a trouble maker or was loud.
The insults continued. She told me that I had a strong smell and that I must take a shower to avoid upsetting the guests before placing me in a smelly dorm and telling me that I smelled again. She seemed unaware of her own fetid halitosis.
Freshly showered and fragrant, one of the hostel workers told me that my feet smelled and made me put my shoes outside of the hostel on the decking. I took him to a smelly pile of clothes in the corner of the room whose fragrance was less than attractive and suggested it was the source of the smell. He was adamant that it was me.
I was rebuked for not making my bed properly, for sitting on the blanket and not the sheets, allowing the blanket to touch the floor and for having an untidy bed - I'd left some leaflets on it.
You might ask why I was putting up with this. The answer is simple, I'd been camping for five weeks with some stays in motels to gain access to showers and I wanted to sleep in a breed for a change. The other two hostels were full sand this place was 28 Canadian dollars per night - not much more than a camp site.
The intimidating worker was Iranian and as mad as a box of frogs. I used my full repertoire of interpersonal skills gained from thirty years of teaching to win him over. I spotted him reading Shakespeare's The Tempest and got him taking about it.
I wish that I hadn't as it opened the door to his inner psyche. He claimed to have a mission to remove the Canadian, US, UK, German and North Korean governments and used a wide range of unsavoury metaphors to express his views. He mentioned that his employer didn't like him talking politics and it was obvious why this was so.
He was abusive and curt with other guests and when challenged, got the support of the owner to back him up. I was informed by a more resolute hosteler that several guests left early being unable to cope with the rudeness.
I am of the firm opinion that he has some sort of psychosis and that he needs psychiatric help.
The general hygiene of the place just passes muster. There's only one shower for the entire hostel and the kitchen/social area has a curfew from 23:00 to 07:00.
One of the long term residents of the hostel claims to be exchanging his marketing skills for accommodation. He clearly hadn't read the marketing primers that inform you that unsatisfactory experiences are shared more widely and in more detail than satisfactory or good experiences.
If you are considering booking this hostel please eliminate all other alternatives before considering staying here. My strength of character saw me through the ordeal.
If you must stay here because of lack of alternatives be prepared to be insulted, intimidated, remonstrated with and being made unwelcome.
I simply didn't recognise any of the features described in the most recent five star review and I would like to give this place my first zero star rating but am having to give it one star through the lack of availability of a zero star rating.
The management and workers have a lot of work to do to raise the standards from appalling to merely adequate.
Book this place at your peril.
The Chinese owner opened the conversation by telling me that I was fat and needed a smaller mouth. She took pains to establish that I wasn't an alcoholic, a trouble maker or was loud.
The insults continued. She told me that I had a strong smell and that I must take a shower to avoid upsetting the guests before placing me in a smelly dorm and telling me that I smelled again. She seemed unaware of her own fetid halitosis.
Freshly showered and fragrant, one of the hostel workers told me that my feet smelled and made me put my shoes outside of the hostel on the decking. I took him to a smelly pile of clothes in the corner of the room whose fragrance was less than attractive and suggested it was the source of the smell. He was adamant that it was me.
I was rebuked for not making my bed properly, for sitting on the blanket and not the sheets, allowing the blanket to touch the floor and for having an untidy bed - I'd left some leaflets on it.
You might ask why I was putting up with this. The answer is simple, I'd been camping for five weeks with some stays in motels to gain access to showers and I wanted to sleep in a breed for a change. The other two hostels were full sand this place was 28 Canadian dollars per night - not much more than a camp site.
The intimidating worker was Iranian and as mad as a box of frogs. I used my full repertoire of interpersonal skills gained from thirty years of teaching to win him over. I spotted him reading Shakespeare's The Tempest and got him taking about it.
I wish that I hadn't as it opened the door to his inner psyche. He claimed to have a mission to remove the Canadian, US, UK, German and North Korean governments and used a wide range of unsavoury metaphors to express his views. He mentioned that his employer didn't like him talking politics and it was obvious why this was so.
He was abusive and curt with other guests and when challenged, got the support of the owner to back him up. I was informed by a more resolute hosteler that several guests left early being unable to cope with the rudeness.
I am of the firm opinion that he has some sort of psychosis and that he needs psychiatric help.
The general hygiene of the place just passes muster. There's only one shower for the entire hostel and the kitchen/social area has a curfew from 23:00 to 07:00.
One of the long term residents of the hostel claims to be exchanging his marketing skills for accommodation. He clearly hadn't read the marketing primers that inform you that unsatisfactory experiences are shared more widely and in more detail than satisfactory or good experiences.
If you are considering booking this hostel please eliminate all other alternatives before considering staying here. My strength of character saw me through the ordeal.
If you must stay here because of lack of alternatives be prepared to be insulted, intimidated, remonstrated with and being made unwelcome.
I simply didn't recognise any of the features described in the most recent five star review and I would like to give this place my first zero star rating but am having to give it one star through the lack of availability of a zero star rating.
The management and workers have a lot of work to do to raise the standards from appalling to merely adequate.
Book this place at your peril.
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Date of stay: August 2015Trip 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.
First, the owner was over an hour late for check-in, then yakked it up with each person for so long, I ended up waiting another half hour. The cops were there to break up a fight. There were lots of people who seemed to be living there. It seems more like a half-way house than a hostel. I saw rodents in the kitchen as soon as I walked in. Sitting on the sofa at night, an old man came out of his room, dressed in nothing but his saggy underwear, and wandered down the hall scratching himself. The bunks are metal and move with every breath, so no sleep. What a dump!! Do yourself a favor, and spend a few extra bucks on ANYPLACE else. You’d even be better off sleeping in an alleyway.
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Date of stay: October 2014Trip type: Travelled solo
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
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 was dirty and disgusting. The smelly room/attic was the size of a broom closet along with an uncomfortable lumpy bed and an old dresser. Cob webs hung from the only picture on the wall. I didn't feel safe there but had no choice to stay as it was Labor Day weekend and everything reasonably priced was booked. Bathrooms were gross-tiles missing off walls, overflowing garbage pails, empty soap dispensers and crud in corners of the shower stall. Owners don't know the meaning of the word "clean". Couldn't even get up enough courage to take a shower. Area was seedy-drunks/junkies on the sidewalks that we had to walk past. This place was a fire trap and would not advise anyone to stay there. I can't understand how they are allowed to rent out rooms and are still in business. This dump needs to be inspected and shut down. I should have slept in my car! Worst place I have ever stayed in.
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Date of stay: September 2014Trip type: Travelled with family
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip: Don't stay here! Period! There are NO good rooms. Filthy dirty!
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.
What a nightmare it was trying to book here & made worse by waking up with dozens of bed bug bites :-(
We called twice to book but was told by the lady at reception to call back later as she was too busy but they had availability! Third call lucky, we were able to book, well we thought we booked as we repeated our contact details & credit card at least 3 times & told her we would arrive between 5-6pm & she said she had a double room for us.
We arrived just after 5pm & got told there's no reservation for us! It took 15mins to convey to her that we had booked over the phone, gave her our credit card details & told we'd be arriving between 5-6pm.
In the end she moved a single girl out of the double room we had booked & in turn kicked a guy out of another room to give the bed to the girl who was in our room.
The only thing stopping us from walking out & going elsewhere (which we wanted to do at by this point) was that we had already called every accommodation in Victoria within our budget, earlier in the day before trying here & everywhere else was fully booked & we weren't picking up a rental car until the next day, or else we would have driven to Nanaimo!
We checked the room & bed as best we could but woke up with dozens of bed bug bites. We informed the host in the morning & asked if she was aware of bed bugs here & she told us that one other girl had previously notified her that she got bed bugs here.
The host gave us cream for the bites & said she would clean the room which I hope she does coz we had to fumigate our bags and all of our clothes & spent days being extremely itchy & embarrassed by the visible lumpy bites!
As for location, don't walk down Pandora St (between Douglas St & Quadra St) at night! There's a handful of junkies that harass people passing by, it's a very seedy part of the city!
Do yourself a favour, read & listen to the reviews & just go elsewhere! Talking to other guests they had just as hard a time when booking in as us. Hopefully they didn't also get bed bug bites?!!
We called twice to book but was told by the lady at reception to call back later as she was too busy but they had availability! Third call lucky, we were able to book, well we thought we booked as we repeated our contact details & credit card at least 3 times & told her we would arrive between 5-6pm & she said she had a double room for us.
We arrived just after 5pm & got told there's no reservation for us! It took 15mins to convey to her that we had booked over the phone, gave her our credit card details & told we'd be arriving between 5-6pm.
In the end she moved a single girl out of the double room we had booked & in turn kicked a guy out of another room to give the bed to the girl who was in our room.
The only thing stopping us from walking out & going elsewhere (which we wanted to do at by this point) was that we had already called every accommodation in Victoria within our budget, earlier in the day before trying here & everywhere else was fully booked & we weren't picking up a rental car until the next day, or else we would have driven to Nanaimo!
We checked the room & bed as best we could but woke up with dozens of bed bug bites. We informed the host in the morning & asked if she was aware of bed bugs here & she told us that one other girl had previously notified her that she got bed bugs here.
The host gave us cream for the bites & said she would clean the room which I hope she does coz we had to fumigate our bags and all of our clothes & spent days being extremely itchy & embarrassed by the visible lumpy bites!
As for location, don't walk down Pandora St (between Douglas St & Quadra St) at night! There's a handful of junkies that harass people passing by, it's a very seedy part of the city!
Do yourself a favour, read & listen to the reviews & just go elsewhere! Talking to other guests they had just as hard a time when booking in as us. Hopefully they didn't also get bed bug bites?!!
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Date of stay: August 2013
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
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.
On the outside - looks friendly and colourful! However on the inside my opinion changed!
The room we stayed in was a four bed room which we shared between us! Considering we are four students and are used to rough conditions, we were surprised at how bad this was!
The bunk beds squeaked all night and were tied together as were broken, the lights didn't work and the window was covered over with a bag as it was broken!
The bedding was full of mites (bed bugs) and two of us got badly bitten! the sheets were also stained and looked dirty.
The women in-charge also decided to just unlock our room one night and just walk in (funny considering it was a private room). This creeped us out and we felt as if she could come in at any time
The guests here were basically all homeless people and were very intimidating shouting and all hours and arguing amongst each other, they also were very drunk on many occasions and the smell of weed was very strong.
On top of all of this the one shower downstairs for about 20 people was so dirty the two girls in my group wouldn't us it. Even the homeless guests were complaining. The toilets were also in a terrible state and looked as if they had been last cleaned several months ago!
In my opinion i would never recommend anyone stayed here, or at least i would advise you take care if you are desperate!
The room we stayed in was a four bed room which we shared between us! Considering we are four students and are used to rough conditions, we were surprised at how bad this was!
The bunk beds squeaked all night and were tied together as were broken, the lights didn't work and the window was covered over with a bag as it was broken!
The bedding was full of mites (bed bugs) and two of us got badly bitten! the sheets were also stained and looked dirty.
The women in-charge also decided to just unlock our room one night and just walk in (funny considering it was a private room). This creeped us out and we felt as if she could come in at any time
The guests here were basically all homeless people and were very intimidating shouting and all hours and arguing amongst each other, they also were very drunk on many occasions and the smell of weed was very strong.
On top of all of this the one shower downstairs for about 20 people was so dirty the two girls in my group wouldn't us it. Even the homeless guests were complaining. The toilets were also in a terrible state and looked as if they had been last cleaned several months ago!
In my opinion i would never recommend anyone stayed here, or at least i would advise you take care if you are desperate!
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Date of stay: April 2012Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Private rooms better
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 is not somewhere you would want to stay if you're travelling, unless you want to hang out with the local drug addicts or alcoholics!
No ventilation in the rooms which means you can barely breathe and the room stinks. Bathrooms and kitchen were disgusting! We ended up paying to eat out because we didnt want to cook in the kitchen...
Security is non-existant. Although the doors are locked its not the people outside you want to be kept safe from its the people living there!! The batty landlady came into our (private!) room late at night without permission (while we were in bed!)... Very suspicious as she didn't seem to have any reason to come in other than to snoop around our things!!
Most of the other guests seem to be long-term residents of the hostel who were old alcoholics, druggies or homeless! They were very intimidating and seemed very unstable. One guy kicked off while we were there, shouting at everyone and getting aggressive. Were time when we wouldn't want to go out of the room alone!
Definitely would not recommend this hostel to any travellers and DEFINITELY NOT families! Its worth paying the extra money for somewhere safer and more comfortable.
No ventilation in the rooms which means you can barely breathe and the room stinks. Bathrooms and kitchen were disgusting! We ended up paying to eat out because we didnt want to cook in the kitchen...
Security is non-existant. Although the doors are locked its not the people outside you want to be kept safe from its the people living there!! The batty landlady came into our (private!) room late at night without permission (while we were in bed!)... Very suspicious as she didn't seem to have any reason to come in other than to snoop around our things!!
Most of the other guests seem to be long-term residents of the hostel who were old alcoholics, druggies or homeless! They were very intimidating and seemed very unstable. One guy kicked off while we were there, shouting at everyone and getting aggressive. Were time when we wouldn't want to go out of the room alone!
Definitely would not recommend this hostel to any travellers and DEFINITELY NOT families! Its worth paying the extra money for somewhere safer and more comfortable.
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Date of stay: April 2012Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: If you do decide to stay here get a private room. But would seriously not recommend - i would...
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 is a horrible place. The location is excellent but it's dirty, the lady in the office is rude, my bed was too small, the bathrooms are gross and it really spoiled my three days in Victoria.
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Date of stay: August 2011
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
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.
Stayed here with 2 male friends for one night. Was originally told they had no room for a female but was then given a bunk in the room with my friends which was no problem for any of us. Check in was a nightmare with much confusion about key deposit and money. The common area was crammped and occupied by a lot of degenerate looking sorts. Fortunately we didn't really spend much time here as we got to the room late after hitting the pubs, but there was no sleep to be had. The smell in the room was unbearable even with the windows open. Everything was filthy. We all opted to skip bathing the next day and I ended up using the restroom in McDonalds because it was far cleaner. Would have been better off sleeping on the street for a night.
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Date of stay: November 2010Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
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"Dorm Room, are excellent changes as been made, it not so crowded and it clean, private room varies, but price was good,"Read full review
LOCATION
CanadaBritish ColumbiaVancouver IslandVictoria Capital Regional DistrictVictoria
NUMBER OF ROOMS
40
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Frequently Asked Questions about Turtle Hostel
Which popular attractions are close to Turtle Hostel?
Nearby attractions include St. Andrew's Cathedral (0.4 km), Haunted Manor Mini Golf & Ping Pong (0.5 km), and Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre (0.4 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Turtle Hostel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, airport transportation, and shuttle bus service.
Is parking available at Turtle Hostel?
Yes, paid private parking on-site and street parking are available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Turtle Hostel?
Conveniently located restaurants include John's Place Restaurant, Nubo Japanese Tapas, and The Palms Restaurant & Lounge.
Does Turtle Hostel have airport transportation?
Yes, Turtle Hostel offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Turtle Hostel?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English and Chinese.
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).