In
the past 2 years I've stayed in over 50 hostels in the US and
Canada. I have never been turned away from a hostel.
Never. Except for this one.I could
understand being turned away if it were during a holiday, or if it
was located in an extremely popular resort area--but it wasn't.I
had read about this hostel in my "Hostels USA Handbook". It
warned about the possibility of being turned away--that they are
kind of trendy and particular about who gets in. I
didn't really believe it. I
thought that perhaps for the first time my handbook was
mistaken. Just to be safe, I timed that days traveling so as
to arrive at the Hotel Congress Hostel in the morning. That
way there would surly be a bunk available--after all, it's a large
hostel with a large number of beds. Wrong. I
arrived there around 11am after 4 hrs. of driving in 110 degrees
with no air conditioning. Drove around the city in heavy
traffic, and finally found a parking space across from the
hostel. Whew! When I asked the gentleman behind the
front desk for a bunk, he immedietly told me that there were no
bunks available. I told him that I wouldn't mind waiting a
little while. Perhaps someone would check out soon.
"Nope", he instantly replied. He told me that he had gone
around to everyone and asked them. And they had all told him
that the were staying another night. He wasn't very
convincing.I was
thinking, "No way, check out is at 11am. In a hostel this big,
someone
has to be moving on." I kept my cool. There was nothing I
could do about it. I sat in the lobby for a little while
absorbing as much air conditioning as I could and wondering where
could I go now. Being "turned away" wasn't in my plans for
that day. Then,
after about 20 minutes of sitting in the lobby, he finally
tells me about another hostel in town where they send people who
can't stay at their hostel. It's called the "Roadrunner
Hostel". So I went there and was glad I did. I liked the
location better, quiet neighborhood, and plenty of parking.
And best of all--friendly, inviting managers who welcomed me! |
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