Fodor's Expert Review Everglades International Hostel

Editor's Note: This location is no longer in operation.

Although a hostel ideal for penny-pinchers, offering mostly dorm-style quarters (generally 4 to 10 to a room), this offbeat lodging spot also has a few clean, spacious, private rooms, offering a unique alternative to ho-hum chains. Splurgers can book rooms in an adjacent cottage with private water gardens. There are both indoor and outdoor common areas, where you can watch videos or TV on a big screen. This upbeat, whimsical facility is in a minimally restored art deco building on a lush, secluded acre between Everglades and Biscayne National Parks. You can prepare meals in the communal kitchen or walk to a nearby restaurant. Garden camping (no reservations needed or accepted) lets backpackers and others test their Everglades equipment in civility before heading out into the wild.