Hostel territory: Valley entrepreneurs offer new affordable lodging for travelers

Hostels are generally appealing to budget-minded, adventurous travelers and often have the reputation as being a bit on the rustic side.

But three new hostels in the Flathead Valley are still providing little extras to try and make travelers feel at home.

The owners of the Whitefish Hostel, which opened its doors to its first guests on June 30, have heard often how comfortable their beds with memory foam mattresses are — not always a common trait of hostel living. The bathroom and showers are not purely utilitarian, either, with an artistic tile scheme and lots of room for washing up.

One of the owners, Lynon Lohof, has a background in the visual arts and she and her sister Kirtlye have worked hard on the aesthetics of their new establishment at 28 Lupfer Ave. They wanted to create the kind of welcoming atmosphere they’ve appreciated during their own hostel stays throughout the world.

“We took a trip together to Colombia last year and loved the first hostel we stayed in,” Lynon said. “We wondered why there wasn’t one in Whitefish. We decided then that was what we were going to do.”

The River Rock Hostel in Columbia Falls, which its owners hope to have ready by the end of this week for Heritage Days, offers guests a full kitchen and an interior that complements the history of the 1892 structure, one of Columbia Falls’ oldest buildings.

Owners Greg and Mistie Fortin are renovating the house at 24 Seventh St. W. with touches such as raised wall paneling (salvaged from a historic home in Butte) and refinished wood floors.

“We want an old feel with new amenities, to keep the character of the place” Greg Fortin said.

The Montana Bike Hostel on Trumble Creek Road between Columbia Falls and Whitefish, with sweeping views of the Whitefish Range, is in its second summer of operation. Whether camping in a tent onsite or staying in the cabin or the two-bed guest room in the main house, visitors can use the kitchen in a nearby camper and help themselves to whatever is in the garden.  

The cabin, built by owner Bob Lucke, who is retired from the construction business, also has a sauna.

Lucke offers shuttle service to the airport, Whitefish or as far as the Canadian border. He will help arrange bike rentals as well as the logistics and amenities for overnight bike tours.

He also likes to greet guests in the morning with a French press full of fresh coffee. For Lucke, the business is all about sharing his passion for biking and providing a memorable experience for fellow bikers traveling through the area.

“This is great quality,” Lucke said of his place.

The Lohof sisters had a great deal of work to do to turn the former site of Quickee restaurant into a comfortable place to stay. The building is more than 100 years old, which created challenges with necessary plumbing and electrical work.

Kirtlye Lohof was a teacher at Flathead High School for seven years with part of that time as head girls track coach, and Lynon has a degree in photography from Montana State University and previously worked at Mountain Valley Foods in Kalispell and made jewelry.

An adventurous outdoor lifestyle and summer jobs in the local recreation business — Kirtlye as a raft guide and Lynon as a raft-trip photographer — gave them the confidence that they could help hostel visitors plan their itineraries, but they had to educate themselves in financing, real estate and general contracting for their new business venture.

“We had read articles about how lodging is booked solid around here, and we knew this could be a niche that’s not being explored,” Lynon said.

What was once the upstairs eating area of Quickee is now a dorm room for six, with another four-bed room in the hostel. The Lohofs have turned the kitchen area into a cafe open to the public offering juices, smoothies, coffee and healthy sandwiches and salads, as well as a cooler stocked with grab-and-go items.

The location of the building is ideal — a few blocks from the Amtrak station, one block from the SNOW bus pickup and a few blocks from Whitefish’s downtown district with plenty of restaurants and nightlife.

“I’ve traveled on my own and I’ve always stayed in hostels,” Lynon said. “That’s how I’ve met people. You don’t feel alone like you do in a hotel room.

“One of the main reasons I wanted to do this is I love travel. This way I can feel like I’m traveling by bringing the travelers to us.”

The River Rock Hostel is a good complement to the Nortins’ other business, Glacier Adventure Guides. For eight years, the Nortins have taken clients hiking in the Whitefish Range and rock climbing at Stone Hill near Lake Koocanusa. In the winter, they offer ski and snowshoeing tours in Glacier National Park.

The hostel will be a convenient launching pad for outdoor excursions and also give visitors easy proximity to what they need in town — a place to do laundry, the city pool, restaurants, a grocery store and Desert Mountain Brewing.

“People don’t want to get back in their car again after being in Glacier Park to get something to eat,” Mistie said.

She said they’ve stayed in quite a few hostels, with one in the Czech Republic standing out enough that they want to re-create its look and feel.

“It’s better than being stuck in a hotel room with a TV,” Mistie said. “And when you travel alone, a hotel is so expensive.”

The house is on a lot large enough that it once was the site of a farmers market and a central hub of the town, but the building has fallen into disrepair in recent years. The Nortins say they feel Columbia Falls residents appreciate their efforts at restoring the site and creating another business.

“I think they considered this a tear-down, so in this neighborhood, people are excited about this,” Greg said.

 The hostel will have one bunk room with six single beds and one private room. There will also be a common area adjacent to the kitchen.

Two major bike routes swing within a few miles of the Montana Bike Hostel — the Northern Tier route, which stretches  from Seattle to Maine, and the Great Divide mountain bike route from Canada to Mexico. If Bob Lucke is out on a bike ride of his own when people arrive, he has a chalkboard on which he will leave a message telling visitors to make themselves at home.

Lucke not only rents out space on his large lawn and other facilities to bikers (or travelers of any sort) he also likes to be an inspiration to them through his own story. The 57-year-old has Type 1 diabetes, which he keeps in check through careful attention to diet and exercise, including hundreds of miles of road biking per week and competitive skate skiing in the winter.

His wife, Beverly, works full time, and Bob is able to offer the hostel almost as more of a service than a business.

“We cover expenses, and if we can pay our taxes on the property with it, I’m tickled pink,” he said. “It’s just about if we can offer a great experience.”

whitefishhostel.com

www.riverrockhostel.com

www.montanabikehostel.com

Business reporter Heidi Gaiser may be reached at 758-4439 or by email at hgaiser@dailyinterlake.com.