Whitefish Hostel opens in Railway District

Travelers on a budget have a new lodging option in Whitefish.

For about the same price as a campground spot, guests at the Whitefish Hostel are treated to comfy beds, a hot shower and even fresh coffee and baked goods in the morning.

Sisters Kirtlye and Lynon Lohof welcomed their first guests to the hostel last week. Since mid-April they’ve been remodeling the former Quickees restaurant in the Railway District into an upscale, yet economical, hostel and cafe.

The hostel features a six-bed dorm and 4-bed dorm upstairs. On the main level are shared bathrooms and showers, a lounge area and a cafe.

The cost for one night is $30 per person, and that includes a muffin and coffee in the morning.

The sisters, originally from Kalispell, were inspired to open a hostel after traveling last summer to South America. In Bogata, Colombia they stayed at a hostel that provided a sense of comfort, despite being thousands of miles away from home.

“We loved the hostel we stayed at and wondered why there wasn’t a hostel in Whitefish,” Lynon said.

“It was the first business idea we had that we both were excited about. It was pretty much decided then.”

While neither had worked in the lodging industry — Kirtlye was a high school teacher at Flathead High School and Lynon worked at Mountain Valley Foods and with caterers — they jumped into the project head first.

They shopped around for potential spaces with the only requirement that it be in Whitefish.

“In Whitefish, we knew we had multiple seasons of travelers who are looking for something affordable,” Kirtlye said. “Whitefish is the only place we could be successful and get enough business year-round.”

The Quickees building became the obvious choice after considering its access to downtown and train depot, its business zoning, and for the kitchen. In April, they began an extensive remodel that added dorm rooms and showers and a lounge area.

A priority for the sisters is to keep the hostel in tip-top shape.

“The number one thing to us is cleanliness,” Kirtlye said. “Are the showers clean? Are the bed linens clean? Those are important.”

Guests have access to lockers, wireless Internet and free movies.

With Lynon’s background in the restaurant industry, adding a cafe seemed like a natural addition that both travelers and locals could take advantage of.

“We’re really passionate about local and organic,” Kirtlye said.

The hostel menu features an organic salad bar, a sandwich of the day, smoothies, baked and raw goods, and a coffee and juice bar. One of their specialties is a vegan chocolate avocado pudding.

The cafe is open between 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Learn more about the hostel at www.whitefishhostel.com.