Dancing Bear Inn Hostel

2.0 star property
Hostel with free parking, 6-minute walk to Cottonwood Falls Park

Choose dates to view prices

Dancing Bear Inn Hostel, near Touchstones Museum and Pulpit Rock, offers a garden setting, library, in-room WiFi, and a relaxing terrace with gas grills for outdoor cooking. Travelers praise the helpful staff.

Reviews

9.2 out of 10
Wonderful

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Laundry
  • Free WiFi
  • Parking included
  • Business services
The current price is NZ$120
includes taxes & fees
5 Nov - 6 Nov

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 4 of 4 rooms

Twin Room

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(5 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Portable fan
Separate bedroom
Shared/communal kitchen
  • 11 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds

Double Room

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional
(6 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Portable fan
Separate bedroom
Shared/communal kitchen
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bed and 1 Twin Bed

Quadruple Room

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful
(2 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Portable fan
Separate bedroom
Shared/communal kitchen
  • 11 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 4 Twin Beds

Family Double Room

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(1 review)

Highlights

Heating
Portable fan
Separate bedroom
Shared/communal kitchen
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Queen Bed and 1 Twin Bunk Bed
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About the area

Map
171 Baker Street, Nelson, BC, V1L 4H1

What's nearby

  • Baldface Lodge - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Cottonwood Falls Park - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Nelson & District Community Complex - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Lakeside Park - 19 min walk - 1.6 km
  • Pulpit Rock - 15 min drive - 6.2 km

Getting around

  • Castlegar, BC (YCG) - 34 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Kootenay Baker Cafe Coop - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Smash Burger - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪A&W Restaurant - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Oso Negro café - ‬6 min walk
  • ‪Main Street Diner - ‬8 min walk

About this property

Dancing Bear Inn Hostel

Hostel near Cottonwood Falls Park
Located close to Touchstones Museum and Pulpit Rock, Dancing Bear Inn Hostel provides a terrace, a garden and a library. Free in-room WiFi, with a speed of 25+ Mbps, and laundry facilities are available to all guests.
Other perks include:
  • Free self-parking
  • Outdoor furniture, gas grills and smoke-free property
  • Luggage storage and a computer station
  • Guest reviews say great things about the helpful staff
Room features
All guest rooms at Dancing Bear Inn Hostel include amenities, such as free WiFi.
Extra amenities include:
  • Heating and portable fans
  • Guidebooks and local maps

Similar properties

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • In-room WiFi speed: 25+ Mbps
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Ski shuttle nearby
  • Free uncovered self parking on site
  • Limited on-site parking (max 8 spaces per unit)

Things to do

  • Library
  • Ski storage

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities

Conveniences

  • Guidebooks
  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Lockers
  • Luggage storage

Business services

  • Computer station

Outdoors

  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Picnic area
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Handrails in stairways
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Well-lit path to entrance

More

  • 3 floors
  • Built in 1908
  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Hair dryer (on request)
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Shared kitchen access

More

  • Heating
  • Portable fan

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; check-in end time: 8:00 PM
Contactless check-in and check-out are available
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age - 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM
Contactless check-out

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Guests will receive an email within 48 hours before arrival with check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

Pets not allowed (service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees)

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
Cots (infant beds) are not available

Payment types

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Cashless transactions are available
Noise-free guestrooms cannot be guaranteed
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector
Property Registration Number 752370478

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts

Property is also known as

Dancing Bear Inn Hostel Nelson
Dancing Bear Inn Hostel
Dancing Bear Nelson
Dancing Bear Inn Hostel Nelson
Dancing Bear Inn Hostel Hostel/Backpacker accommodation
Dancing Bear Inn Hostel Hostel/Backpacker accommodation Nelson

Frequently asked questions

Is Dancing Bear Inn Hostel pet-friendly?

No, only service animals are welcome at the property.

How much does it cost to stay at Dancing Bear Inn Hostel?

As of 4 Nov 2025, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Dancing Bear Inn Hostel on 5 Nov 2025 start from NZ$119.5, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking at Dancing Bear Inn Hostel?

Self-parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Dancing Bear Inn Hostel?

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; check-in end time: 8:00 PM. Late check-in is available during limited hours.

What time is check-out at Dancing Bear Inn Hostel?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Dancing Bear Inn Hostel located?

Situated in Nelson, this hostel is within a 10-minute walk of Cottonwood Falls Park and Touchstones Museum. Selkirk College Tenth Street Campus and Pulpit Rock are also within 6 mi (10 km).

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Dancing Bear Inn Hostel Reviews

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 137 out of 209 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 57 out of 209 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 9 out of 209 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 3 out of 209 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 3 out of 209 reviews

9.4/10

Cleanliness

9.4/10

Staff & service

9.0/10

Amenities

9.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.2/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Katharine

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great place to stay on a budget
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Rachelle

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great stay
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Natalya

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Really friendly and helpful staff, great property and good location
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

8/10 Good

Lena

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Simple accommodations for our one night. There's a nice back garden to sit in and a cozy lobby/living room to relax in. Bathrooms are clean.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Mark

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Pleasant staff, easy to work with
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

8/10 Good

Natasha

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Clean, quiet (I had a room at the back) and comfortable. Check-in was a bit messy as someone didn’t show up for their shift at 4, and I had not received the email with check-in instructions. I was fortunately able to get in with someone else who called the appropriate number. The young Australian woman who took over was very professional and things went smoothly from there. I would definitely stay at the Dancing Bear pagain.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Brad

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great place
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2022

8/10 Good

Andy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great location
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Aaron

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great little hostel, right downtown. Good couple spots to hang out in hostel, very welcoming staff.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Marlo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice and clean place
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sharon

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It's a nice, affordable place to stay, and I will recommend it to others. I gave 4 stars for Property condition and facilities because there is a broken chair in the hall, and it seems the paint of the doors is quite old.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Marlo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Clean and convenient
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Marlo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Friendly staff. Clean facility
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Janette

Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I honestly didn't look around the property but it is basically downtown. Close to everything you need.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

8/10 Good

Shaun

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great spot close to everything in town. Clean and tidy facilities. Not very sound proof in the rooms but that’s to be expected with the age of the building.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

8/10 Good

Mirza

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Checks all the boxes for a hostel. Having built-in locks on the lockers and better wifi in all areas would make it better.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Dianne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I had the most wonderful experience at the Dancing Bear Hostel. I stayed there for a night while I was evacuated due to fires. It was a very difficult situation for me. However, the accommodations were excellent. Most of all, Cindy at the front desk was absolutely incredible. She went above and beyond for me as I saw her doing for other customers as well. Cindy was friendly, professional and again, so incredibly helpful. She made my stay very comfortable and I would recommend the Dancing Bear, but most importantly, Cindy, very highly and I am looking forward to staying at this delightful establishment again soon.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Bryson

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This is our second time staying and The Dancing Bear is an incredible spot. The showers are hot, the mattresses are comfortable, and the staff are relatable. Highly recommend.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Love this place!!
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kris

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Great setting for talking with other travelers and location for knocking around Nelson. Nice lobbies and kitchen areas Shared bathrooms are on all the floors so that worked out OK So altogether a fun alternative to conventional hotels and beats tenting surrounded by RV's.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Benjamin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Wonderful place with reasonably priced rooms and great vibes.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Marlo

Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Friendly staff and clean facility
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Richard

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Always a cozy stay when visiting Nelson!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Loren

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Exceptional for a hostel.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Matt

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great value!
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2025