Wanderstay Houston

Subhasish Bhattacharya

I was looking for an affordable convenient stay for the Houston marathon and this hostel worked perfectly. I opted for a dual bunk private room with en-suite bath. The bed was spacious and the bedding comfortable. The was a towel included. While the room was not overly spacious it was all that I needed. The kitchen is well staffed and the common space has a welcoming vibe. Overall the accommodation felt safe. It’s critical to ensure that you arrange for online checkin if you’re coming outside staffed hours. This will ensure you have the required codes to enter and off hours phone numbers (I used the number when my code for the room was not working and received prompt support). I also felt safe running early morning in the dark on Crawford st to the convention center for the Sat and Sun races. Walking during the day felt fine too. Finally, there’s a bus 11 stop very close to the hostel which allows you to get there from the airport for $1.5.

a month ago

Bridgette Shy

I have always wanted to stay here so I got a chance to do that. I grew up in Houston and Wanderstay is in a great location near Almeda Street. The school across the street was called Miller Jr. High where my sister and brother went. Regentrification has changed the names of public schools in the area. Back to my stay, we came in the evening during the check in around 7PM. Had a few issues getting in due to lighting in the area however we put on our thinking caps and used the flashlight on our phones to see the lock key well. I did get an email and text about the check in earlier while I was traveling. I called and I let the person know I was coming however I could not accommodate her concerns at that time just let her know I would be there. Upon, entering the hostel, the employees had gone home so we walked to our room with our luggage. We left to get some food with my daughter and we returned for the night. The beds were great and the accommodations were great too. We followed the rules and took the sheets off the bed. We left. It was a good experience and remember this is not a hotel.

3 months ago

Kris Kierulff

I had a rough start to my stay at Wanderstay — I was given the wrong access code and my reservation wasn’t passed along to the night support team, so I wasn’t able to get in and had to find another room for the night. But the way the staff handled it afterward is what really stood out. Gabby personally apologized the next morning, upgraded my room, and offered a bottle of wine, but more importantly, she genuinely listened. Throughout the week, she and the rest of the staff checked in regularly, made sure everything was smooth, and gave great suggestions about the neighborhood. You could tell they truly cared about turning the experience around. What impressed me most is that they weren’t defensive — they were focused on understanding what went wrong and preventing it from happening again. That kind of ownership matters, and it made all the difference. The hotel itself is cute, comfortable, and in a fantastic location near plenty of bars and restaurants. Thanks to the team’s attention and effort, the rest of my stay was excellent, and I’d stay here again.

2 months ago

Jason Thomas

I had a terrible experience at Wanderstay Houston, and I don’t want it to happen to anyone else. I love hostels and usually have good or even great experiences, but this stay was frustrating from the beginning. I’m writing this review to share what happened, factually and fairly, in hopes it helps other travelers and encourages Wanderstay to improve. I arrived at Wanderstay Houston on a Wednesday at 9:37 pm for a five-night stay. When I reached the front gate, it was locked. I checked my email and found one message sent around 9 am that morning saying guests must complete a remote check-in form before 9 pm to get codes. I had never seen a system like this before. At most hostels, there is either a staffed reception or at least a process that doesn’t leave guests stranded. I filled out the form immediately, but nothing happened. I waited for over an hour and called the hostel a dozen times, but every call went to voicemail since it was “after hours.” Yet, other guests were inside. I even asked another guest if they had a number for staff, but they could only find police and social services. No one on site and no emergency number for staff. This was alarming. What if there had been a plumbing issue, a safety concern, or a disruptive guest? There was simply no way to get help. With no support, I gave up and took an Uber to America’s Best Inn nearby, paying an extra $90 for that night. The next morning, I returned around 9:35 am, expecting to check in. Staff didn’t arrive until almost 10 am. The check-in itself took another 5–10 minutes, making me late for a meeting and leaving me embarrassed. Later in my stay, on Friday night after a long day of work, I relaxed on the dark grey lobby couch to watch Netflix. Two hours later, I noticed six large, pepperoni-sized bug bites on my left arm—the only part of my body exposed and resting on the couch armrest. I had been wearing long sleeves the entire day, so the bites clearly came from that couch. To make matters worse, the couch was stained and looked dirty on closer inspection. When I raised these issues with staff, they were defensive. Regarding the check-in problem, they claimed they tried to call me but my number showed up as blank. To investigate, I repeated a booking through Hostelworld and saw there is nowhere to leave a phone number. If they rely on numbers, they should request them separately. Hostelworld has my info, so it’s odd Wanderstay didn’t. They also insisted they sent me two emails, but I only received one. As for the bug bites, they said pest control came in later that day and found nothing, and they asked another guest who reported no problems. Maybe that guest didn’t have exposed skin, but it doesn’t change my experience. Other smaller issues included bathrooms running out of toilet paper, a broken sink faucet that made loud construction-like noises whenever used, and general poor upkeep. While individually minor, these added to the frustration. To be fair, the hostel does have positives. It’s affordable, nicely decorated, and in a convenient part of Houston. But those things don’t outweigh being locked out on my first night, paying extra for another hotel, being checked in late, and dealing with bug bites and maintenance problems. In summary: Wanderstay Houston provides inadequate service. Their remote check-in process is unreliable, communication is poor, staff are unavailable when needed, and cleanliness is questionable. Guests deserve better. If you’re considering Houston hostels, I’d recommend looking elsewhere—BPoshtels Houston or America’s Best Value Inn were both better managed. I love hostels and don’t write negative reviews lightly. But this experience was disappointing and costly. I hope Wanderstay improves, but until then: AVOID.

4 months ago

Ashley King

The Museum Room is MUCH smaller than the advertised picture, didn't even have enough room to get dressed without bumping into each other or a wall. the ceiling fan is broken, so I wouldn't recommend this place in the summer. the central air in the building is kind of old and the room had no air flow.

a week ago