Truro Hostel Voted Best in U.S.

It's easy to see why the Truro Hostel is popular. Balston Beach is one of Cape Cod's most famous scenes. The area was painted often by Edw. Hopper as this Truro painting of his below of his demonstarates.

Over Half Million Votes Cast in contest
The Hostel at Balston Beach is 40 this year

By Walter Brooks

Hostelling International Truro, one of Massachusetts' most popular hostels, has won the award for Best Hostel in North America, as voted for by Hostelworld.com travelers.

More than 500,000 customers of the budget travel website voted for the awards. The prestigious "Hoscar" awards were presented at a ceremony in Dublin, Ireland, home of Hostelworld.com.

"The Truro Hostel is a gem that for more than 40 years has allowed youth and international travelers to find educational opportunities and affordable access to one of the nation's most precious resources," said Deborah Ruhe, Executive Director of Hostelling International USA, Eastern New England Council.

The Council manages six hostels within Massachusetts including Boston, Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.

"The Truro Hostel is a gem that for more than 40 years has allowed youth ... affordable access to one of the nation's most precious resources,"

The Truro Hostel is located in a former Coast Guard station within the Cape Cod National Seashore and has been in operation since 1964. Situated at the end of North Pamet Road it overlooks Ballston Beach and the Atlantic Ocean and is open to international and domestic guests for three months during the summer season.

Hostel guests stay in the 42 beds in dormitory rooms and two private rooms. They may cook their own meals in a shared kitchen, enjoy the nearby beach, hike the dunes or join with other guests for special programs and outings.

Each year more than 1,000 travelers are able to find low cost accommodations at the Truro Hostel. While there they enjoy the opportunity to interact with international and domestic guests and discover the environment of the Cape Cod National Seashore.

The Truro Hostel sits on a hill overlooking Balston Beach on North Pamet Road

"Winning this award was a great honor," Mike Hansen, the Hostelling International Truro Manager in 2004 explained. "I think several things combined to explain why Truro was high in people's opinions last year: an exceptional location, a unique staff that fostered interactions among guests, and great weather for people to really experience Cape Cod at its finest."

The award is particularly meaningful for Hostelling International Truro because it is based on the opinions of the guests as reported to HostelWorld.  Guests are surveyed after their stay and asked to grade their hostel based on six different criteria: character, security, location, staff, fun and cleanliness.

For more information about the Truro Hostel visit this website. Hostelling International USA, Eastern New England Council is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing cultural interchange by facilitating worldwide travel.

To see Balston Beach in February, check our our Photo Essay here.