Hostel HI - Nanaimo - Painted Turtle Guesthouse
HI - Nanaimo - Painted Turtle Guesthouse
121 Bastion St
V9R 3A2 Nanaimo
Canada
Tel.
(250) 753 4432
Fax.
(250) 753 4434
Customer Rating
| 93% | |
| 90% | |
| 89% | |
| 94% | |
| 90% | |
| 94% |
2007 Awarded "Best Hostel in Canada" by HI-Canada, Under 10,000 Overnights category and rated #1 on TripAdvisor.com! Experience a splash of funky Canadian style and fair dinkum Australian hospitality with hosts Bruce & Ang!
Open since 2004, the HI-Nanaimo Painted Turtle Guesthouse is a fully renovated and refurbished 1913 heritage building. Located in the heart of the waterfront/arts district in downtown Nanaimo, it sits amongst trendy cafes & restaurants, pubs & clubs, art galleries, bakeries, street performers and local points of interest. The Guesthouse is extremely well appointed and has achieved the highest possible standard available under the Hostelling International group.
All features have been designed with the active traveller in mind, and we have thrown in a few special features: private bathrooms, FREE internet (terminals and wireless), free luggage storage and a living area that includes kitchen and dining facilities, a cozy fireplace and free games.
The Painted Turtle is so close to everything that within 5 minutes you can walk to the Port Theatre, Harbour Lynx and BC ferry terminals, the 4km Harbourside Walkway, the Old City Quarter shopping district, outdoor and indoor recreation facilities, and other key tourist attractions.
From here, we have great transportation links to TOFINO, VICTORIA, CAMPBELL RIVER and the GULF ISLANDS. You can venture to other parts of Vancouver Island, with its exceptional natural beauty, outstanding attractions, and endless recreational and adventure pursuits.
"Group Special", $80 per room (Sleeps four people separately, no sharing!) Includes all taxes. No hidden fees or charges. $80/4 people ONLY, unbeatable! CALL for special rate!
Open since 2004, the HI-Nanaimo Painted Turtle Guesthouse is a fully renovated and refurbished 1913 heritage building. Located in the heart of the waterfront/arts district in downtown Nanaimo, it sits amongst trendy cafes & restaurants, pubs & clubs, art galleries, bakeries, street performers and local points of interest. The Guesthouse is extremely well appointed and has achieved the highest possible standard available under the Hostelling International group.
All features have been designed with the active traveller in mind, and we have thrown in a few special features: private bathrooms, FREE internet (terminals and wireless), free luggage storage and a living area that includes kitchen and dining facilities, a cozy fireplace and free games.
The Painted Turtle is so close to everything that within 5 minutes you can walk to the Port Theatre, Harbour Lynx and BC ferry terminals, the 4km Harbourside Walkway, the Old City Quarter shopping district, outdoor and indoor recreation facilities, and other key tourist attractions.
From here, we have great transportation links to TOFINO, VICTORIA, CAMPBELL RIVER and the GULF ISLANDS. You can venture to other parts of Vancouver Island, with its exceptional natural beauty, outstanding attractions, and endless recreational and adventure pursuits.
"Group Special", $80 per room (Sleeps four people separately, no sharing!) Includes all taxes. No hidden fees or charges. $80/4 people ONLY, unbeatable! CALL for special rate!
Hostel bed capacity
| Beds per room: |  |
 |
 |
Total beds |
| Number of rooms: | 8 | 2 | 10 | 54 |
Opening times
| Opening times (daily/weekly): | Reception hours 7am-10pm. 24-hour access. |
| Opening times (over the year): | All year |
Street Map and Route Planning
Directions
| Bus: | Take the Greyhound bus from Vancouver ($24), Victoria ($20), or Port Hardy ($60) to Nanaimo city centre. Walk 5 blocks down Wallace Street; turn left on Bastion Street and we are only 1 block further. |
| Parking: | Free parking on Commercial St 4pm to 10am (the next morning). Paid parking across the street ($2/hour; max $6 for 24 hours). |
| Sea port: | Nanaimo is directly linked to the British Columbia mainland by two major BC Ferry routes for vehicle traffic (starting at $45). Horseshoe Bay in North Vancouver to Departure Bay Ferry Terminal, which is 2.5 km north of city centre. Or, Tsawwassen to Duke Point Terminal, which is 14km south of city centre. For pedestrians, take the Harbour Lynx fast ferry ($25 one way) from downtown Vancouver to Nanaimo city centre. We are 1 block from the terminal. |
| Location: | Located in the Arts District downtown - corner of Commercial and Bastion St (121 Bastion St). From Hwy 19/#1 (TransCanada) take exit to Hwy 19A and follow to city centre (approx. 5km). |
| Rail: | From Victoria, take VIA Rail train ($24) on one of Canada's most scenic rail routes, the Malahat E&N Railiner to downtown Nanaimo - 2.5 hours. We are a 5 minute walk from the train station in Nanaimo city centre. |
| Airport: | Fly directly into Nanaimo Airport with Air Canada. Take a taxi ($30) or shuttle service ($19) 18km to city centre. From YVR Vancouver International airport or downtown Vancouver, take a seaplane flight into Nanaimo harbour and city centre ($55 one way). |
Attractions
 | Cultural centre nearby | | Museums/art galleries nearby |
| City centre location | | Historical sites nearby |
| River/harbour/lake nearby | | Main attractions nearby |
| Swimming pool at or near hostel | | Nightlife nearby |
| Forested/wooded area | | Restaurants nearby |
| Shopping centre/market nearby | | Hostel with a difference |
| Leisure facilities nearby | | Beach at or near hostel |
| Winter sports | | Meet other travellers! Read their tips for things to do in HI - Nanaimo - Painted Turtle Guesthouse |
Facilities
 | Discounts and concessions available |  | Family rooms available |
 | Hostel open 24h |  | Self-catering kitchen |
 | Groups welcome |  | Common room(s) |
 | Sheets in price |  | Travel/Tour bureau |
 | Laundry facilities |  | Cycle rental available at or near the hostel |
 | Internet access |  | Credit card accepted |
 | Café/Bar |  | Currency exchange at or near hostel |
 | Male only |  | Female only |
 | Games room |  | Individual traveller welcome |
 | Luggage Store |  | Non smoking room/area |
 | Basic store available at or near the hostel |
Customer Reviews HI - Nanaimo - Painted Turtle Guesthouse
| 15 Jan 2012 Robert, Australia | 87% | |
| Clean and comfortable
Well priced and well situated
Nanaimo though needs a public bus connection to the horseshoe bay ferry
There is none and you have to catch a cab to get to the hostel from the ferry | ||
| 05 Jan 2012 Allison, Australia | 100% | |
| It's clear why the Painted Turtle is one of the best hostels in Canada. The boutique-style set-up makes for a relative luxurious reprieve for any backpacker. Would definitely return, next time for longer | ||
| 06 Sep 2011 Margo, Netherlands | 80% | |
| I liked the hostel. When I came there was a girl at the desk and she helped me very well with booking Tofino hostel and telling me where to go. | ||
| 27 Aug 2011 Llewellyn, USA | 100% | |
| Exceptionally friendly staff made for exceptionally friendly and happy guests. They went out of their way - way out, for me since I require handicapped aid. Great showers, bathrooms aplenty on each floor. I returned for my last night befor ferrying to Vancouver to fly back to San frankcisco. It is also in a great area' the center og the downtown arts district and steps away from the ocean walk way. I happened to be ther for the blues festival, so could walk there. Commercial street is way cool. I loved to hang there a bit every day. I would stay there again next time I am in town, though I have to be traveling alone, which I often do, since my wife won't staw where she has to share a bathroom. The bathrooms were always clean and tidy enough for ne though. Great visit. Bill Stanton | ||
| 25 Aug 2011 Zabrina, Canada | 97% | |
| My only disappointment was the trouble with internet i had, perhaps because I was in an end room. | ||
| 21 Aug 2011 Joyce, Canada | 90% | |
| We found the neighborhood noise to be extremely loud and very late into the evening. While the guesthouse can't be responsible for what goes on outside it might have helped to have had a fan available so the window could be closed to help block the noise. We understand that customers had been evicted from a local pub and carried their party to the street. We know the police attended, but wondered why this group wasn't made to move on by the police as the group was extremely loud and well into the morning hours. | ||
| 17 Aug 2011 Susan, England & Wales | 100% | |
| Well received - all staff friendly and helpful.
Would definately stay there again when in the area. | ||
| 14 Aug 2011 Siobhan, England & Wales | 97% | |
| Friendly staff especially Bruce who greeted me when I arrived. The beds were comfortable but I found the top bunk difficult to get in/ out of as there was a barrier at the end of the bed which I had to climb over. Also, the ladder was quite uncomfortable underfoot. The hostel was very clean with great facilities. A convenient location, although there was a lot of noise from a near-by night club on both nights of my stay. | ||
| 16 Jul 2011 Fang-Yi, Canada | 100% | |
| Painted Turtle Guesthouse is a clean, comfortable guesthouse, all of their worker are friendly and offer clear informaton. It's my pleasure to visit them again. | ||
| 07 Jun 2011 Karen, Scotland | 100% | |
| Great hostel - I especially like the lockable charging station for laptops in the rooms and we had a very warm welcome and help with our onward trip. Will be back!! | ||
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