Your backpacking travel planner

Saint Mary's Conference Services invites you to experience maritime hospitality. This compact and modern campus is located on Canada's picturesque East Coast in the heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia, only minutes from the city centre and famous harbor/waterfront district making Saint Mary’s the ideal 'home base' for exploring and enjoying all the charm and culture this historic city has to offer. Offered are single and double rooms, with shared washroom facilities that include towels, linens and an all-you-care-to-eat hot breakfast for one great price. There are also apartments available (sleeping up to four) offering a greater degree of privacy.

Feature of the Week February 18th to 28th 2011
Submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

The Savary Island Resort and Backpackers is found on “Canada’s Hawaii”, Savary Island, BC... steps away from some of the most beautiful beaches, warm coastal waters, breathtaking views, and unforgettable sunsets in Coastal BC.

The Savary Island Resort offers accommodation for travelers exploring the spectacular Sunshine Coast…providing unrivalled amenities. Whether you are a lone traveler looking for a place to hang your hat for the night, a family looking for a fun filled vacation or a couple looking for a private, intimate, luxurious getaway…there is something for everyone.

The Savary Island Resort has both bunkrooms and luxury suites. There is also the communal kitchen of your dreams. Also there are indoor and outdoor showers, as you please. In the cozy living room you can sit by the fire to watch a movie, read a book, play a game...or just hang out with your fellow travelers.

“Savary Island is magical! Come visit us, you will love it here!!!”

Also if you happen to be travelling in the area in March, April or May 2011, the Savary Island Resort and Backpackers offers accommodation in trade for work. Please call 604-414-9454 and ask for Mike.

Feature of the Week, January 19th to 25th 2011
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

The Beez Kneez Bakpakers is a quaint little hostel, located on the 'sunny' side of downtown Whitehorse.

The Beez Kneez offers much comfort and lots of laughs. Don't bee surprised if you stay a few extra days ... and make some lifelong friends

"Come as a stranger...Leave as a friend!"

Hostel of the Week January 6th to 13th 2010
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

Off the beaten track is the White House Backackpers Lodge, a unique little hostel, tucked away in a glorious part of the Selkirk Mountains, in uber-funky Nelson, British Columbia. A graciously restored Victorian residence, the WhiteHouse offers a boutique-style hostel accommodation that truly feels like home.

The WhiteHouse is convenient to shops, cafes and night life. Facilities include spacious lounge, fireplace, large kitchen, verandah, BBQ, views & more. Rates include free internet, pancake breakfast and on-site parking. There are quiet spaces for reading, areas to socialize, plenty of games to play, books and magazines to borrow, an Ipod dock and CD player. Travellers of all ages, and from around the world enjoy our relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

The WhiteHouse Backpacker Lodge has not housed any current or former US presidents, and in no way endorses America's White House. It’s just a big, white house!

"We look forward to welcoming you!"

Hostel of the week, December 31st 2010 to January 6th 2011
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

The new Banff backpackers is located directly on Banff avenue located steps away from everything Banff has to offer.

The backpackers is also home to the Beaver Lounge! Banff's only backpacker pub directly on Banff Avenue! Featuring Open Mic nights, DJ's playing and weekly backpacker parties! Cheap cheap drinks and $6 dinner specials. This bar is the newest hot spot of downtown Banff.

Most dorm rooms have Jacuzzi's in the room. The hostel also features some of the nicest private rooms of any hostel in the country and SameSun's activity program is second to none!

The backpackers also offers free continental breakfast, free WiFi, public internet terminals, and essentially any other creature comfort you need!

Hostel of the Week, December 8th to 13th 2010
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

Hamilton Guesthouse is conveniently located in downtown Hamilton, close to all the major attractions this gorgeous though underrated city has to offer. Hamilton itself is ideally situated midway between Niagara Falls and Toronto in Ontario's famous Golden Horseshoe region.

Hamilton Guest House has incredible rates for nightly stay and offers clean, comfortable and affordable accommodations for backpackers, budget travelers, and students. Facilities include use of the full kitchen, free parking, linens and towels, secure lockers, free tea and coffee, cable tv, free internet and WIFI.

As well, helpful and knowledgeable staff are always ready to offer the best advice on the local scene.
Hostel of the Week, September 22nd to September 28th 2010
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

Sir James Dunn Residence, UNB Saint John

“Choose UNB Saint John’s summer accommodations! Stay in our comfortable, affordable, updated rooms in our fully secure buildings accessible only by key card. Amenities include free high speed internet in all rooms, private phone with free local calling in all rooms, free laundry facilities, snack and vending machines. Bedding and towels included in your room rate.

Only minutes from Uptown Saint John, City Transit stops every 20 minutes just steps away from the Sir James Dunn residence. Our friendly summer staff will help you find fun and interesting things to do in the Saint John area, or assist you with your plans to explore New Brunswick.

Nearby attractions in Millidgeville include Rockwood Park which boasts kilometers of hiking and biking trails as well as canoeing, kayaking and rock climbing; Rockwood Park Golf Course and Aquatic Driving Range, Tucker Park Beach and Cherry Brook Zoo.

Summer accommodations are open on May 3. Reserve your room today!”

Hostel of the Week, April 27th to May 3rd 2010
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

Quadra Island Boutique Hostel, Quathiaski Cove

"Quadra Island is an Outdoor Enthusiast's Utopia and Artist Paradise.

World class Diving, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Kayaking, Canoeing... and much much more, is at your fingertips on Quadra Island. Local artists are plentiful on Quadra, a studio tour is a must while on Quadra Island.

Join us in celebrating our Grand Opening on May 1st, we will be hosting an Outdoor Tourism and Artist Show. Come see all that Quadra has to offer.

Quadra Island Boutique Hostel is located just minutes walk from the Quathiaski Cove Ferry Terminal on Quadra Island, and within walking distance to all amenities. This clean spacious Hostel offers travellers a comfortable home away from home.

Quadra Island Boutique Hostel: Oceans away from the everyday"

Hostel of the Week, April 19th to April 27th 2010
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

Urban Oasis Guesthouse, Sudbury Ontario

Urban Oasis Guesthouse is situated in a colourful neighbourhood in downtown Sudbury. The exterior setting is Urban while the interior setting is an Oasis. The objective of the guesthouse is to ensure that guests feel welcome, relaxed, at home, and part of the Guesthouse family that is present during their stay. Michelle and Spirit (cat) live in the guesthouse and are the hosts.

SUDBURY'S ONLY BACKPACKERS HOSTEL is very clean and bright. Guests have access to: kitchen, living room (board games, book exchange), quiet area for reading, travel information room, lovely front porch for relaxing, and four three piece bathrooms (no line-ups). The guesthouse is walking distance to Laundromat, restaurants, grocery stores, entertainment, Science North, Dynamic Earth (Big Nickel), and Ramsey Lake.

Hostel of the Week, March 29th to April 4th 2010
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

Sun Peaks Hostel, British Columbia

A HOME AWAY FROM HOME!

"Sun Peaks International Hostel offers you ski-in/ski-out accommodation from $29 per night! You'll have all the amenities of home at this winter getaway including a fully equipped kitchen, large relaxing lounge area, TV/DVD, free WiFi, lockers, laundry facilities and private rooms!

We certainly have no shortage of activities like Golf & Horseback riding during the summer and our lifts are open for Bikers & Hikers to enjoy our mountains and we endeavour to help make your stay full of fun and excitement."

Watch Our Video

Hostel of the week, March 21st to March 29th 2010
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

Premier Mountain Lodge

Not your typical hostel...in fact not a hostel at all--Backpackers Hostels Canada does list one or two hotels. Premier Mountain Lodge is a high-end hotel with lower prices geared to 'budget travellers' (A double room is $90.00 in the summer season, for example.)

"Premier Mountain Lodge offers breathtaking views of the mountains from all suites, and is only a 1.5 hour drive from Jasper.

The hotel also offers complementary coffee & tea, indoor pool & hot tub and a restaurant onsite with Licensed dinning room. All rooms have satellite TV and offer free local calls.

We hope you will come by and check us out as you plan your summer vacation in beautiful British Columbia!"

Hostel of the Week March 16th to 22nd 2010
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

The Hostel Bear, Canmore Alberta

Stay with us at Canmore's Newsest Hostel! Located one block from downtown Canmore!

Be prepared to be pleasantly surprised with the standard of The Hostel Bear. We're here to bring you the best quality stay possible.

The Hostel Bear is a truly outstanding hostel style accommodation.

Our lodge provides an elegant, affordable and secure environment.

We feature a large fully functional kitchen, free wireless access, full in-room bathrooms & showers, secure in-room lockers and more...

Our friendly, helpful, outgoing staff are here 24 hours a day to ensure your stay exceeds expectations.

• Ideal for business and tourist
• 45 minutes from Calgary
• Close to town center & nightlife
• Clean environment
• Large communal kitchen
• FREE Parking & Wireless Internet
• Large common area with games room

Hostel of the Week, March 8th to March 14th 2010
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

Mt. H'Kusam View Lodge, Retreat and Hostel

Mt. H'Kusam View Lodge is in the Sayward Valley on northern Vancouver Island, a beautiful location where you can just relax and enjoy the peace and quiet, view the wildlife and scenery, or take advantage of the many opportunities for outdoor activities.

Your hosts, Jill Tyndale and Chris Watkiss, retired in 2005 from running their organic goat dairy and cheese company, McLennan Creek Dairy, in Abbotsford, B.C. We fell in love with this beautiful part of the world, and decided to make it our home. At the dairy, we were hosts to many Canadian and international volunteers and interns through the WWOOF program. We decided to start a hostel here in Sayward as our retirement project, so that we could continue to enjoy hosting travellers from all over the world.

The lodge is a combination of a hostel and a country inn. The five-room hostel has 15 beds with a lounge with wood stove, kitchen and dining area, games room, library, sauna, TV and wireless internet. Upstairs are comfortable private rooms, some with ensuite bathroom. We serve delicious breakfasts and dinners for hotel guests in our licensed restaurant. In the summer, The Lodge Restaurant opens on the weekend, serving gourmet fixed-price menus and a selection of cocktails and fine local wines and beers.

We are also an ideal choice for work groups, tour groups, retreats or small conferences.
For more information, call 250-282-5547 or email info@mthkusamviewlodge.com.

Hostel of the Week, February 23rd to March 2nd 2010
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

Backpackers International Hostel, Niagara Falls

Operated by a warm and friendly Francophone family, this elegant Victorian home turned youth hostel is only 5 minutes walk to the bus depot and is open 24-7. Dorm rates are $25.00 per night. Private rooms are also available. Facilities include a fully equipped kitchen and a free light breakfast.

The hostel is only one block to the Niagara River and Parkway, and 15-20 minute walk to Falls and attractions. It is also close to the Greyhound and train stations.

When you are planning your travels, remember that Niagara Falls is more than a one-day trip destination!

Hostel of the Week February 1st to February 7th 2010
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

Kip and Kaboodle Backpackers Hostel, on the main road, half way betwen Mahone Bay and Lunenburg Nova Scotia

"Kip & Kaboodle is a friendly little backpackers hostel in a quiet country setting located conveniently between Mahone Bay & Lunenburg - an area with a lot to offer! Mahone Bay is our closest town, and it is famous for its three postcard-perfect churches as well as its arts & crafts community. Lunenburg is 7km away and is the home of the famous Bluenose II as well as the Picton Castle, a square-rigged barque which has done four world voyages. Lunenburg is also a UNESCO World Heritage site - one of only two towns in North America to carry such a prestigious title. Close to beaches, hiking trails, art galleries & museums, wineries and much more."

Greg Inglis, your host (and a tour guide who has been providing tours throughout Nova Scotia for over 7 years), is always happy to sit down and chat in the evenings to help you plan out your trip to make sure you don't miss a thing while visiting this beautiful part of Canada.

The editors of Backpackers Hostels Canada wanted to draw your attention to a very funny page on the Kip and Kaboodle website called "Ridiculous rules we (mistakenly) assumed were totally unnecessary to state". For some comic relief (and certainly a little provocation of thought for travellers) please read through this page.

Hostel of the Week January 18th to 24th 2010
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

Caribou Hostel, Golden BC

Caribou Hostel is a family-run business in the Blaeberry Valley, 13 km NW of Golden. The six-bed hostel has a full kitchen, dining area, lounge area, bathroom, dorm room, and a barbeque on the patio. The private apartment has of a full kitchen, living room with futon, bathroom, bedroom with queen-sized bed, and a private balcony with barbeque. The hostel and private apartment are ideal for exclusive group or family rentals. The Moberly Pub, a favourite among locals and travellers, is just a four-minute walk through the backyard. Caribou Hostel provides a friendly and relaxed retreat in a quiet mountain setting.

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, located 13 km from the town of Golden, is a 25-minute drive from the hostel, and Roger’s Pass is a 45-minute drive. Golden is centrally located with easy access to Banff, Yoho, Kootenay, Jasper, and Glacier National Parks.

Hostel of the Week, November 24th to November 29th 2009
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

iBackpackCanada: A Backpackers Travel Guide

Corbin, the author of the blog, iBackpackCanada.com, is a 20-something guy from the 'flatlands of Canada' (Saskatchewan). Corbin's family has a huge farm just North of Regina, which has cattle, a few horses, and thousands of acres of land.

After finishing high school, Corbin planned to take a year off before diving into university, which he refers to as "The Best Trap Ever". Corbin sold his Ford Ranger truck, most of his possessions, and took off for a year of Round the World Travel. Of course, he loved every minute of it, and upon arrival back home, he realized he couldn’t stop.

When Corbin got back from his travels abroad however, and after travelling around Canada for a couple of months, it occurred to him how little info there is regarding Canada for backpackers. Corbin agrees with us that the infrastructure for budget travel in Canada is there--Corbin decided however that for some reason people either have been keeping this a secret or are just too cold to bother telling people about it.

Corbin has decided to reveal these secrets of budget travel in Canada in his blog, iBackpackCanada.com.

Enjoy his blog, and if you like, email him at webmaster@ibackpackcanada.com

Feature of the Week October 29th to November 1st 2009
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

Skweeks House, Kingston Ontario

Skweeks House is a great location to explore Kingston & the 1000 Islands from. One of the newest buildings in historic Sydenham Ward, it was built in the early 1950's as a three unit apartment building. Walk, bike, drive, ski, skate, kayak or sail there's history, shopping, entertainment and scenery in all directions.

Guests are encouraged to explore Kingston's active night life with in walking distance. Sample locally brewed beer at the "Brew Pub" or Ontario wines at local night spots. Check out the range of entertainment in the theatres, cinemas and restaurants.

Skweeks House is a family oriented building (with pets). A place for restful rejuvenation after a busy day of work or play. A piano is central in the shared common room, a guest computer is provided, but no television. Books, puzzles, games, quiet socializing often pot luck style meals fill the evenings.

"Purr-fect hostel style accommodation for all seasons."

Hostel of the Week, October 19th to 25th 2009
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

GO Backpackers, Edmonton Alberta

GO Backpackers has gone through a lot of recent changes. The hostel has a full kitchen with a cozy dining room as well as many different common areas which include a TV room and a library/games room that you can kick back and relax in!

There are internet terminals available in the lobby and free WIFI is also available in the common areas. Coin operated laundry is up and running, though the hostel provides all bedding and towels, so there is no need to bring your own. There is also hair dryers in all of the female dorms and private rooms.

The Jekyll and Hyde pub downstairs is a good way to start off an evening of fun! Every Friday, the owners get up on stage and play live music, which is a real treat. Come by and check it out!

GO Backpackers is in the heart of downtown and within walking distance of the Legislature, the Edmonton Art Gallery, City Hall, the Royal Alberta Museum and the Shaw Conference Centre as well as a variety of restaurants. Additionally, the hostel is conveniently located near the LRT (lower rail transit) which gives quick access to places such as the Commonwealth Stadium, Rexall Place and the University of Alberta.

"Come by and stay awhile at GO Backpackers! Looking forward to hosting you!"

Hostel of the Week, October 12th to 18th 2009
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

Hostels of Sicily: Home of the 9th European Hostel Meeting

In 2010 the European Hostel Meeting comes to Italy in the stunning baroque city of Catania on the island of Sicily. The meeting promises to be one of the biggest hostel conferences ever seen and a large supporting programme of tours and discounts around Sicily is being organised as well as many events in Catania itself.

More information from Robert at info@hostelsofsicily.com or visit Hostels of Sicily: Home of the 9th European Hostel Meeting

Feature of the Week, September 25th to September 28th, 2009
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada