If you're on a budget and enjoy hostelling this is the place to be. It's in China Town and walkable to the waterfront and easy access to public transport. The hostel might have been an old dance club at one time with a glitter ball in the ballroom and a piano on a pedestal, crazy carpet; just a fun vibe overall. The staff organise something different every night eg free meal in, subsidised meal out etc. I'm female, 64 years old, travelling solo and never once felt out of place inside or unsafe outside. Great choice 👌

I would have liked privacy curtains around the bunk like they do in the Tortoise in Seattle but hey, we're all girls together so no big deal really.

I wasn’t initially looking for a shared bedroom in SF, but after reading the reviews and comparing the area to other hostels, I decided to break my usual routine and give it a try. It turned out to be an amazing experience! I met tons of great people and had a fantastic time. The private bathrooms were clean and well-maintained, and sharing a bedroom worked out perfectly (after all, the bed is really just for sleeping—the rest of the time, you can hang out in the spacious common areas). The room was well-ventilated with two fans bringing in fresh air, which also provided great background noise—it was pretty hot during my stay, so this was a nice bonus. Amazing central location (close to most attractions), and it felt pretty safe at night with plenty of nightlife around. The hostel is situated on a relatively small hill—not as steep as other areas (trust me, if you walked all the way up like I did, you'll appreciate that!). Breakfast was basic, which seems standard in the U.S., even in 3-4 star hotels, but they do offer eggs for self-cooking, And you can buy beer or food and store them in the fridge and even cook anytime (i think). The atmosphere was warm, with great vibes, something you won’t find in hotels or most other hostels. They also host social events in the evenings, such as warm Sunday dinners, beer events, or movie nights. , which is really convenient. I only wish I had stayed longer! The people I met were amazing, and I’m looking forward to staying in touch with them. Overall, it was an unforgettable experience, and I’ll definitely be back on my next visit. Transport to Airport is easy with a bus stop nearby that takes you to the red/yellow metro, also if you travailing to Palo Alto, the bus to the CaliTrain station is pretty near. The beach is also nearby (20min walk). since the hostel is near the triangle building & Coit tower which is visible from anywhere in the city its easy to navigate back to hostel.

after climbing to the hostel, you need to climb additional 3 floors but with time and gr8 stops on the way (like beer in the hall room) its not so bad.

I enjoyed my stay, i would recommend it if you want to be in a centric area. I took the bus literally everywhere. Also, I meet a lot of cool people from Germany, South Korea, Mexico, England, and Spain;There is a good vibe. The common area is very nice to hangout or work. I also liked the breakfast system. Don't be shy, literally almost everyone there is kind. They have fun activities going on during the week that you can participate and meet people on the bars near the hostel.

The Top bunk bed is kind of uncomfortable. If you get that one, you can ask to switch to the bottom one. But they may change you to a different room.

Great place to stay, it’s in a central area and they offer loads of things for guests daily such as movie night, pub crawl, comedy shows, etc. I really liked that they’ve put up a large cover at the side and front of the bunk beds so that no-one see’s your face or your body when you’re sleeping. It made me sleep so much better. Showers were really hot/nice and they had shampoo, conditioner, etc. There was a big mirror and hair dryer in my shared dorm too so this was ideal. The room also has a big locker for you underneath your bed and my room had a chest of drawers too so I put all my toiletries into that. The room also had hangers for your clothes/towels. It was really ideal. The hostel also offer lots of different tours in and around San Antonio. Fantastic place to stay over all :)

No lift/elevator so it’s tricky getting your luggage upstairs but it is what it is.

This was my second time staying at the Green Tortoise Hostel, and I would once again definitely recommend it. The staff were really genuine and lovely. The common area is really large and they go to a lot of effort to have differejt activites and events on. Also, the area the hostel is in - North Beach, is a much, much better (feels safer and less of a problem with homeless people) then my time on this trip staying at Union Square. Much better. It'a about a 30 min stroll to Fisherman's Wharf but places to eat and drink etc on same street as hostel.

Nothing. I really liked this hostel.

The location was perfect, everything is walkable. The area is pretty safe during the day. It’s really close to chinatown and the italian neighbourhood, so a lot of option to eat. The breakfast is really nice with a lot of option (bagel, jelly, fruits, juices, coffee tea) The common area is really pleasant, lot of sofa to relax and the kitchen is really clean.

Maybe put some AC in the room, but we could open the window so that’s fine.

The atmosphere is great here, attracting nice people, and the staff are equally very nice. The ballroom is a great place to hang out and the breakfast is the best I've had in a hostel in a long time. Also being in North Beach was great and you're going to have to expect a bit of noise which is part of the experience, just bring ear plugs!

The bed was not very comfortable, the rooms are a bit antiquated, and the bathrooms were not always as clean as other hostels I've been in, but far from the worst!!

The location of the hostel is brilliant. About a block away from Chinatown and 10 minutes from the pier and ferry plaza. There are so many food places within walking distance. I was travelling by myself and I never felt unsafe at the hostel. The rooms are decently sized. You do get a personal light in your bunk and access to at least two switches. There is a space at the bottom of each bunk bed for you to store and lock your personal bags. I especially appreciate the bathroom stalls at Green Tortoise. Although it is a common bathroom (this is a hostel after all), it is single stalled. Love the privacy. There was always a bathroom available when I needed one. The hostel has a big and open dining hall. Breakfast is served here. There is coffee and tea, breads, spreads, cereals, and fruits. There are also eggs and you are free to cook them in whatever style you enjoy. I often buy meals and snacks from around the area and bring them back to eat at the dining hall. Loads of tables and comfortable chairs available.

As mentioned by previous reviewers, the walls and windows are not particularly soundproof. Depending on where your room faces, it does get noisy on weekends from the music from the streets. But that is what you get when you're living in the city. You can either request and pay more for rooms that do not face the main streets or get ear plugs.

Well located, nice staff, and lots of bathrooms. I was travelling from Australia (long trip) and got to SF early in the morning so They let me do check in when I got there, which was great! Thanks for that.

I had to share bedroom with someone who was actually living there, it was more like HER bedroom. She had he stuff everywhere and cae back from work after 3 am and didn't care about the noise or how loud was her phone volume when watching TikTok.

i was recommended green tortoise by a classmate & i’m really glad i went with his recommendation because this was a great experience! as a young female travelling solo for the first time i felt really safe & well looked after by the staff. the location was super central and also felt really safe. the complementary breakfasts were a bonus, i loved the bagels and the orange juice, and the dispensers for shampoo and conditioner were very handy. loved it, very cool place with lots of character

would’ve loved for there to be more vegan options for breakfast