Name: HI-Cabot Trail Hostel
Address: 23349 Cabot Trail, Pleasant Bay, Pleasant Bay, Pleasant Bay, B0E 2P0, Canada
Rating: 9

Smoke-free property

Heating

Garden

Private check-in/check-out

Outdoor furniture

General

Non-smoking rooms

Family room

Rooms

Luggage storage

Services and amenities

Common kitchen

Meals

Internet access

Internet

Library

Bike rental

Barbecue grill(s)

Hiking

Picnic area

Sun Deck

Recreation

Free parking nearby

Free Parking on Premises

Parking

Cycling

Sports

Family/Kid Friendly

Kids

Pets Not Allowed

Pets

Location

At the hostel

HI-Cabot Trail Hostel

Pleasant Bay

The hostel is great, clean and quite. You have everything you need for cooking, washing, etc. The hostel is right on the Cabot Trail, close to the park so it’s perfect if you want to visit the park.

The big advantage of being in this hotel is the service and the tips provided by Dawn and her friendliness. Dawn is a wonderful person and she knows very well the Cape Breton National Park. She will give you a lot of good advice on the trails (what to do and what to avoid). She also helped us with the organisation of the rest of our trip (Good place to stay, what to visit and good bar/restaurant to go).

The location, the staff and the general accommodation are great. I really enjoyed my stay and I strongly recommend this Hostel!

Nice hostel and very nice Staff

Stayed here in the Bunk House with some friends and loved it!

Dawn was fantastic and super helpful and friendly all the way through our stay! The beds were good enough and the washrooms were spacious and clean (though the water pressure left a lot to be desired).
The bunk house had AC though we didn't really need it.
The common spaces are great. Having two kitchens in a relatively small hostel means you are rarely ever in anybody's way. 
There were plenty of leaflets and maps which made exploring the area so easy, Dawn's local knowledge also helped here.

I would definitely stay here again in the future, thanks Dawn!

Nice little hostel

Shane was great. Very welcoming, accommodating, and super helpful coordinating activities for us in the area (like a whale tour). We had a last minute cancellation of a few of our friends in the room and he was very flexible with price. It was a very cute, clean, great place to stay and nice to take a break from camping! Felt like a home.

Cute hostel, very nice staff

We stayed in the "Family Room" with 4 adults. It had 2 bunk beds, one of which was a double sized mattress on the bottom. I understand that the purpose of a hostel is more of a "place to lay your head" but this room was so small that only one of us could stand in the room and get ready at a time, deffinitely not worth the ~$130.00 rate which was the same price we paid for a 2 bedroom AirBnb house the night before. It's a lot more afordable to stay in the communal bunkhouse, if you're comfortable with the typical hostel experience. Thankfully the room, sheets & blankets were clean because you're not allowed to bring in any of your own bedding...
You're not allowed to shower between 10pm & 7am, so if you like to shower while you're on vacation, make sure you adjust your plans accordingly and don't get up too early or be out too late...
There's a fire pit that you can use (before 10pm only though... wouldn't want to have a fire after dusk...?) There is no lighter provided so make sure you bring your own... this goes for the barbecue too (the starter on it does not work), oh and the wood/pit was quite damp so our fire didn't really last all that long if you weren't constantly fanning it.
The communal computer is from the 90's, so if you planned on using that...don't. The wifi was quite fast though which was nice since there is limited to no cell service in the area.
I don't believe there is any air conditioning (if there was I couldn't find it, and wasn't told about it). There is a fan, and a window you can open in the private rooms.
Dawn, the manager, is fabulous. She greeted up with a huge smile that did not go away once. She gave us a tour of the place and was available to give you anything you needed from supplies to concierge services.
The management is not onsite after ~9pm but there is a phone number to call if you need anything.
There is ample space in the fridges and adequate food preparation area/equipment.
Overall I would give this place a 6/10. Not the best hostel I've stayed at, but definitely not the worst by far.

Nice Hostel

A group of four, we stayed in one double room (a couple) and the bunk house (2 singles).  Both rooms were comfortable and the hostel was equipped with the usual amenities, including a bicycle pump for one of our soft tires!  A generous games selection made for a fun evening.

Lovely hostel

This hostel was a great location as a home base to explore beautiful Cape Breton. In addition to the location, the relaxed friendly atmosphere allowed for guests travelling solo to make fast friends :) Thank you to Dawn, the manager of the hostel for the great welcome and stay!

great location

The staff are welcoming and helpful (they even helped a French couple find a place in another hostel after their B&B told them they had overbooked. The place has some retro charm (including a collection of VHS movies) and is super well located.

I'm sure I'd go back if I had the chance.

Very nice hostel, small but well equipped and well kept. No cell phone coverage, but it's the same everywhere around the corner. A good place to stop while exploring the Cabot trail, after or before making the skyline. The surroundings are very nice.

It's a great hostel.

My wife and I spent two days at this HI-International-affiliated hostel. We had booked a private room and slept very well at a good price. Shayne, the owner, is there on weekends, and Dawn, his manager, during the week. They were both very kind and made us comfortable quickly. It's a short walk from the beach and the best restaurant in town. Skyline Trail (one of the most beautiful trails in the National Park) is 15 minutes away by car. Two fully equipped kitchens are available. Free Wi-Fi.

It's a beautiful little inn.

In Pleasant Bay in the middle of Cabot Trail, very clean and well equipped international hostel to make yourself eat (save money). The four-bedroom is very large and the beds are comfortable. Large bathroom with shower. Possibility to make a campfire on the ground and share with people from everywhere. Thank you to Dawn for the hospitality and generosity of the advice.

HI-Cabot Trail Hostel

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