Policies:

Alcohol:

No alcohol or illegal recreational drugs are allowed on the property. Guests who consume alcohol or controlled substances on the property will be asked to leave immediately. If a guest arrives to the property already under the influence of a controlled substance, and behaves in a manner that disrupts other guests’ experience, rest, or safety, the disruptive guest will be asked to leave immediately.

Pet Policy:

Pets are not allowed in the hostel. Registered service animals are welcome to stay. Please refer to the NCDHHS website for more information on what qualifies as a service animal: “As defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, a “service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.”

The ADA limits the definition of Service Animals to dogs and miniature horses. Therapy dogs, emotional support dogs and companion dogs are not Service Animals and are not afforded the same privileges in public places.”

-North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

Consecutive night limits:

Especially in the thru-hiking season (January-May; September-November) guests can reserve a maximum of 2 consecutive nights, which may be extended if the guest is slackpacking, recovering from an injury, or volunteering a work-for-stay.

Work-for-stay:

A “work for stay” is volunteering labor in lieu of payment for a nights’ stay. Work-for-stays will only be considered if the guest has already paid for one night in the hostel, and on a case-by-case basis. Work-for-stays are considered a volunteer activity; no additional compensation will be given beyond a free nights’ stay. All volunteer activities requested during a work-for-stay are voluntary.

Illness and quarantine:

If any guest shows signs or symptoms* of Norovirus, Covid-19, or any other highly communicable illness, our policy is to cancel the reservation and assist them in finding private accommodations at a nearby hotel where they can effectively quarantine. In this case, “assisting” means calling on behalf of the guest to check availability elsewhere, and/or offering a shuttle from the hostel to a hotel if the guest is already on Grove Hostel property. The cancellation of the reservation is subject to your hostel hosts’ fair judgement. We understand that a last-minute cancellation may be frustrating, but we have an obligation to do our best to ensure the health and safety of our other guests. As hostel amenities are communal, it is not possible to effectively quarantine at The Grove. Thank you for your understanding! *Signs or symptoms include but are not limited to: nausea, diarrhea, fever, coughing, shortness of breath.