I stayed at this HI for a total of 4 nights (first 3 nights, then left for Banff for 2 days before returning to stay for 1 more night), and would say that this is a good choice if you're looking for a no-frills, clean-enough pod. I'm commenting as a private room-dweller here, so my experience may differ considerably from the dormers. In general, the rooms I stayed in were clean enough, but I didn't really like how 'private room' here doesn't actually mean en suite, i.e. no private bathroom. Granted, the shared shower was just right across from my room, but if I'm paying for a 'private' room, then I don't think it's too unreasonable to expect a private *en suite* room. Not a huge issue, but definitely, eh, room for improvement there for the folks at HI Downtown! And one more thing: I found the room a bit too warm at times (even for someone staying in late Dec!), and would have appreciated the option of an in-room controllable heater. Now on to the good points: Unless you want to be right in the centre of the action, the location of this HI is actually quite optimal. It's a 1-min walk away from your closest Starbucks and Denny's, a 5-min walk away from the nearest supermarket (called Davie Street's Independent Grocers), and two streets away from a wide range of restaurant options. The only 'downside' to its location is that it's a 15-min walk away from the closest SkyTrain station (which would be Yaletown-Roundhouse), but again, this isn't a *big* deal if you don't mind the walk or don't mind shelling out 3 CAD dollars for the bus ride. Bus station is close enough though, just a 2-min walk from the hostel, so that gives you transport accessibility to Stanley Park, Gastown, Yaletown, the Waterfront / Canada Place etc. The complimentary breakfast is quite good. There's oatmeal and continental options (bread, muffin, scones - even), with a decent selection of spreads on offer (PB, blueberry, raspberry jams, marmalade, margarine, honey). The coffee is free flow Nescafe, which is good enough for a hostel free breakfast. (Again, if you want better coffee you can always walk over to the Starbucks a couple of blocks down, or there's a 24-hour bakery/cafe called Breka's, a 7-min walk away). The front desk staff were all very helpful, and I appreciate that they had let me store my luggage for two nights while I gallivanted off to Banff (lol) - sans storage fee. They were also quick to order taxis (especially when I needed one at 5 am in the morning for a flight to Calgary!) and answer questions, so you've definitely got a friendly, helpful reception crew at this HI. Overall, I found my experience here satisfactory, and everything was good enough. I must, however, say that as a frequent HI dweller, I have definitely stayed at better ones.…