Green Tortoise Hostel
494 Broadway Street
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Why people book this hotel
“The staff and art deco main room”
“Breakfast was good for the prize they had a bit more than continental breakfast,…”
“old theatre), rooms were comfy enough with space for storage”
“We also loved our room”
“breakfast was basic but good”
“- The vibe of the place - Common spaces - Breakfast included”
“lovely) and the location was amazing, the hotel was clean”
“Excellent for a night, and good location to walk to the waterfront etc”
“My room and the hostel main lobby room were very nice and clean”
“One of the more clean hostels I’ve stayed”
“Great place for the price and the breakfast is pretty good too”
“Good vibes, great place to meet people, good price”
Overview
Located in the lively North Beach Little Italy district, this San Francisco hostel is just 3 minutes’ walk to the renowned City Lights Bookstore and the entertainment district. Free WiFi is provided. Shared dormitory accommodation is offered by Green Tortoise Hostels San Francisco. Our Grand Ballroom is the heart of the hostel where people play music, make friends and unforgettable memories. The ballroom, where musicians are always invited to play, has a pool table, ping pong table, books, games, and complimentary coffee and tea throughout the day. We also have a new designated quiet "Digital Nomad work space" We provide free Wi-Fi. Just off of the ballroom we have a fully equipped kitchen that is open 24 hours a day for you to use. We provide a guest fridge for you to store food, liquor, whatever you want! A free daily breakfast consisting of eggs, oatmeal, yogurt, bagels, fresh fruit and orange juice is served every morning at this hostel. Coffee and tea are available all day. Nightly social events, all including cheap drink deals and some nights discounted dinners! A 24-hour reception is offered to guests of this hostel. Other facilities offered include a tour desk, luggage storage and a launderette. An airport shuttle can only be arranged for a return to the airport. Ferry Building shops, farmers market and restaurants are 1 km away from Green Tortoise Hostel. Fisherman's Wharf attractions are 20 minutes’ walk away.
Traveller reviews
Spagatner
couple
June 3, 2026
“Staff were super friendly and San Francisco was incredible”
The staff and art deco main room.
Marian
solo_traveller
May 7, 2026
“Great stay! Will come back”
Breakfast was good for the prize they had a bit more than continental breakfast, staff was clear and likable, the room was confortable, they provided extra services (toiletries and even a hair dryeeeeer! lovely) and the location was amazing, the hotel was clean! I left my luggage in there for the day after the checkout which was really convenient
Penelope
solo_traveller
April 29, 2026
“Good value friendly hostel life”
Great hostel experience - lots of intel, very b cool shared kitchen and dining space (in ?old theatre), rooms were comfy enough with space for storage. Excellent for a night, and good location to walk to the waterfront etc. breakfast was basic but good.
Adrian Leander
solo_traveller
April 28, 2026
“Cockroaches, chewing gum on walls, unclean rooms and some rude staff”
Cockroaches in my bed, chewed chewing gum on the wall right next to my pillow. The rooms are not up to cleanliness standards at all. I have stayed in other hostels in San Francisco and they have been amazing, this one is NOT. Some of the staff are very rude and have a certain attitude (some are nice). Even after all the commotion about the cockroaches and the chewing gum, they then proceeded to take my luggage from my room after the first night even though I was booked for 2 nights. Overall not a good experience and not worth the hassle
Maria
solo_traveller
April 22, 2026
- The vibe of the place - Common spaces - Breakfast included
Giorgio
extended_group
April 20, 2026
Great location and very viby hostel! Loved it!
Yuhui
solo_traveller
April 18, 2026
Located close to Chinatown. A beautiful hall for talking to other travellers and eating meals. Excellent free breakfast including bagels, cream cheese/butter, fruits, yoghurt and juice, etc. Plenty of social events (I had free ice cream on Sunday and free dinner on Monday). Staff were easy to communicate and helpful.
Maite
couple
April 17, 2026
“Loved our stay!”
We loved how there are activities suggested every day for travellers and most of them are free! We loved the open spaces where you could chill or eat in a big hall with big kitchen or eat your takeout from the local chinatown stores just walking distance away. We also loved our room. It was a private double bed room with shared bathroom. Nothing to complain!
Silver
solo_traveller
April 11, 2026
“Top-notch hostel in a historic neighborhood”
Best hostel I've been to outside of Asia. It's in an historic neighborhood close to Zoetrope film studio and the iconic Caffe Trieste. Also loved the sauna access!
Benedict
solo_traveller
March 28, 2026
“Good place for a stay in San Francisco”
Very central location, Chinatown and Fisherman's Wharf in Walking distance. Helpful staff, big public area, well equipped kitchen, a lot of activities offered
Cindy
solo_traveller
March 23, 2026
“The stay was overall good. It’s just outside people and places that were a little uncomfortable.”
The free breakfast and ballroom, the group activities every day. The free sauna room.
Angelica
solo_traveller
March 21, 2026
“Price too high for the value”
Location is okay
Hair
solo_traveller
March 17, 2026
Great place for the price and the breakfast is pretty good too. Also the common room is convenient and comfortable. Staff were super friendly too.
George
solo_traveller
March 16, 2026
“The shire”
The staff was super friendly and helpful i felt safe and the people staying at the hostel were also friendly, I ended up going on an epic road trip with a bunch of them to las Vegas so really no complaints. I would recommend to anyone to stay here San Francisco is a wonderful city with unique quirks
Jack
solo_traveller
March 3, 2026
My room and the hostel main lobby room were very nice and clean. The hostel provided many different events and nice things to see around San Francisco.
Bhuvani
solo_traveller
February 28, 2026
Best hostel ever
patrick
solo_traveller
February 7, 2026
“Had a great stay made new friends and listened to a great dub reggae band”
Good vibes, great place to meet people, good price
Rebecca
solo_traveller
January 19, 2026
“Probably the best hostel Ive ever stayed in!”
This is probably the best hostel I have stayed in ! The common room is amazing, the breakfast nice, and the people (staff and those staying) were a good time.The sauna and the various events they put on in the evening were fun bonuses as well.
Eirinn
couple
January 19, 2026
“Super clean and well maintained, great location with brilliant views and helpful staff.”
We loved the room (private room in the separate building) as our view was great and the room was great for what we needed. It was also easy to access the building and to find it! The staff were also great at helping us with recommendations for food and activities.
Henry
solo_traveller
January 14, 2026
Staff very friendly and professional. One of the more clean hostels I’ve stayed.
Facilities
Activities
Sauna, Billiards, Table tennis, Games room, Pub crawls, Stand-up comedy, Live music/performance, Evening entertainment
Cleaning services
Laundry room
Cleanliness & disinfecting
Use of cleaning chemicals that are effective against Coronavirus, Linens, towels and laundry washed in accordance with local authority guidelines, Guest accommodation is disinfected between stays
Entertainment and family services
Board games/puzzles
Food & Drink
Breakfast options
Food & drink safety
Physical distancing in dining areas, All plates, cutlery, glasses and other tableware have been sanitized
General
Bicycle parking, WiFi available in all areas, Non-smoking throughout, Heating, Non-smoking rooms
Internet
Internet services, WiFi, Free WiFi
Kitchen
Shared kitchen
Parking
Street parking, Parking
Physical distancing
Cashless payment available, Physical distancing rules followed, Screens or physical barriers placed between staff and guests in appropriate areas
Safety & security
24-hour security, Key access, Security alarm, Smoke alarms, CCTV in common areas, CCTV outside property, Fire extinguishers
Safety features
Access to health care professionals, Staff follow all safety protocols as directed by local authorities, Hand sanitizer in guest accommodation and key areas, Process in place to check health of guests
Services
Lockers, Shared lounge/TV area, 24-hour front desk, Laundry, Luggage storage, ATM/cash machine on site, Vending machine (drinks), Vending machine (snacks)
Double Bed in Mixed Dorm Room (Not Private)
The double room has shared bathroom fitted with a shower and a hairdryer. The unit has 1 bed.
Standard Room with Shared Bathroom
This private, bright coloured room provides free WiFi, reading lights and free film rentals. Shared bathrooms are available in the hallway. Please Note: Some of our Queen Private Rooms are located in our Annex Building on Bartol Street, just 1.5 blocks from the main Green Tortoise Hostel. While it's a short walk, the Annex offers a quieter, more laid-back experience—perfect if you're looking to escape the late-night noise from the nightclub near our main building. The Annex has its own kitchen, cheaper laundry facilities, and a more private, Airbnb-style feel. You'll still have 24/7 access to everything at the main building, including our front desk, lounge, and communal events. Plus, on the third floor of the Annex building, there is a patio that has an incredible view of the Bay and the Bay Bridge!
Hotel Policies
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