Hostel du Nord

My grandson (born in February) was headed with his family to the North Shore so we decided to meet in Duluth, so I could meet him (5 months old) for the first time! I needed to stay O/N in Duluth so I could explore the wonders of Lake Superior, too. The hostel was IMPOSSIBLE to find, even with google maps on my iPhone 7! I found a cop cruising 1st Avenue, who showed me the tiny sign marking the hostel's entrance. It was a snap to check in and get a mini-tour of the layout including my TOP bunk (I would have preferred bottom). The hostel was full of friend old folks, including a chatty 80-year-old lady, but I decided to go to the Dubh Linn Pub, about 2 blocks walk (Superior Street) where the crowd was 20-something people with lots of energy. Great beers on tap including Surly Furious! Of course they had many Irish and Scottish whiskeys (including Laphroig) and Guiness Stout on tap. SERVED IN GLASS GLASSES! Stayed there till 1 a.m. or so, partying. The night in my bunk was not comfy--too hot and stuffy despise a personal fan provided by the hostel; mostly due to the bad air resulting from those stupid northern Quebec wildfires giving an AQI of about 90! The hostel was well-equipped and decorated with a designated parking lot just up the hill from the hostel's rear door. I liked the art in the hostel, too! I will be back in August I think.

The hostel is terrific. Excellent accommodations (it's a HOSTEL, not a HOTEL), clean, with a genuine emphasis on courtesy (quiet and privacy) of your hostel-mates. Very welcoming - couldn't be more so. If you're uptight, need some to wipe your nose and escort you to your private bunk with YOUR name on it, there are other places to go in Duluth. If you're looking for a quiet, clean, safe and very friendly place to lay your head - this is it. One caveat is parking. If you have a canoe on your rig before an up-north trip, ask about paid parking across the street. It's a downtown neighborhood, with an active downtown crowd. I left my canoe at my son's place in Duluth.

As someone who isn't able to check in at most hotels due to the minimum age limit, Hostel du Nord was a great last-minute find on Airbnb. I only stayed the night due to me needing a lot of rest after spending the whole day in public transit all the way from Minneapolis in order to prevent myself from getting stranded due to snowstorms. Bob is an incredibly great and accommodating host, and I was also able to meet a couple of other people (and the official hostel cat!) in the common area late at night. He showed me around the best he could during quiet hours, and the bunks provided a lot of privacy for me to rest my head for the night. The bathrooms were very clean and functional and not to mention that the place probably is one of the quietest and most relaxing places I ever stayed at. Had I stayed longer, I probably would've met a handful of others who were staying there as well, because the community aspect is something I really look for in a place to stay, and from what I felt from my very short stay, you matter. I am definitely coming back here again if I ever get the chance. PS: Don't mix up the Annex and the Hostel! Very understandable when it's winter-time and it's late at night. You'll find the place eventually, though it may take a couple of minutes. Consider it an adventure to a new world.