Hostel Review: HI San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf Hostel

I highly recommend staying at HI San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf Hostel. It’s an affordable place in a prime location in one of the best (and most expensive) cities in the US.

Fort Mason is in the Marina District, where you’ll also find the Palace of Fine Arts and the Wave Organ – two must-see sites. You’ll definitely want to grab a bus through the Presidio to the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center. Snap the perfect photo of the Golden Gate Bridge from several lookouts there. Take a walk across the bridge for even more fun photo opportunities, too!

So, plan a trip to San Francisco that includes a stay at Fisherman’s Wharf Hostel. Here’s my full review.

The Location

Address: 240 Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA 94123

I’ve had the benefit of staying with friends each time I visit San Francisco, so this was my first experience paying for accommodation in the city. I knew right away that a hotel was out of the question if I wanted to stay within my budget for this trip but also stay in a premier location that I wanted to explore. So, I searched on Booking.com for hostels.

Hostelling International runs a few hostels in San Francisco but I chose the Fisherman’s Wharf location for two reasons. First, it is within walking distance to San Francisco Bay and countless world-famous sites.

Second, I was intrigued by the history of the building and grounds that the hostel occupies, which I’ll explain further in the post. Hint: it’s managed by the National Park Service!

The Room

I chose to stay in a female-only dorm room with 5 beds. The room was large enough to hold 5 single beds instead of bunks, which is always a bonus. Plus the bed I chose was next to a window with a view of San Francisco Bay in the (not so far) distance.

As expected from a city hostel, each bed was accounted for once I arrived. So, it was a full house with only 5 people but with certain items from my Ultimate Healthy Travel Kit, it was totally acceptable.

The room isn’t pretty but it was clean and the bed was comfortable. What more can you really ask for?

The Property

Like I mentioned above, the history of the building and grounds intrigued me.

After enjoying a light snack of hummus with cucumbers and crackers and a hot mint tea, I walked around the grounds of Fort Mason – a National Park in the middle of the city. It’s full of historic buildings just like the one the hostel occupies. Since it’s a National Park, there are signs everywhere that share historical information.

The sun was setting quickly, so I decided to turn in for the night. I relaxed in the guest lounge, which was larger than most and full of plush leather couches and an actual wood-burning stove. It was very cozy!

Almost too cozy. I had to get up and walk around or risk falling asleep in a communal area. This is one of my biggest pet peeves when staying in hostels!

So, I wandered the halls of the hostel which, like the grounds, are full of interpretive signs describing its evolution from military outpost (for three different countries) to National Park and hostel.

A Short History of Fort Mason

For over 200 years, the site has been governed by Spain, Mexico, and finally by the United States. It has ties to many historical events in the US including the acquisition of California from Mexico in 1846 and the gold rush soon afterward. Fort Mason was the first line of defense for ships full of gold headed to Washington DC. At the time, the voyage brought ships all the way around the tip of South America and back up again.

The building that the hostel occupies was built in 1863 and used as living quarters for US troops during the Civil War. As it stands today, it looks just as it did during World War II – but with fresh paint. Hostelling International turned it into a hostel in the early 1980s and has managed it ever since.

I appreciate the preservation and repurposing of historic sites and buildings so staying at the San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf Hostel was a special time for me. Plus, I will always go out of my way to support the National Park Service!

Visit the National Park Service site to learn more about the history of Fort Mason.

The Little Extras

The staff went above and beyond to cater to a unique situation that occurred once I was settling into bed for the night.

Unfortunately, a dorm mate became hostile and aggressive with me and the three other women staying in the room. She yelled at us for talking and turning on the lights (it was only 9 pm on a weekend) and slammed the door each time she left and returned to the room. None of us felt comfortable staying in the room anymore, so while she was out of the room for a few minutes, we went as a group to inform management.

We explained that we were settling into bed while meeting each other for the first time, exchanging greetings, and talked about where we traveled from. I told them that the woman had been asleep in her bed for at least a few hours already because that’s where she was when I returned from my walk around the grounds just after sunset. Plus, the room reeked of alcohol once she arrived.

Legally, they could not remove anyone who was already in the building and had paid for a bed. Although, there were enough open beds to relocate everyone else in the room and leave the aggressive woman in the room alone.

So, we went back to collect our luggage and move to new rooms.

What I Did Not Love

It’s typical of old buildings like this one to lack soundproofing and be extra echo-y. The room I was relocated to was close to a men’s bathroom and I could clearly hear someone getting sick in the middle of the night. Since I was in a room with just one other person, I thought earplugs wouldn’t be needed but boy was I wrong!

Things to Do Near Fisherman’s Wharf Hostel

Within walking distance are Ghirardelli Square, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Lombard Street – “the crookedest street in the world.” A little further out (but still walkable, IMO) is the sea lions of Pier 39 (where you can also catch a cruise to Alcatraz Island) or enjoy 360-degree views of the city from Coit Tower, which is located just south of the pier.

Walk even further (or jump on a bus or get a Lyft) to Chinatown to gorge on delicious food and learn some city history at the Cable Car Museum.

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How to Make Reservations

I paid $50 for my bed in a 5-person female-only room on a weekend night, which is expensive for a hostel but just a fraction of the cost of a hotel room in this area of the city. As of the publication date, the price I paid is slightly above average. Check the prices for the dates you’ll be in San Francisco and book now; pay later with Booking.com.