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
| 97% | ||
| 94% | ||
| 88% | ||
| 94% | ||
| 94% | ||
| 94% | ||
| 91% | ||
Availability Calendar
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: | 2 | 8 | 9 | 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 ($30), Victoria ($25), or Port Hardy ($65) 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 Mon-Sat 3pm to 10am (the next morning). Parking on the street is free all day on Sundays. Paid parking across the street ($0.50/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 $55). 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. |
| 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). |
| Airport: | Fly directly into Nanaimo Airport with Air Canada. Take a taxi ($35-$40) or shuttle service ($26) 18km to city centre. From YVR Vancouver International airport or downtown Vancouver, take a seaplane flight into Nanaimo harbour and city centre (from $60 one way). The seaplane terminal is a 2 minute walk from the Guesthouse. |
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
| 28 Apr 2013 Keith, USA | 100% | |
| Great time. The staff was fantastic. I will recommend the painted Turtle to everyone. | ||
| 22 Dec 2012 Karen C, USA | 100% | |
| Excellent hostel !! | ||
| 12 Aug 2012 Alison, Australia | 93% | |
| We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. Nice clean kitchen. Would return again. | ||
| 02 Aug 2012 Peter, Australia | 100% | |
| The Painted Turtle hostel was the outstanding hostel that my son and I visited while in Canada. We also stayed at the Vancouver Central, the Edmonton HI and the Calgary HI. The customer service was excellent, especially the guided tour of the facilities at the beginning and the generally helpful attitude your staff had. Thank you ! | ||
| 27 Jun 2012 Janine, Netherlands | 100% | |
| Very clean and nice! | ||
| 27 Jun 2012 Jean, Canada | 100% | |
| Awfully noisy on the street side (people, not vehicles)around 3 a.m. Best single room is M --- on the back of the building, so
no racket in the street.
Everything else about the place is really good. Beautiful community room and kitchen also. | ||
| 21 Jun 2012 Andy, England & Wales | 67% | |
| Nice hostel but the location meant that it was extremely noisy. The rooms were warm so the windows had to be open, this let noise from buses/motorbikes and people in | ||
| 13 Jun 2012 Laura, England & Wales | 100% | |
| lovely comfortable stay, such a cosy place with great staff. loved the board games in the great room! | ||
| 20 May 2012 Michael, USA | 100% | |
| Very friendly staff. Helpful initial orientation to the hostel. Very clean and comfortable. I liked the fact that there was no TV. Coffee in the morning would have been nice. | ||
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