The HI hostel is located next to Alta Lake. I took a bus to hostel and asked bus driver where should I get off. It’s best way not to miss the destination. ;) It takes around 15 minutes from village to the hostel by bus. Unfortunately, a bus to the hostel runs 4 times in a day. OMG… The last bus to hostel runs at 6:00 PM. That made me to walk many times from village to hostel. ;( It takes 40~60 minutes on foot.
When I got off, I had a carrier (28”, with broken wheel), 1 lap-top bag, and 1 backpack. Thanks to un-careful bus driver, it was tough to take all of them by myself. At the time, a guy who was in same bus helped me to take my luggage to hostel. The way to hostel, there is train rail. The trains pass every afternoon and night but was not too noise.
The cost of room was same with HI Vancouver centre. I think every HI hostel has same pay system. I had booked for 2 days so I paid for that then went to my room. There were four beds in a room. It was, however, not bad. Although it was a little bit smaller and older than HI Vancouver.
When I unpacked my luggage, ‘Choap’ entered my room, the guy who helped me. Yes, he was my room-mate. Haha -0-;; We went to outside and drank a can of beer with fantastic scenery of Alta Lake. It was awesome~ That’s a PICTURE of calendar!! I love that view of Alta Lake from hostel. After at that time we became friends and hanged out many times.
The HI Whistler looks like a villa. (Cottage of away home for summer vacation) And there not many rooms. Beside there is no TV but two computers for internet and a billiards table. So after last bus, there is nothing to do except reading a book, playing billiards or drinking. ;) Fortunately, wireless internet was free and fast. So I should have bought some foods and beers when came back.
Sometimes, like a weekend, we had a party in front of a fireplace with beer. While I was staying there for 10 days, I met many friends from various countries, Mexico, German, England, Australia, Denmark, Spain Etc… also I could be friends with them. I think it is the best thing I can have in hostel. One night, some of guys went to village for drinking. But it was so expensive. Taxi fee was 20$ and a jug of beer was 19$. OMG~ (The Taxi was being operated by electricity. It was interesting.)
There is a small kitchen for customer. So almost people who is staying hostel cooked and keep their foods in the cooler. The top floor of cooler is ‘Free food section’ so whoever can have foods or drink, someone left when they leave, on that floor. I’d got a bottle of peanut butter and beer from there and drank beer with Choap. ;) Sometimes a smoke while someone cooking had made a fire alarm. It was so loud. I thought if there is fire, it could be burned fast because hostel is built with wood. I have no idea why they made house with only wood. Because they have many forest? It makes sense, I think. -_-;
And there is no washer but drier. What this mean? Do laundry with your hand? Haha I think the reason are that hostel is small and almost people stay for short time. And there are a couple of bike for rental. The cost is around 20$ per 2 hour or 4hour and 40% per day. Although I didn’t rent a bike, I recommend that riding a bike along the valley trail. (I’m going to write about this later.) And they also rent a boat in summer time. That would be cool if I row a boat on the beautiful lake. I hope I can do it later.
I’ve seen two animals while I staying there. One was a little baby black bear when I was on the bus and the other was a beaver swimming on the lake when I drank a beer with Choap outside of hostel. I thought it is true the sign ‘animal country’. ^^
- You can book and find more information at 
