Roadrunner Hostel

It’s very cheap but there’s no air conditioning and the whole place is filled with mosquitoes. They also close between noon and three so you can’t be at the hostel so that’s the most inconvenient thing. It’s also loud as hell because it’s right next the train tracks so you’re going to be woken up five or six times a night

I’ve been slacking on my reviews for the past year, but have decided that my stay here (almost 2 months ago) were terrible enough to write a review. I traveled to Arizone for a conference and was actually recommended to stay at this hostel… bad rec!
Roadrunner Hostel did not feel safe or comfortable for me as a solo-​traveler and female-​identified guest. There were 2 – 3 men who seemed to live on the property — they gave me that vibe based on how they sat near the TV or computer nearly the entire day. At hostels I’ve stayed at, they do not allow locals to live in the hostel.
The female dormitory did NOT have any locks on the doors. The second night I stayed there, I began feeling restless and paranoid. Another person attending the conference with me encouraged me to stay elsewhere the following night (as she was traveling back to NYC). Look on the reviews for this hostel, but please ALSO read the reviews with 1 – 2 stars.
As a note: this place might feel comfortable for other solo travelers, but for me it was not. Yes, it’s close to the downtown area and they do serve free breakfast, but the lack of locks on the door and the creepy dudes was not my style. If you’re traveling with friends, you can try this place, but I will not be staying there again. The 3^rd night I opted for the Downtown Clifton — I paid extra, but that didn’t matter to me (even as a broke graduate student, my main priority is safety first).
Also, my brother owns a local business and I understand how negative reviews can be detrimental to local businesses. Thus, I am careful with how harshly I critique places. However, this place truly deserves a 1 star from my experience.

The first time I stayed here, it was fairly nice, a couple of the staff members at the time were really cool, Kevin and Kafka. Then my stuff started disappearing. I let it go at first until I found my belongings rifled through while I was in the shower. Some local blonde who said she was from England was mostly likely responsible, but when I said something about it, Guess who got 86’d. NO free night or anything, Probably because she just paid them 300 dollars, and I was only night to night.
Let’s just say management is stealing and/​or condoning it. They have a really creepy worker named «Jimmy» who looks like Son of Sam and 86’s people who don’t pay attention to him and he ain’t easy on the eyes, bro. HE threatened to call the police on me after saying that it was «the happy place». The people running the place and the owner are just weird!
Terrible breakfast. Tuscon needs a new hostel. NOT RECOMMENDED. Also in a bad neighborhood (right near the sell your own plasma place), and they only take cash. (No paper trail).

Wow. My best friend and I just stayed for one night but we were very impressed by this little gem in a dark corner of downtown Tucson. The location is awesome. We walked two blocks to a delicious brewery. Ray checked us in at the hostel, very sweet soft spoken guy who has only been there a few months. Nancy was wonderful too… Seemed like she had some wisdom to share, if we had been able to stay longer. Very clean, considerate guests, sweet little rooms and plenty of hot water. They own the place across the street too for more space. Free waffles and coffee in the mornings! Delicious. Highly recommended to anyone looking to chill out for a while or just passing through! Cool people with cool stories.

This is a great hostel and, I believe, the only one in Tucson. Free waffles, quiet, clean, and everyone was friendly. The location is fine and you can walk downtown and back with no problems. For what it’s worth I thought Roadrunner was a great place to stay.

This was a fun hostel and I wish I’d been able to stay longer than just a night. I had a private room in the annex across the street which seemed much nicer than the dorm rooms because there were 2 nicer bathrooms that only had to be shared amongst 4 people. Each room had its own door code so I felt safe. Be sure you bring cash to pay in the EXACT amount. They couldn’t break a $ 20 for me (seemed odd) so I had to walk downtown to a restaurant to get change. Traveling solo here, I would not recommend walking in this neighborhood alone after dark. I got hit up for cash even during the day but it’s close to hotel congress and the Rialto theater along with many other cool places if you walk a few blocks. Free breakfast was nice and I enjoyed talking to the other guests. Staff were very friendly and gave me many suggestions for things to do. Do pay attention to them being closed from 12 – 3 every day for cleaning… I think this would be inconvenient for many. Parking lot had about 4 – 5 spots. Bathrooms were clean. Bed was decent but it gets noisy early in the morning so it’s not great for light sleepers. I’d come back if I’m ever in Tucson again!

Really cool Hostel. Not in a great location, but not too bad either. Funky art out front.

Really nice hostel, I only got to stay for one night, but I had a very positive experience!
The staff were really friendly and sweet.
I was able to contact the day of to make a reservation.
They had free waffles when I was there.
Overall it was clean.

I had a fantastic time staying at this hostel! The place was clean and the staff was friendly. The hostel’s environment was laid-​back and welcoming. There were free computers available for use, which was a nice plus. Overall, I felt the value exceeded that of many other hostels I’ve been to along the West coast.
The top bunks in the female dorm rooms are a little rickety and creak whenever you move around, but I still managed a comfortable sleep. Try to score a bottom bunk if it’s available.

Reading some of the complaints about this place while I was on the train heading to Tucson, got my kind of nervous. I had never been to Tucson and had already made a reservation at the Roadrunner, but was having second thoughts after reading about strange people roaming the premises, meth heads, and a rude staff.
1^st, to the complaints about having to stay in an apartment blocks away from the hostel; this happened to us as well, but I fail to see what the problem was. We ended up getting an apartment (less than a block from the hostel) with a full kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, fenced in backyard, and front courtyard. I don’t have any problem with that. So what if a lot of people living there were long term residents– aren’t most people long term residents of somewhere?
2^nd, I did see some crazy looking people lining up in front of the Plasma center early in the morning, but what city of 250,000+ doesn’t have sketchy inhabitants? Overall, I felt just as safe as I have in most places I’ve been around the country.
Finally, the staff. One of the main complaints I read is that they were rude; I met three different staff members and they were all nothing but kind. One was a bit annoying about checking out — knocking on our door at 10:30 (this is why they only got 4 stars) — but was at least kind about it.
The only weird thing that happened was them knocking on our door in the middle of the afternoon and telling us that they needed to take the bunkbed. We weren’t using it, but it made me wonder what they would have done had we not answered. Would they have let themselves in?
There is no doubt in my mind that I would (and will) stay there again.

I didn’t love this hostel. It’s just… different and not well-​run. The upper bunks are sketchy as the whole bed seems to sway as you move… and some of them aren’t up against the wall for whatever reason. I felt like I was going to fall out of bed the entire night. Luckily my second night I got to have a lower bunk and got much better rest.
There’s free pancakes and coffee in the mornings, so that’s pretty nice! The people that work there seem nice, but they don’t have any good way to know what is really going on or who is supposed to be staying there. They allow you to drink at this hostel, which is rare for hostels in the US.
Plenty of street parking. Nice guests. Big TV. Little patio out front with a bigger one in the back. Good rates. Small bathrooms. Small showers that kind of suck.

Very calm and clean hostel. Don, the host, was very friendly at check in and provided us with information about where to explore in the city. The beds were comfortable, although not as sturdy as they could have been. My wife’s shower was cold, but that may have been user error. Overall a pleasant stay and experience.

i give this hostel a GENUINE 5 stars at any price. formerly whenever in tucson i stayed at the Congress which sadly no longer has hostel rooms. but the roadrunner fills the gap! plus has a very nice communal kitchen, serves breakfast, interactive staff, and a very nice outdoor ramada area for smoking, and hanging out with other people, which i did. i was lucky to share lots of useful life and tourist information, with young and older people, foreigners and americans, and people looking to relocate to tucson.
i booked a private room in the quiet annex across the street. i went in and out as i pleased with my own private code. the whole place was spotless. the location is convenient to public transportation and all the good things that are available in the arts/​downtown district of tucson.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO RENT A CAR! in tucson unless you are driving out of town, or heading out camping. tucson has a great public transportation system, you can rent a bike cheaply, and there are great things to discover very near the hostel!

Was hovering between three and four stars on this one and ultimately went with three because while our experience was totally acceptable, the price was a little steep for very basic accommodations (and yes, I understand it is a hostel and not a hotel– but it seems to me that part of the appeal of a hostel is that it is super affordable for travelers on a budget).
We were a little wary at first because things seemed a bit disorganized when we arrived and the woman who checked us in was pretty spacey. We stayed in a private room across the street from the hostel. The area didn’t seem sketchy to me at all. Our room was a bit shabby but I suppose that is part of the appeal; certainly it seemed clean and it was nice to be able to lock our belongings inside. Sort of a weird smell, though :-/​
The next morning, we arrived for the very end of waffle breakfast and were greeted by an atmosphere that was more along the lines of what I imagined I would find in a hostel– younger folks that seemed to be traveling rather than just hanging out indefinitely, a very friendly guy on duty. Overall, the hostel itself is funky and homey and could be a great experience depending on who is there when you arrive.

I’ve spent an extended amount of time at the Roadrunner Hostel and found it perfect for my needs. Part of the reason I stay in hostels is to meet other travelers. I’ve met so many interesting people during my stay — some just passing through, others having an extended stay but I’ve had meaningful interactions with every guest. Some guests have become friends.
The staff is awesome. Every staff member has taken time to help out with navigating the town and takes time to talk. The dorms are clean read more «- this is probably the cleanest hostel I’ve stayed in. The waffle breakfast and coffee are available for those who want it — included in the cost and the free wifi makes it easy to login from the dorms, main room or even across the street in the private rooms (at least the room I’ve stayed in).
I have not noticed the shady neighborhood, but have not spent much time walking around at night. There is a community bike shop about 1 mile from the hostel that rents bicycles for $ 5 a day which really helps if one is lacking transportation.
I’ve stayed in many hostels across the country and the Roadrunner has more of a community vibe that most others — perhaps this is because I’ve stayed here longer. I highly recommend this place for someone passing through Tucson seeking a community environment or just a low cost place to stay.

I’ve stayed here a few times now. The pros: it’s clean, they do offer breakfast, and it’s a reasonable walk from downtown.
The cons: as the previous poster mentioned, there are a lot of people who just seem to live here, and few of them are friendly (they’re mostly either young, immature and disinterested in helping guests, or they’re old, irascible and sometimes combative — god help you if your group takes up more room in the fridge than the imaginary line drawn around your space). The neighborhood is also very sketch.
What really, really pissed me off though, was this: last year, the first time I stayed, we met a great cat who lived at the hostel. I was told that Rattle had been there since well before the previous owners sold the place, and she was very old and pretty mellow. Fast forward to now: she’s gone and they had to «get rid of her» because she’d «gotten out of hand.» Considering that the cat was a quiet, mellow old soul that had been there longer than any of the current staff or management, that’s absolute bull. Unless she’d become rabid and was biting guests in the crotch, I really don’t think a cat that the owners specifically left with the house (because it was her home, I was told) should have been kicked out… and I hate to think of what probably happened to a very old black cat if she went to a shelter or out on the street. Frankly, I’ll never stay there again for that reason if I can help it.

Okay so I am vascillating between 2.5 and 3… went ahead and rounded up. I was supposed to be here for a week. I am leaving after three days. I wanted to like Tucson but I don’t, and I think Roadrunner has something to do with it.
I came in with a reservation for a private room. when I got here i was informed that the private rooms were in a casita half a block away on the back side of a building on the other side of 12^th street, down a dark alley where a dog was barking at me through a tin gate. The casita was impeccable but the room was tiny, didn’t even have a nightstand with lamp, just a ceiling fan light with only 2 of 4 bulbs working. The kitchen, laundry, tv room and free wifi were all back at the main building. In a word, this room, this arrangement is not worth the $ 40 per night fee.
I asked to be moved back to the main house because i felt uncomfortable being so far away. the woman on duty was resistant because i’d already paid her in full, telling me the casita is safe and the dog is friendly. right. i insisted, and she said she didn’t have any private rooms in the main house. (but she did, and she gave it to a couple who checked in after me) I said «Fine, a $ 20 dorm room will do» and she was still resistant. But I moved over. (this same lady has since told me i was in her way, talked passive-​agressively about me, and generally not been nice or helpful because «she’s not working tonight». Well why are you in here then?!)
Not 15 minutes after first handing her the full amount for the private room, I asked to be refunded the difference for the $ 20 room. She said she «couldn’t». Only management can do refunds. I get policy, I do. But this was 15 minutes, it’s not like I spent a night in the private room! It was just an extra hassle and it made me worry that they were not going to give me my money back. But they DID, the next day, and the manager was totally fine with it.
The rest of the staff is chill, and when there were actually other people my age at the hostel, we had a great time together. That was one night/​day. The rest of the time, inhabitants are WAAAY older dudes who have no homes or are otherwise here for really long stays and are pretty creepy and considering the female dorm doesn’t have a lock on the door, and I am alone here with them, I don’t feel particularly safe. I mean I don’t think they are going to murder me but I don’t like being the only woman here.
The hostel does offer free waffle breakfast, $ 1 to wash 75 cents to dry laundry, two free computers and free WiFi, as well as a video library, phone usage, free parking and plenty of tourism info. The female dorms do not have the underbed lockers that are advertised on the site. The beds are really uncomfortable and the bunks are wicked creaky.
The neighborhood is not that close to downtown as advertised and is not in a great area (a nearby blood bank has wierdos chilling outside). So while the public rooms of the main house are decent, the majority of the staff is really friendly and great, and most of the amenities are valid, I feel like the place deserves 3 stars. But strange policies, «meh» location and uncomfortable sleeping areas earn, well 1.5 stars.