Bridge Street Inn

I'm pretty much past my hostel days, but we wanted to visit Hearst Castle and this was by far the cheapest accommodation option in the area (even budget motels in Cambria are expensive, let alone $an $imeon). If you're prepared for the hostel experience and saving money is more important to you than creature comforts, this is a budget-friendly basic option.

There are a handful of very small private rooms and a shared dorm room to choose from. Most rooms don't have a private bathroom, but there are three shared bathrooms throughout the house. The downstairs includes a common room with books, couches, and games (but no TV) and a common kitchen where you can store food and prepare meals. A complimentary breakfast of oatmeal, tea and coffee was included, but we didn't have it. WiFi was free and worked well, especially downstairs.

We stayed in room 1, located upstairs with a queen-size bed. There is no private bathroom, just two shared bathrooms on this floor (one with a shower and one with just a sink and toilet). The room has a slanted ceiling and is barely bigger than the bed -- you have to edge around it on the sides -- and a built-in bench with small storage cupboard is the only other furniture. There are only a couple of oddly placed outlets, so devices have to sit on the floor against the wall to recharge. We were there in December, so it was quite cold in the room and we had to fire up the space heater that was provided.

The bathrooms were clean, although the toilet paper was thin and low-quality. The biggest inconvenience was the shower situation. Other reviewers mentioned being offered a hand towel, but we didn't receive any (and there were no towels in the room). Since we were staying in regular hotels for the rest of our trip, we hadn't thought to bring bath towels, so we couldn't shower in the morning. At that point, we decided to just skip it and shower at our next hotel. But if you want to bathe, you should be prepared to bring your own towels. (In fairness, we didn't ask whether bath towels were available for rental, because we just wanted to get on the road.)

Like many hostels, this place is closed from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm, so you don't have in-and-out privileges during the day. Honestly, with the rooms being so small and no TVs, there's not that much reason to hang out during the day anyway. We came down to the common room in the evening and a few staff were there, but they were having their own meeting and didn't really make conversation with the guests who came in to socialize. Of course it's hard to generalize from just one night, but if you're expecting the social atmosphere and activities that some hostels offer, you might not get that here. However, the staff was pleasant and helpful during our interactions with them.

It's a hostel, guys... you get what you pay for. Or rather, you don't get what you don't pay for. For one-night accommodation conveniently close to Hearst Castle, this worked for us, but it's not for everyone.

Just got back from a two night stay at the Bridge Creek Inn and I have nothing but nice things to say about it. Booking was simple (on AirBnB), Brandon (the Innkeeper) is friendly and offers excellent insider tips on things to do in the area, and the location couldn't have been better. It's a very short walk from a yarn shop, a no-kill cat sanctuary, and a health food store that offers delicious vegan sandwiches. It's also very centrally located if you're wanting to visit the elephant seal rookery in San Simeon or drive up into southern Big Sur. Parking was no trouble and I found a spot directly in front of the Inn each night. The Inn itself has lots of personality and I loved that I wasn't staying in a bland, cookie-cutter hotel. My room (#6 with a private toilet) was very clean and came equipped with comfortable pillows, a space heater, and basically everything I would need to feel cozy and have a great night's sleep. The big windows gave the room a bright, airy feel and I had a private entrance that opened into a lovely garden with lots of seating. My introvert self didn't mingle much with the other guests but everyone seemed to be very polite, quiet, good about cleaning up, and respectful. The shower was available whenever I needed it and was always spotless so my never-having-stayed-at-a-hostel-sort-of-place anxiety was totally unwarranted. Overall, I would definitely recommend the Bridge Street Inn to anyone looking for an affordable, welcoming, ideally located place to stay while exploring the area.

I arrived mid-afternoon and was warmly greeted by the host Brandon. The drive down was absolutely breathtaking, and when I saw the Bridge Street Inn my heart skipped a beat. It looked so welcoming, and is situated in a quiet neighborhood with pretty flowers lining the sidewalk and entrance.

Brandon showed me around the hostel and answered all my questions, even helping me with my bags, which is a lot better treatment than you'd get at a run-of-the-mill hotel.
I stayed overnight in room #3, an incredibly regal room with a comfortable queen-sized bed (I HIGHLY recommend this room if you're traveling as a couple or three-some) and slept very well.

The hostel is situated right in a little shopping area and has great cafes, restaurants, galleries and etc. There's loads of touring information and everyone's knowledgeable and friendly. This is possibly the most down-to-earth place along the coast of California I know.

But back to the hostel - the facilities are spotless & well kept; the house is old but beautiful and lends itself a homey feel. They promote genuine & unique sustainable practices (ask about the lid toilets!) which I really love.
In short, at the Bridge Street Inn you'll meet amazing people, get a great night's sleep for a good price, and get the convenience of having so many sights to see and activities to take part in nearby. ^.^

I got a free upgrade to the private double when the dorm was overbooked! The host and I had some differences in communication style, but she was highly understanding and accommodating. She allowed mt to cook late at night, even though I didn't really do all the cooking I intended.

The location is just off Main Street (inland stretch), but walking nearby is beautiful and convenient to many Cambria hot spots. I took a walk late at night and felt completely safe on these sleepy streets.

One problem is with Cambria itself, there are no major discount stores nearby, so you'll want to be prepared with your necessities ahead of time or be ready to do without.

Overall, I met some cool people here, especially a long-distance (amateur, I'm guessing) cyclist from Santa Barbara.

Like others, I stayed here because I needed a place to crash after a full day in San Simeon, including Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument.

I had an amazing time staying at the Bridge Street Inn, totally 2 days. I felt at home soon after I arrived, so much so that I was reluctant to leave the next morning. If it weren't because I was biking into the enchanting nature of Big Sur, I would probably have stayed at Bridge Street Inn for a few more days. I connected with the staff there as well as another traveler. The owner Aimee is a bucket of positive energy and generosity. She went out of her way to help me during my stay. It was an incredible experience. Time for some bullet points of all the good stuff:
1. Free breakfast of organic oatmeal mixed with all kinds of power seeds, raisin, and coconut shreds.
2. When they say they have a full kitchen, they mean a FULL kitchen, enjoy your time cooking there :)
3. They are really committed to being sustainable. The bathroom has a lid sink, which uses clean water for hand washing and immediately saves the grey water for toilet flushing. They line dry the linens after laundry. It can't be better than that, the sunshine not only dries the sheets but also kills the bacteria.
4. The decors are charming, just like the 115-year-old house. The lovely sheets and cushions are way better than the standard white ones you can find in hotels. They made me feel at home from the beginning to the end.
5. There is a small patch of "beach" next to the house and the garden. Oh yes there's a garden! There are also outdoor seating areas where you can enjoy the nature.
6. WiFi is pretty fast. I didn't notice any issue browsing websites and loading videos.
7. There's a place to store your bike if you come on a bike like I did.
8. It's right across the street from the Soto's market, an organic grocery store (also a lovely place)
9. Daily morning yoga practice with one of the staff Julia :)

Small things you may want to keep in mind:
1. Check-in time is 5-9 pm, I called twice and left a voice message around noon, but didn't hear back from anyone.
2. The 4-person dorm and the private room #5 shares a wall and a door (securely locked), so it's not 100% soundproof, but I stayed there on two Sundays, and it was very quiet.

I would go back over and over again :)

So my friend and I booked this place to stay when we visited Hearst Castle. Upon arrival, it is a very cute place from the outside. The owner is very nice and very accommodating.

Some stuff I didn't really like:

* The stuffy room - by the second night, i had to go to another hotel. For a super cold night, i had to turn on the fan. It is not recommended for anyone that has asthma

* the lock out hours - we had to leave the hostel by 10am and could not return until 5pm. It was very inconvenient for any patrons that would like to rest in between activities during their vacation.

* wifi was not connecting in the room I was in

There isn't really much to say about this place but I probably won't be returning.

Our hosts were Jan/Brenda. Jan did everything to make our stay great. She made sure my 75 year old dad got the bottom bunk as requested, and she helped us find a restaurant ( there are 10 in walking distance).

The house is very hostel-like...multitudes of friendly foreigners...art and history on the walls....community room with books and games....community kitchen...

We paid 70$ less than the lowest motel for a 45 mile radius, got way more in hospitality and amenities then we would have gotten at a motel...

I would stay again...I would recommend wholeheartedly. ..

Its more than just a place for the night..

Ps: Bring your towel, Arthur.

I've stayed in the hostel portion at this location a couple of times in the past few years. If you are looking for that small town feel over the hustle and bustle of big city life this is a great place to just hang out and veg. Its located in an ideal location for exploring big sur and the surrounding area.
Unlike other hostels i've been to which tend to be spartan. the shared living quarters here are decorated like an english cottage with plenty of plush animal make for nice pillows and antiques.
Also, being that i'm not into the cooking while on vacation its an easy walk to the nearby eateries in cambria.
I would recommend visiting this area around xmas time if you feel the holiday has been too commercialized

Nice, small and clean hostel for a reasonable price.

We only made the mistake to book it for two nights. It is closed between 11 am and 5 pm and that means you can not get in at all. They have a Hostel Policy and then hold on to it very strictly. Even a coffee after dinner was not possible because the coffee was only available in the morning.

Never the less I think it is good place to stay there for one night. Arrive late and get up on your way early. Definitely I do not recommend to stay longer then one night.

The exterior of this place has a cottage-like charm to it with its white picket fence, shutters and floral garden. It's super cute. You almost expect Mary Poppins to come prancing to the front door offering you a spot of tea.

Instead, what awaits you when you walk through the door is a cold front and an indifferent "whatever" attitude. I was totally enamored when I pulled into town - Cambria is adorable - and to be honest, the staff was a bit of a killjoy for the short time I spent there. Not quite what I expected while roadtripping up the central coast and being charmed by this seaside village.

They do offer a simple breakfast and the beds are ok. Parking is aplenty and the price is probably the best you'll find in town.

The highlight of this place might be the lidsink toilets. I don't know why, but I find lidsinks fascinating.

Anyway, the place is fine, I just would've appreciated a warmer human experience as I've had in other hostels around the world.