The Avenues Hostel is located very close to Downtown SLC with multiple bus lines/stops nearby. The hostel staff is knowledgeable about anything to do with the city and Utah in general. The hostel is located in the historic Avenues district of SLC which is one of the safest areas of the city. A continental breakfast is provided daily and the place is thoroughly cleaned every morning. The hostel is also a great place to encounter and get to know travelers from around the world. The many conferences that SLC hosts bring in an interesting and diverse group of guests. In the short time I have stayed here I have become good friends with people from Canada and Norway. I would highly recommend the Avenues Hostel to anyone considering spending time in SLC not only for the value but also for a uniquely genuine local experience.

I stayed here for a few days thinking it would be a good place to go skiing, but what a depressing place, old decor and poor facilities. Then there is no atmosphere here and the only people who are staying here are people who cannot find normal accommodation, there is no rules about length of stay, or from being out of state, so the place is full of geriatric's and kind of homeless people/ or locals with a game plan. Not the international experience i expected. I had a couple of of the long term residents continuously trying to bum money and cigarette off me. If you are travelling through, avoid...

lived here for 8 days, those who work here are super friendly and help you with everything. kitchen look worn out, but is very clean and has everything you need. the room we had was like a hotel room, TV, refrigerator and microwave. next winter I shall return and come to live here without a doubt

This hostel is good, but there are a few things to be aware of before you choose to stay. I stayed to visit downtown SLC. However, the hostel is about a 15-20 minute walk to the Temple Square area of the city. There are buses but they are not frequent and still require walking a few blocks for the stop - the hostel is also outside the free zone so you have to pay for the fares. Street lighting is very poor at night, so you're walking in the dark through side roads at night - the area does seem safe but still isn't entirely comfortable. So, it's not very convenient for downtown access but is acceptable - just make sure you don't mind walking a lot each day.

Also, the hostel charges for all extras like a blanket and towel, so make sure you bring your own. Perhaps this is customary for hostels but I'm not a frequent hosteler so did not expect this. I think a towel was something like $1-2/day but I don't remember exactly. Also, a deposit is required in cash which you only get back when returning the key - something to be aware of.

I stayed in the single room which was a little smaller than expected but OK. The shared bathrooms were OK but not very nice - just thin curtains separated the toilets and often you saw naked men when walking in just to use the toilet.

The wifi and computer access is good, and there is a couch with big TV but it was almost always in use in the evening so hopefully you like what the others are watching.

The staff seem to be work-for-lodging staff, and others have said that they are halfway house-type people. All seemed nice, but that did make sense. Looked like mid-age men perhaps working for being able to stay free.

The atmosphere was pretty quiet - people mostly sticking to themselves. I asked a couple people in the lobby if they wanted to split a dinner and nobody was interested.

It's an OK place and a good value, but make sure you're aware of these bits before deciding to stay. Personally, for my vacation, I probably would have paid the extra $10-20/night to be closer to the city or in the free transportation zone, and to have a little nicer lodging facilities.