If you’re looking to solo travel to Seattle, Washington, don’t be surprised when you see how expensive accommodations are. It was crazy how expensive a hotel room was in the downtown area of Seattle. So, when I came across the Green Tortoise Hostel during my research, I knew this would be the best choice. But is the Green Tortoise Hostel in Seattle your best option for a place to stay?

We’ll get into some of the reasons why I went with this hostel, my personal thoughts after staying here, and if it’s the right place your trip to Seattle.

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How I found this hostel

When thinking about where to stay for my Seattle trip, I wanted to go with the most affordable option. Whether that meant staying in a hostel or hotel, I’d be happy either way. I wasn’t really in favor of either or for this particular trip, so I wasn’t set on one particular style of accommodation.

Usually, when I’m looking for nice but affordable hostels, I go to Hostelworld to see what’s available. And to my surprise, Hostelworld did have a few hostels in Seattle. I was surprised because here in the USA, hostels or hostel culture isn’t as big as it is in other parts of the world.

Well, on this trip, I was going to give a hostel in the states a try! And I was happy I found the Green Tortoise Hostel on Hostelworld! The location is good, as it’s in the Downtown Seattle area which has easy access to food, transportation, tours, and more! There are cafes, shops, a Target within a 30 second walk from the hostel, and the hostel is located near the Pike Place Market!

I couldn’t have asked for a better placed hostel that was relatively cheap. In hindsight, this is also where I’d meet another solo traveler that I’d end of befriending and planning a trip to Kilimanjaro with!

Why I chose this hostel

As I’ve already stated previously, the Green Tortoise Hostel is situated in a good location when it comes to exploring and doing tours. There’s tons of options for cafes, shops, restaurants, you’re near the Pike Place Market, a Target, the subway, and meetup points for tours.

Not to mention that it’s a hostel. So, you’re getting the financial benefits while having that social aspect to it as well. There was another solo traveler here, who was in the same room as me (I didn’t notice at the time), that ended up going on the same Mt. Rainier tour as I and is now planning a trip to Kilimanjaro with me!

At the time, for the price, it’s location, and social potential, the Green Tortoise Hostel was a great choice to stay while in Seattle.

Related Post: Solo Traveling as an Introvert: What it’s like with Tips for Solo Travel

Total cost of stay in the hostel

Now, the total cost of my stay was $177.66 for 3 nights. Compared to how a lot of the hotels I looked at started at about $200 or more for one night, this price for a 3-night hostel was very good in Seattle!

Positives

Food, Location, and Entertainment

There were quite a bit of positives with staying at the Green Tortoise Hostel. For one, it’s location. It’s location is perfect for those looking to explore Seattle on foot or by public transportation, as you can walk, take the bus, or subway that are all within a short distance from the hostel.

Another positive is the food and entertainment scene. There’s a lot of options for food, drinks, entertainment, and more that are within walking distance.

The Hostel Itself

Also, being in a hostel is a great opportunity to meet new people and be social. Now, I’m more of an introvert so being social isn’t the easiest for me. But the staff and guests at the Green Tortoise were so welcoming and warm, it was great. Now, most of my time was spent outside the hostel and I didn’t have the chance to talk to many people here. But, if you’re spending more time in the hostel, this is a great hostel for you!

The bathrooms were pretty clean and there were about 3 on each floor. If one was unavailable, you could go to another one on a different floor. Which is a plus for me because it’s annoying when there’s not enough bathrooms to accommodate the guests there, especially if the bathrooms are not that clean. It doesn’t make for a good stay.

After a certain time in the evening, the front doors would lock and you would need to use your room card or ring the doorbell. This provided an extra sense of security.

Lastly, a positive note is that I met another fellow solo traveler that I still communicate with to this day! We’re planning a trip together to Kilimanjaro in 2026 and I would have never thought that this would be possible when we met in Seattle back in 2023. It’s crazy how that works and how staying in a hostel can create friendships that last a lifetime.

Related Post: Touring and Hiking in Mt. Rainier National Park: Is this tour worth it?

Critiques

Possible Miscommunication

I have a few critiques or cons with this hostel. For one, when I checked in, the person at the counter told me the bed number I’d have but come to find out later, they gave me the wrong number. It was an issue when another traveler was given the same number I was given hours before at check-in, and they almost had me move rooms. I reasoned with the (now new) person at the front desk that this is the number I was given and the associate showed me to my room and the bed I would be sleeping in at check-in. So, I wouldn’t just take a random bed out of the blue.

Thankfully, there was another bed open and I got a top bunk. It was annoying and their check-in assignments need to be better. I’m hoping in the 3 years since my time there, it has gotten better.

Hostel Life

Another critique is not necessarily for me but may be for those who are light sleepers. Since this hostel is located in the Downtown Seattle area, that means there’s going to be more noise and commotion outside. If you’re a light sleeper, this may be a problem or just annoying. Pack some earbuds or something to help drown out the noise. Being as I’m from NYC and am a heavy sleeper, this didn’t bother me as much.

If you needed a towel and a few other items, you had to pay for them. Some hostels provide towels and other toiletries for free. This hostel isn’t one of them. If you were on need of a towel, a lock, or other essentials for hostel life, I’d just walk to the Target next door and buy what you need. That way, it’s yours permanently and not just a rental.

Lastly, the space in the dorm rooms (at least the 8-bed mixed dorm room I was in) was very small. Besides the under bed portion where you could lock your items, there really wasn’t any room for anything else. Some people came with big suitcases and had to just leave it out in the open and hope no one would touch it.

I know that a lot of hostel dorm rooms are small. But there are some which have larger units. However, this hostel was one of those that was on the smaller side.

Related Post: Seattle Terrors and Ghosts Tour: Is it worth it and do I recommend it?

Would I recommend this hostel?

Overall, weighing the pros and cons of the Green Tortoise Hostel, I would still recommend this hostel. In my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons. If you’re looking for a budget friendly accommodation that’s centrally location with tons of options and the ability to meet new people, then this is the place for you!