Calgary · Canada
HI Calgary City Centre
Bed bug reports
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Confirmed Hostelworld
Great hostel, definitely sketchy area of downtown with a lot of homeless people on drugs. Within 15-30min walking distance of 17th Ave which has a lot of bars. There's a train stop close by which allows for free travel throughout downtown. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Everything was clean and no bedbugs or any sanitation concerns. Highly reccomended for a stay in Calgary
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Confirmed Booking.com
Broken bed lamp. Old lockers. No privacy curtain in beds especially if you are in the top bunk bed. Very bright at night when there's no curtain.. Difficult to fall asleep with guests being noisy in my room. I'm afraid I got a bedbug from the place. One of the toasters doesn't work properly.
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Confirmed Booking.com
Bedbugs! Everything else was great!
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Vibe Analysis
The theatre room is the standout: a low-key place to hide out with a big screen when the dorms, hall noise, or downtown energy are doing too much. HI Calgary City Centre works best as a practical central base, with transit, shops, restaurants, museums, and groceries close by. The hostel has a large communal kitchen, lounges, work or reading spaces, laundry, lockers, and sometimes free breakfast or free coffee. Staff can be kind and helpful, and the price can make sense for a short Calgary stop when location matters more than polish. The atmosphere is not especially social or modern. It can feel old-school, subdued, and a bit institutional, with creaky wooden bunks, thin walls, bright dorms, limited privacy, and not enough bed-level outlets. Some rooms can be hot, stuffy, musty, or awkwardly placed near noise. This is more utility node than party lair: good for getting around Calgary, cooking your own food, and keeping costs down, but rough around the edges enough that light sleepers and solo travelers who want a secure-feeling area may want to think hard before booking.
Signals to check
- The immediate area can feel unsafe, especially after dark, with visible homelessness and drug use nearby.
- Noise is a recurring issue from thin walls, doors, hallways, roommates, bunks, and nearby facilities.
- Dorms usually lack privacy curtains, bed-level outlets, and individual reading lights.
- Bathrooms and showers may be limited, small, poorly maintained, or inconsistent for cleanliness and water pressure.
- Breakfast is basic and may be too late, too limited, or inconsistent.