Yes. Prior to shipping you must contact the hostel to set up delivery. Shipping instructions must require the package be delivered to the hostel office between 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Bunk beds are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Please contact us in advance by emailing [email protected] if you have a strong preference for a top/lower bunk and we will do our best to accommodate you; however, please note that requests cannot be guaranteed.

Learn more about HI USA’s cancellation policy here.

By Car:
The hostel is located 20 miles south of San Francisco and 7 miles north of Half Moon Bay, at 16th Street and Cabrillo Highway (Hwy 1) in Montara.

From the South/East:

• Take Hwy 101 or Interstate 280 to Hwy 92, westbound toward Half Moon Bay.
• Turn right/north on Hwy 1 and travel 7 miles, through the town of Moss Beach. Our driveway will be on the left.
• Please note that our entrance is somewhat hidden. There is a two-way turn lane in the center of the road. Please use it with extreme caution as cars turning from the opposite direction will often refuse to yield. If there are any other cars on the road, we recommend that you proceed into Montara, turn around, and approach the driveway from the north.

From the North:

• Take Interstate 280 to Hwy 1, southbound toward Linda Mar Pacifica.
• Continue south 5 miles, and pass through the town of Montara.
• Look for the Hostelling International sign on the left; our driveway is just after that sign.

Please come to the hostel office before visiting the grounds.

By Public Transportation:

ALWAYS CHECK CURRENT SCHEDULES AS ALL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Bus:
The hostel is located on SamTrans route 17. The bus will always stop at Main and 7th St. in Montara, which is located .5 miles north of the hostel. On occasion, bus 17 will stop at either 16th St and HWY 1 (when going south) and 14th St and HWY 1 (when going north). Please consult 511.org and SamTrans for further details.

BART:
The closest BART station is Daly City. Connect to bus 110 to Linda Mar/Pacifica and then to bus 17 to Montara. Consult BART’s website for schedules and details.

Pets are not permitted at any HI USA hostels. We do permit service animals as identified by ADA guidelines. At all times, service animals must be under the owner’s control and never left alone.

On-site parking is available and included in the price of your stay. Upon booking your stay, a text or email will be sent with a gate code unique to your reservation with further instructions on how to access and where to park.

Quiet hours are 10 p.m. – 8 a.m.

There is no curfew at the hostel and once you are checked in, you can come and go as you please. The gate to the property is automated, and as an overnight guest you will receive a code via text or email on the day of your arrival. This code will be valid from 3 p.m. on the day of your arrival, until 12 p.m. on the day of your departure (unless otherwise arranged). Your key card will also unlock the pedestrian gate afterhours. This gate is unlocked from 7:30 a.m. until sunset daily.

Our on-site guest laundry machines cost $3.50 per wash (with detergent included) and $2 per dry.

Please speak to someone at the Front Desk in person. We are pleased to match any publicly advertised online rate* for additional nights booked directly through us. While we strive to keep you in the same room/bed, this is based on availability at the time of your request. The sooner you can let us know you’d like to extend, the better. Please let us know no later than check-out time (in most cases, 11 a.m.) on the day of your scheduled check out.

*Offer applies only to newly added room nights and cannot be applied to existing reservations.

Locker sizes vary by guest room. The smallest lockers are 29 inches x 10 inches x 18 inches — large enough to fit a standard airplane-carryon-sized bag. If your bags do not fit in your locker, we recommend storing valuables inside the secure locker and storing larger bags out of the locker inside your room.

No. Your unique guest room keycard will open your locker.

No, the entire property operates at ground level.

Hair dryers are available upon request at the Front Desk.

All linens and towels are included in your stay. Outside linens/sleeping bags and tents are not allowed in guest rooms.

Limited indoor bicycle storage is available. Please contact us in advance to confirm we will have space available during the dates of your stay.

We are happy to store Powered Mobility Devices (PMDs) such as e-bikes, scooters, or e-skateboards/hoverboards during your stay. Note that we do have several rules in place for the safety of our staff and guests.

• We can only store devices with a holographic sticker confirming they comply with UL (Underwriters Laboratories) Certification or EN 15194 Certification (Conformité Européenne).
• PMDs may not be charged inside the hostel building.
• PMDs may only be in designated zones of the hostel, and never in guest rooms.
• Batteries must remain attached to PMDs at all times while on the hostel premises. Batteries are not allowed in guest rooms.

If you have questions about any of these policies, please contact us directly in advance of your stay at [email protected].

The maximum length of stay is 14 nights per calendar year.

Guests can store medicine in one of the fridges/freezers in our shared guest kitchen at their own risk.

We do not offer hostel-run tours at this time. We recommend checking out one of our local tour partners to make the most of your visit to the area!

Yes, we are definitely a great hostel for people working remotely, especially during the week. We have reliable WiFi and plenty of spaces to set up your laptop around the hostel, plus beautiful outdoor spaces for when you need a break. Our Fog Signal building is also available to rent as a private meeting space for up to 25 people; please contact us directly for more information. We’re looking forward to seeing you soon!

Learn more about HI USA hostels for digital nomads

Minors traveling with a parent or legal guardian are welcome at all HI USA hostels. While we encourage guardians traveling with children to book private rooms for their comfort, we do allow minors in dorm rooms.

For safety reasons, children over 2 years old must have their own bunk bed in dorm rooms, and children under 7 may not sleep in top bunks. Emancipated minors traveling on their own, or other minors traveling alone with parental or guardian consent, should contact the hostel directly for more information on policies and booking instructions.

The hostel is located in the small town of Montara on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, with a historic, working lighthouse on site. The scenery is spectacular. We are a short drive from the communities of Pacifica and Half Moon Bay and are surrounded by world-class surf breaks, hiking and biking trails, and beaches. Within walking distance of the hostel, you’ll find several small restaurants for take-out food. Please note, you’ll want to consider picking up groceries before you get to the hostel, as there are no grocery stores in the immediate vicinity of the hostel.

Smoking of any kind, including e-cigarettes and vaping, is only permitted in the designated smoking area at the top of the property. Please inquire at the hostel for the location. Smoking is not permitted anywhere else on the property.

No. It is illegal to have fires of any kind on the beaches in San Mateo County.

The beach and rocks of Point Montara are a Marine Protected Area. No fishing or collecting is permitted.

Yes, we have a stand-alone (stationary) BBQ that is perfect for grilling and roasting marshmallows. You will need to bring your own charcoal, lighter fluid, etc.

Yes, during low tide, the beach cove to the north of the property has excellent tidepools.

Yes, our historic onsite lighthouse is still an active aid to navigation. The modern LED optic operates from dusk to dawn.

Early check in and late check out are both available for purchase. Please see the front desk for availability and pricing.

We are happy to store your luggage free of charge on the day of your check in and the day of your check out. Please stop by the front desk to arrange storage.

On the day of your arrival, luggage storage is available any time after 9 a.m. until your room is ready.

On the day of your departure, luggage storage is available any time after 9 a.m. Luggage must be picked up by 8:30 p.m. on the day of your check out, as our office closes at 9 p.m.

We accept all forms of debit and credit cards including Apple Pay/Google Pay/tap to pay. We also accept cash (with an additional deposit). We capture payment in full at check-in (or prior to, in cases of non-refundable rates).

All guests must present a valid (non-expired) government-issued photo ID (physical originals only; we cannot accept digital versions or photocopies) upon check in.

Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Late checkout may be available for a fee and allows you continue using the hostel facilities after check out; please ask us about availability at the front desk.

Only registered guests are allowed in the hostel.

Please contact the Front Desk at [email protected].