Whether you came here as a traveler interested in an affordable Dallas trip and you just can’t pull the trigger on a $300-a-night stay downtown, a Texas native curious about the arrival of a downtown Dallas hostel, or even by some happy accidental click, it is an absolute delight to meet you. My name is Kristin Leiber, and I’m here with The L3 Hostel in tow. The tow rope is still pretty long though. End of 2017, people!
Although the creation of a Dallas hostel has been the most electrifying experience of my life, I’ve spent the better part of 2 years working and hustling and getting knocked down and getting back up again like the proverbial Chumbawumba song. If you had asked me in 2016, I would have said I could whip up a hostel in a matter of months. Much like our beloved president, the phrase “WHO KNEW IT COULD BE THIS COMPLICATED” has slunk out from between my humbled lips on more than one occasion.
The birthing of a beautiful baby hostel has taken much longer than expected for a variety of reasons, the most important of which being that it needed to be done right.
For those of you who have had a bad hostel experience before, let us all think back to that time and shudder.
For the rest of you, think back to that time at summer camp when the cabin toilets flooded and a raccoon got inside and your bunkmate stole all your pink Starbursts while you were asleep. GIVE ME BACK MY FRIENDSHIP BRACELET, AMANDA. That’s as close of an analogy as I can think of.
The good news is that I have scouted all the terrible hostels for you. You’re quite welcome. I’ve also stayed in some excellent, warm, accommodating, magical hostels that converted me to a life-long fan. I learned that a quality mattress and crisp sheets are crucial to recharge after a long day of adventure on your feet. I learned that bellying up to the hostel bar with a stranger is full of exciting possibility for a spontaneous adventures with new friends.
And I learned unequivocally that the best hostels leave one so full to the brim with memories and new experiences and smiles that you forgot to worry about your vacation Instagram feed altogether.
It’s astonishing to me that there are no centrally located Dallas hostels yet. The L3 Hostel is so pleased to be able to introduce Dallas residents to the concept of an American hostel and to offer domestic and international travelers a central, budget-friendly option that focuses on connection – with the city, with the culture, and with locals and other travelers.
The L3 Hostel will offer 80 beds in a variety of group and private rooms with a focus on comfort and design. A retro bar and lounge will bring people together as they plan their adventures and connect with new friends. Walking tours, pub crawls, and other excursions will effortlessly plug guests into the sprawling city of Dallas. Our well-traveled, friendly staff members will be here to serve guests, provide recommendations, or even just chat at the bar about your day.
For many, hostels are cherished for their warmth. I have unlikely stories of hostel friendship that started with Aussies over a local brew in Denver and with an elderly French teacher from Uruguay over a paella dinner in Barcelona. It all starts with a willingness to connect with others in this big, wild, diverse world and a heart open to conversation. When you bring a group of like-minded, friendly world travelers together in an affordable space, that’s when the magic happens. That is what The L3 Dallas Hostel will deliver.
With that being said, I need to get back to hustling on this dream of mine. And so, I leave you with a brief goodbye, a big hello, and the promise of important updates to come.