Hostel Fish
1217 20th St, Denver, CO 80202, Denver, United States
3-star hotel
Guest rating: 4.4 / 5
Overview
Hostel Fish is a trendy, 3-star hostel in downtown Denver, Colorado, occupying a building known for its vintage details and industrial-chic design. It caters to budget-conscious travelers with a mix of dormitory and private room options rather than standard hotel accommodations. The property has built a strong reputation, holding a 4.4 rating from over 1,500 reviews.
Rooms
Guests can choose from casual mixed-gender or female-only dorm rooms outfitted with bunk beds, vintage decor touches, free Wi-Fi and shared bathrooms, or upgrade to private rooms with en suite facilities. Multiple reviewers specifically noted comfortable beds and clean bathrooms, though a few mentioned occasional odors in shared rooms.
Amenities & Services
On-site, Hostel Fish offers an industrial-chic bar and a hip communal lounge, a shared kitchen for self-catering, and a rooftop-style terrace with city views and seating areas. The property also organizes complimentary group tours, adding a social, community-oriented feel typical of a well-run hostel.
Location
The hostel sits at 1217 20th St in downtown Denver, just 426m from Coors Field and 649m from the 16th Street pedestrian corridor. It's within easy walking distance of Larimer Square (830m), the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver (1,054m), the Colorado State Capitol (1,606m), Elitch Gardens (1,585m) and the Denver Art Museum (1,739m), with the Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Zoo and 38th & Blake train station reachable within a couple of miles.
Best for
Hostel Fish is best suited to budget travelers, solo explorers, and social groups looking for an affordable, sociable base in downtown Denver, given its dorm-style rooms, communal kitchen, bar and lounge. It also appeals to sightseers on foot, since Coors Field, Larimer Square, the Denver Art Museum, and Elitch Gardens are all within a mile or two, and the complimentary group tours suit those wanting an easy way to explore the city.
Travel tips
Book a private room in advance if you prefer more privacy or plan to travel with valuables, since dorm rooms are shared with mixed or female-only groups. Most major downtown Denver attractions -- Coors Field, Larimer Square, and the 16th Street corridor -- are within a 10-minute walk, making a car unnecessary for sightseeing. Some guests have noted the surrounding downtown streets can feel less comfortable after dark, so plan evening routes accordingly, and the 38th & Blake train station is about a 2.5km trip if you're connecting via rail.
What guests say
Reviewers consistently praise the friendly, helpful front-desk staff, the comfortable beds, and the stylish, vintage-industrial interior, along with the hostel's unbeatable value for its downtown Denver location. Cleanliness of bathrooms is frequently mentioned as a positive, though a small number of guests noted unpleasant odors in the rooms. A minority of reviews raised concerns about billing discrepancies with private room upgrades and communication issues with staff resolving them, as well as some discomfort with visible drug activity in the surrounding neighborhood. Overall sentiment remains strongly positive, with the social atmosphere, price, and location cited as the biggest draws.
Check availability · Booking links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure