We've stayed here a couple of times and think it's just great. It's in a great location and the staff are friendly. We usually get a private double room, which has everything we need. There are shared washrooms with decent shower hours. The shower's water pressure was weak, but still did the job. There's parking, which is good. No air conditioning in the rooms and the bugs and moths seemed to... more

We stayed here for 1 night on a road trip to Whitewater Mountain as Nelson is the closest town with accommodation.
Dancing Bear Inn is a Hostel in the Hosteling International Group so if you have a membership you instantly get a discounted rate otherwise you have to pay $4 extra a night per person in a dorm room. The Hostel is on one of Nelson's main streets so its in the perfect location to go... more

Wicked

Another great hostel in the powder triangle , great staff and friends
Nelson is such a cool little town with a great hart, super friendly and great bc bud wiser,;) great location and pow pow
Will be going back to the koots for sure

Very nice hostel

I stayed at this hostel a week in January (2013). They just had renovations done so almost everything in the house looks new and it's very clean. Guests and staff were very friendly. The dorm is well designed so it doesn't feel like a room for 8 people. There's always nice music playing in the reception, which is also a... more

4 **** Youth Hostel

The Dancing Bear Inn has clean dorms and private rooms, a somewhat cramped kitchen, well-equipped communal washrooms, comfy lobby, and inviting foyer with a fireplace. The staffers are very courteous, helpful, and ponctual. The only thing missing is a TV room, but for the pri-ce, I am not complaining. Very good value and right prices. Cheerio!! Value: ****.
Note: I... more

Great little hostel

My wife and I had a very happy one night stay at this Hostel this (2012) summer. The staff were friendly and helpful and our room was clean (we chose to stay in a private room, rather than in the dorms). There were not, in my opinion, enough bathrooms, and of the two bathrooms that served all the guests on... more

Nice hostel, but not much to do

I only stayed in Nelson for a few days, but I got to explore the whole town, because everything is in walking distance.
The Hostel was very nice and clean, I especially like that you have to take your shoes off, so that the floors stay clean.
However my room wasn't very nice (I was staying in a 6-bed dorm),... more

Great value for a place to sleep and shower

We stayed in room #4 - private twin bunk bed with sink and mirror. The room was clean along with the mattresses which were also comfortable. The hallway was air conditioned at certain times in the evening but our room did not seem to be. Yes it was a bit noisy with the window open but we found people talking... more

Convenient and well priced

Like the other reviewers, I found it a fair value but the room was not clean, a sticky drink on the floor had not been cleaned. Food smells permeated the entire building, and not good food smells. Stay away from room #4, the window opened onto a very noisy air conditioner on the neighboring building. Any rooms on the west... more

Really cozy place to stay

I don't understand the negativ reviews here. The Dancing Bear Inn is a great hostel for a great value. After you entered the Daning Bear Inn you have to take off your shoes. Sounds a bit unusal but it is a great idea as it keeps the rest of the hostel clean. The rooms themself are clean and ours had... more

Friendly & Accommodating

We stayed in a triple private room for 2 weeks while waiting to move our son into the residence at the local college. At first view of the room, we were a little disappointed at the bed configuration - a double bunk on bottom and a single on top, but we made do as there were few options being the... more

Awfull

We're traveling around B.C. for 3 weeks. The rooms are horrible, really tiny and not clean either. I hate the fact that the bathroom and toilet are shared. The location is good though and the staff is very friendly. Price is good for what it is. I would defenitely not recommend this to friends and family as I really not... more

Accommodated our bicycle tour; better than OK but not stellar

Our bicycle touring group, 15 in all, used the Dancing Bear as an overnight stay midway through a Victoria Day Weekend tour of British Columbia's "Silver Triangle" route (a.k.a. "Silvery Slocan").
This is an urban, downtown hostel. Parking is terrible. We had to wait for a window of opportunity to bring our large support van around via the back alley... more

A really warm and welcoming place to hang out

I think this place would be worth it just to hang out in the lounge, a nice warm escape from chilly Nelson. My 6 bunk dorm room was massive, any other hostel would have jammed a couple more beds in there but instead it was super spacious. Plus I was in there alone and got a great sleep. The kitchen... more

Location and Value

Stayed at the Dancing Bear Inn during summer 2010 after reading reviews here. The hostel was as advertised- in a good location downtown and was a good value for the money. I havent done much Hosteling before, and the rooms/common areas were very clean and comfortable. THe only draw back here was that the restrooms were not as clean as... more

Very nice and best value around for a hostel

Very clean, nice relaxed atmosphere, roomy rooms. Beds were pretty good for a hostel. Did not really look at the kitchen but it seemed ok to me. The best value for a hostel (inexpensive and very nice).

excellent base for Nelson

This is a first class hostel and excellent value for money. It has the usual niggles of kitchen pans and glasses etc but nothing which should detract from your enjoyment.
Rooms are comfortable, clean and fairly spacious. The lounging area upstairs is a bit like a hotel foyer but quite comfortable when you get used to it. It has free... more

Warm, welcoming place to stay

My partner and I stayed at the hostel for a week and found it very enjoyable. The location is great, the staff is friendly and knowledgable about the various activities in the area.
The rooms were simple, clean and fresh, with large windows (lots of sunlight). We met wonderful people travelling from various countries who were also staying at the... more

beautiful

My boyfriend an I stayed 2 nights at Dancing Bear Inn. Very beautiful hostel in Nelson. The hostel is very good located. This is maybe the best hostel I've ever seen. Very clean. Lovely rooms. Very special atmosphere at the lobby. We liked it very much. the staff was very friendly and it was a feeling like home. :)

Clean, safe and quiet

My husband and I stayed two nights at the Dancing Bear on our way back from a road trip to Vancouver. I was nervous about booking a hostel rather than a B & B, but had read good reviews and was attracted by the price! We loved it and hope to go back in the winter to ski. Not having... more

Didn't live up to expectations

My husband, son (age 5) and I have stayed in a number of hostels in the last couple of years, and this experience did not live up to what we've come to expect. Knowing that this was an "award-winning" hostel, I expected to be blown away, but that was not the case. While it was an attractive building and very... more

Nice but noisy

This is a nice hostel with wonderful staff and friendly, international guests. Our only complaint is the location: it seems to be near a noisy bar where people party loudly most of the night (and also on the street outside). This may be fine for the younger set but if you are a romantic couple or family with kids you... more

Clean, warm and thrifty

I stayed at the Bear with my wife and daughter and had a wonderful time in this initmate and affordable hostel. It is not a luxury hotel, though the foyer has the feel of a tony ski lodge. The rooms are clean if small, and the staff is curteous and kind. The reason to stay at the Bear is that... more

beautiful clean hostel

My boyfriend and I stayed at Dancing Bear Inn at the begining of a RTW trip in Set 06. Having stayed at countless hostels since I have to say that this was one of the best hostels and a real highlight. The hostel is beautifully decorated and very very clean. All the rooms are light and airy and very comfortable.... more

home from home

dancing bear is in a great location in one of the most chilled out towns i've ever stayed in. accessible to all top eatery's and bars. twin rooms are a little on the small side and warm if staying in the basement however staff are very helpfull and freindly. living area is posher than you own living room and a... more

Greatest little hostel in the World

The Dancing Bear on Baker Street in Nelson British Columbia is one of the finest hostel's that I have had the pleasure to stay at. Super Clean and very comfortable, staff are friendly and helpful, although there isn’t a TV - it is by far the greatest hostel anywhere, it has a self service kitchen area and a laundry, if... more