Painted Turtle Guesthouse

Very clean and warm and welcoming staff and residents. Lovely open kitchen to cook in and two lounges to enjoy. Location could not be better. Right downtown walking distance to cafes and restaurants and bars.

There is a nice open lounge area and kitchen but sometimes it's full. After hours you can get in with a key that is provided and there are enough bathrooms on each floor. It's close to be able to walk around in the downtown.

The cost went up by around $15 but it's still convenient and a better option for budget travelers. It's nice to meet fellow room-mates occasionally.

Location very good. I am very familiar with Hostelling International. Price was slightly higher than I would've expected. Staff are friendly and informative. Dorm was only half full which was good for me as single guest. Over good value. I hope to return

Sometimes there is street noise.Even late at night. But being it has a very mid-city location, probably inevitable. II might like it if check out time were a bit later like 11AM.

The location

At our arrival, the front desk was closed. We waited about 10 minutes until somebody entered the hostel. He offered to go in and enquire. 5 minutes later somebody came to help us. The person was nice but unprepared. The experience left is feeling unsafe

The price

Price

Kinda grouchy staff

Comfortable, clean, quaint, excellent location, welcoming staff. John had great stories and recommendations. I was happy to safely store my bike as I am on an Off-Season biking holiday. Looking forward to coming again and having more time for the Nanaimo Bar Trail.

I was travelling with limited funds - unexpected overnight short stay (6 hrs) and thank god for Painted Turtle that met my budget for a quick overnight - easy check in friendly staff - Thank you!

The staff were amazing, very friendly, and extremely accommodating.

The door lock was extremely finicky in the way to lock and unlock, to the point myself and the other girls didn't lock it unless at night.We had one outlet that didn't work unless the light was on, so we had to unscrew the bulb (with permission) to sleep with a functional outlet.

John is a very gregarious and helpful guy! He's easy to have a chat with, and is always available when you have a concern. The facilities aren't anything spectacular, but for the price and the location they certainly do the job. For a budget stay option, it's really hard to beat.

Washroom didn't have soap for one of my nights. Sound travels from the bar next door, so you may find it loud on karaoke night. Bring ear plugs if you're a light sleeper.

The location was great. The cleanliness was exceptional. Thank you for that.

What I didn’t enjoy at all was the room I was in had a very strong odor of cigarettes. I do not smoke and this condition made it very uncomfortable for me to sleep in.

The accommodation is very conveniently located in the city center. If you have time, you can make breakfast in the spacious kitchen. When you step out, there are many excellent restaurants to choose from, and if you want to go to the small island across the water, the ferry is also easily accessible.

The shower stall is too small especially for people with long hair or larger individuals. It's really only suitable for backpackers.

Great location. During my stay very few people were staying over, so I had the whole room for myself. It was quiet and clean. Towel provided. Also, thanks for keeping the luggage safe for a few hours after checking out.

Lightbulb in the room was quite dim. There are plenty of outlets in the room, but having them closer to the bed would be preferable. Privacy curtains for the bed would be nice too.

The mattress was extremely comfortable for a bunk bed. Love it. Owner was very nice - called me on the phone when I messaged them about private room instead of dorm after gettin sick just before my stay, in order to talk options. Very considerate. Very nice kitchen - lounge room.Laundry.

No plug next to the bed but there are lockers where you can secure your electronics while charging.

A low cost place to stay and well placed for easy walking.

The bus arriving at late hours rather loudly and street work.

John is a very gregarious and helpful guy! He's easy to have a chat with, and is always available when you have a concern. The facilities aren't anything spectacular, but for the price and the location they certainly do the job. For a budget stay option, it's really hard to beat.

Washroom didn't have soap for one of my nights. Sound travels from the bar next door, so you may find it loud on karaoke night. Bring ear plugs if you're a light sleeper.

John and Robin were easy going and friendly hosts, great company. The location is excellent, central to downtown. I like they have a sizable shared kitchen area / living room. Their bathroom with showers are each individual rooms which works great for privacy.

Not deal breakers for me, karoake bar is a business next door but they turn that off during the late hours (by 11pm or midnight? I hadn't kept track). The facility has normal regular wear that comes with age but feels clean and well kept like a guest house.

It is well located, and has everything we needed. Good common spaces. I liked the collection of books they had, and the people I met.

There is no free parking. There’s a public parking lot just a block away, but there are a lot of homeless and sketchy people that are always walking through, so we didn’t feel comfortable parking there. There’s another lot a few blocks away that seemed to have security so we parked there instead.Also, no AC. I’m sure most of the year that’s fine, but in mid-July it was really hot in the room without it.

It was clean. The linens were clean. Great common area.

One thing, I'm a serious asthmatic. The air inside smelled like maybe a attendant was vaping. It was subtle but it was there.

It is well located, and has everything we needed. Good common spaces. I liked the collection of books they had, and the people I met.

There is no free parking. There’s a public parking lot just a block away, but there are a lot of homeless and sketchy people that are always walking through, so we didn’t feel comfortable parking there. There’s another lot a few blocks away that seemed to have security so we parked there instead.Also, no AC. I’m sure most of the year that’s fine, but in mid-July it was really hot in the room without it.