Bon Paul & Sharky’s Hostel

I would love to come back to visit Asheville someday, especially because I didn’t manage to finish off the list I made before getting there to visit the first time around. I definitely plan on staying at BPS again if that does get to happen! This was my first time staying in a hostel, but it was a lot of fun!
I got there on a Friday evening and it was freakishly dark, and I couldn’t see house numbers anywhere, so I called for halps and was directed to «the house with the Christmas lights on the porch – I’ll go stand outside!»
Since I booked the female dorm through AirBnB, I’d already paid, so checkin was super easy! Rules are pretty standard – no liquor/​cigarettes/​weaponry, no outside sheets, and check out at 11a.m., don’t tell anyone the code to get in, and don’t let anyone in.
There were 3 bunks in the female dorm – the uninhabited beds already had clean sheets and blankets, so I picked one of the bottom bunks, deposited my stuff, and ventured downstairs to talk with people. There were lots of good suggestions for things to do and places to eat. The kitchen is stocked with spices and has most everything that you’d need to cook your own meals if you so desired. There’s also free breakfast every morning (hardboiled eggs, cereal, toast, etc.), but since I was on a self-​guided foodie tour and also finishing off leftovers, I didn’t cook.
There are free ear plugs available, but I’ve slept through gunshots and an exploding generator, and am also capable of falling asleep standing up, so I didn’t need em’.
It was a lot of fun meeting + talking to so many new people – I actually ended up spending the day with one of them off in the river arts district. Having that company and conversation was really nice, especially since so much of my residency roadtrip has been on my own!
You may get heavy snorers as roommates, or overly enthuasiastic couples having very loud sexy-​times next door, but I kinda expected that out of hostel living, and for $ 25/​night, I can hardly complain! No one got super drunk and peed on my bed (apparently, this happened to the friend I’d made at one of the last hostels he stayed at), so I consider it a win on all levels.
I would not recommend this to anyone who’s super uppity, as they will likely not have a good time, but if you’re generally a pretty friendly person and/​or you come here with an open mind, you will be good to go! Pick up one of those «I slept with strangers» sticker before you leave! ;P
P. S. If you come here on the weekend and the usual parking spots are taken, you can park in the lot next door, so long as you move it before school starts on Monday mornings!

Clean, simple décor, friendly staff and very comfortable beds. 3 bathrooms and 2 spacious porches as well as camping spots. This place is great! Plus location is good as its not in an over stimulating area but there are plenty of restraunts, cafes and other stores around. Locals vibe! Only complaint is pillows are not comfortable… Other than that small detail this place is a great spot to rest your precious head while visiting Ashville!

Sometimes a place can be better in your memories than in reality. I remember a nice retreat. A sweet, little house outfitted with a fully functional kitchen. It was cold outside but baseboard heat sufficed. The bathroom was rustic. The bedding spartan. The books on the shelf were gems. The price was just right for living on mentos and twizzlers. So close to the great venues of West Asheville. A great little place, for the moment, if you have the right perspective. I’ll never return but will always remember.

Super cool place. Very clean! My first experience in a hostel so I had no idea what to expect. Everyone was friendly and helped with restaurant and nightlife tips! And a single was only $ 26! Def can’t beat that!

Comic Sans sign, quirky backstory with name. Communal spaces reminiscent of drama club enthusiast dorm room. Accommodations are not disgusting. High rando factor in dorm-​style rooms June/​July.
Overall, if you say things like «we’re all connected» and have a pin on your backpack quoting «not all who wander are lost,» you’ll probably be very excited about this hostel.
TL;DR — Good spot for thrifty, sturdy extroverts. Not ideal for misanthropists with bad backs.

Although I often enjoy the covenience, comforts and amenities of hotels, I agreed to make my first hostel stay, during a recent weekend, group hiking trip. After reviewing some hostels around the Asheville area, Bön Paul & Sharky’s was chosen. The reviews were great, but still, I wondered about the level of cleanliness, safeness, and the others who’d share those spaces. I arrived with a group of six and was promptly greeted by Joe and given a welcoming tour of the house. Those things that attract me to some hotels were at this hostel, even more. Complete with a full kitchen, living room, dining room, two full bathrooms with showers, outdoor spa and deck, a large front porch, backyard for tents, and storage lockers (bring your own locks). I’m glad to say that my first hostel experience was safe, clean and fun. Staying there was like being part of a small family of distant relatives, just getting to know each other better, this, not likely at a hotel. The staff and other guests were all friendly and helpful, full of good conversations and laughter. As BP&S is located right in the heart of the happenings of West Asheville, it was a simple stroll down the sidwalk to extend the good times. We had an awesome time hanging out. As long as this establishment remains open, they’ve surely got me as a return guest. In addition to Joe, I’d like to acknowledge April for being an awesome host. Finally, if you’re considering Bön Paul & Sharky’s, forget about it and make your reservation already; you’ll be glad ya did.

I was in Asheville for Moogfest, and while it would have been nice to stay somewhere in walking distance to the clubs I could stay here and drive in for a lot cheaper than I could stay elsewhere. So this already had the price going for it, but when I saw the sign on the front offering Bill Murray a free opportunity to crash I knew I was someplace special.
I had a very late check-​in but from talking to them on the phone we worked it all out. It’s a pretty chilled-​out place and the mornings start a bit when they want the morning to start (about 8 – 8:30ish in my experience) but being laid-​back comes with the West Asheville territory.
Truth be told, I spent very little time here. Days spent hiking, nights spent Mooging. But when I’d return around 1ish, it was a quiet place and I had a comfortable rest on the lower bunks in the shared room. In the mornings, I would share some talks with the one other traveler who woke up as early as me before walking out for some good coffee down the road. It made for a nice base.
I visit Asheville every so often, and if I return for solo trips I know where I’ll be staying. And the next time I run into Bill Murray, I’ll try to remember to tell him about the place too.

Stayed for 2 weeks and it was comfortable, clean, and really quiet for a hostel. The computer was slow which was a bit of a downer, the street was busy and loud, only 2 showers for max capacity of 30 guests, hot tub was a Luke-​warm tub, but joe and his dog Nina were nice. Not a young crowd like I had expected, but actually a lot of older adults.

I will gladly return to Sharky’s in the future if my travels lead me back through Asheville. This was the first hostel I’ve ever experienced and I’m glad. I was given a quick tour when i arrived and the people were friendly and accommodating. The other guests were also in good spirits even though our conversation was brief.

The living room space was homey and I think it’s nice to have that atmosphere, along with good company while traveling solo. I thought the rooms, kitchen, and bathroom were all very clean although I’m not the pickiest pear of prickly pears. I’m not sure about other hostel’s but I like Sharky’s policy of not allowing guests to bring in personal sheets, blankets, sleeping bags, etc. This prevents bed-​bugs and I think it’s a necessary measure to prolong the life and cleanliness of the mattresses.
Other than that… I had a whale painted above my bunk and I think one of my sheets or pillow cases had Batman on them. You also won’t have that in a hotel.
Feel free to comment if you would like more details.
Safe travels always,
JV

Home sweet hostel
A traveler’s hostel, for and by travelers. An amazing place to meet amazing people. This is one of my favorite spots in the world, the front porch especially.
You’ll get a homey, relaxed atmosphere with plenty of common areas and shared kitchen. There are often shared meals, especially around weekend time. I think spaghetti is the standard. There are PLENTY of restaurants and really cool bars within walking distance, and new ones seem to be popping up all the time as West Asheville develops. Expect to meet some new folks, share great stories, and possibly stay up way too late, if you’re so inclined. Like many travelers’ hostels, they don’t allow local guests, so you’re sure to meet folk from all over the place. There seems to always be a resident Aussie and/​or Irish dude.

This place is great! Zach cooked us a delicious pasta dinner and gave great tips on where to go (try the Admiral on a Saturday night!). Overall a very clean, accommodating and affordable hostel. I’ll stay again!

My boyfriend and I camped here for a night during a weekend stay in Asheville and liked it! We got the camping spot on late notice and paid $ 18/​person cash (be sure to have cash for your payment) for the night. Normal hostel — free wifi and computer inside, free light breakfast, and nice people. Only issue was that there were 2 bathrooms for everyone in the hostel and that meant waiting or feeling awkwardly rushed while you were in the bathroom.
It’s in West Asheville, which has a couple outstanding well-​known establishments as well as some up-​and-​coming (but still great) places to eat, drink, shop, and listen to live music.
Important note: bring your own towel! They’ll rent you one for $ 1/​day I think and I’m not sure what quality those are, but I’d suggest remembering to bring your own.

This was a terrific hostel. It was very affordable, friendly, and well-​run. We were given a quick, fun tour when we arrived, which covered the essentials and made us comfortable with our weekend home. They had great shared resources– food, books, movies, maps of Asheville and the App. Trail, and more. The rooms were comfortable, the location was nice, and our large group all enjoyed the hostel.
I have only two suggestions… one is that they not keep a fish in a small aquarium (basically a large vase). I get it’s part of the pirate/​aquatic theme, but it was sad to sit in the common area and look at this fish swimming in circles because it had nowhere to go. Fish should really stay in their natural habitat, or if they have some special reason why they have to be in captivity (rehabilitation?), then at least give them sufficient space to enjoy their existence. (Yes, fish do have memories and feel emotions, like pain).
Second, is more of a heads up to everyone about camp fires. (The hostel has a place for camp fires). Very few people think about the health hazard of being near an open fire, since humans have been having them for thousands of years and they smell and feel so comforting. Camp fires actually contain hundreds of compounds known to be carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic, and irritating to the respiratory system. So please think about your health and read more about the health risks when you decide to be around or build an open fire.

I’ve never stayed in a hostel before. My friend and I had planned to get a hotel, but we were in town for a music festival and Bön Paul and Sharky’s was the only place we could get accommodations for less than $ 300/​night. They had two openings — one in the coed room and one in the female room, so we jumped on it. $ 50 cash (I think they only take cash) for both of us (even though the website said $ 24/​night, but I’m not going to argue over $ 2 and I think they knew that, too). They were decently nice, but there was a bit of a «too-​cool-​for-​school» vibe going on. Ah well.
We went to our show and came back late and crawled into our bunks. I was on the top bunk and the mattress felt similar to the one I slept on in the holding cell in jail. Thin and limp. I had to use the scratchy felt blanket and falling-​apart sheet they provided as additional support in order to fall asleep at all and then I had nothing to cover me up. Luckily, I had brought my own Tempur-​Pedic pillow, but I still only got a few hours of sleep. I’m not a diva or anything, but it was just too uncomfortable.
I was, however, impressed with the shower. Hot water flowed even after several people had taken showers before me. So yay to that. I didn’t pay an extra $ 1 for a towel –instead I just used my pajamas to dry off. See, I’m totally not a diva. :)
Maybe the beds in their private rooms are better, but for $ 65/​night, I would probably be better off paying a bit more for a hotel.

What a wonderful lil’ hostel.
Joe was our host and was very friendly, funny, and accommodating.
Clean, kitschy, and cozy, this place is in a decent location and there are many neat little shops/​restaurants/​stores within walking distance. Excellent brunch-​lunch-​dinner place called Sunnypoint that serves delicious food made with house-​grown veggies!
If I ever return to this area, I will definitely be staying here again.

Bön Paul and Sharky’s is great and I have a crush on Asheville now. The young gents running the show here were friendly and engaging. My friends and I had a good time drinking booze by the fire with Jeremy. I wouldn’t stay anywhere else.

Helpful staff+new friends+a community style dinner+drinks on the town+ hot tub in the rain+clean shower and bathroom= $ 17?!
Sharky’s = WIN
on an adventure? you’re going to feel right at home :)

Amazing hostel! It is in West Asheville, so it’s in a quirkier part of town that I don’t think other travelers would get a chance to see if they were staying in downtown. There are dorm rooms, private rooms, and the sweetest private room with a private bath and small kitchen (the cottage)– all of which are super clean, and already have the beds made for you (a rarity!), and if you’re lucky, you’ll get a pretty rad power rangers or muppet print fitted sheet. Juuuuust saying.
The staff are really friendly and helpful and put a lot of heart into the hostel. It has tons of books and plants and things to look at, as well as a hot tub in the backyard and a cozy porch in the front. It is easy to feel completely at home here. I can’t wait to go back!

Relentlessly clean… weirdo British travelers, appreciated. The dollar fee for a towel seems a bit lame, but the open market’s a mother…

I’ve stayed in quite a few hostels in the USA and in Europe, and I’ve gotta say this one is one of my faves. The staff is very friendly, its cheap, it right in the center of west asheville — with great cafes and indie shops. near the City of ashville — Bikeable. The hostel itself is decently clean. 2 bathrooms, full kitchen (and group meals), offers group hikes, bikes to borrow. They even have a Hot tub, though from what I heard its kinda gross. and If you don’t want to stay in the hostel, you can camp out in the
backyard. There’s lotsa drunken get-​togethers on the front porch late night.