Zenith Basecamp

Mike Schuetze

year ago

We stayed at Zenith Basecamp for our very first glamping outing. Normally we use a hotel or tent it at a park. Zenith was perfect for us! It was a great change to be able to shower after a day exploring versus going to bed feeling dirty. The rooms are immaculate, they supply a really nice cooler and chair for you to use, and the beds are marvelous. Outside the room is a really cool common area to chat with people and share experiences or play games. On the first floor is an Altitude. I haven’t been to a bar this nice in years. Also the staff will have you laughing while making some of the best drinks around. The retail store, Free Air Life Co., WOW. I love this store and will be back to shop. I enjoy being able to find great outdoor gear and clothing that also helps the environment. Some of the brands will plant trees with each piece purchased. As an outdoors person, this is super important to me. Finally, they have a room of maps that show all of the local trails around duluth for any activity. Plus maps for the SHT and also the BWCAW. Zenith is a must-stay!!!

Dale Ott

year ago

I hardly ever leave reviews, and I do not want to bring the star rating down on a very young business that is still working out the kinks as I think there is a lot of lovely intention in this place, but I did experience some issues while staying here that I wish I would have known about before booking. I hope others can find this helpful. I have stayed in many hostels worldwide, including private rooms, bunkrooms, and mattress rooms. There is a bit of confusion here in the online language. These rooms are built to look like private rooms but the walls go up to about 1 foot below the ceiling and then are covered in wooden slats with large spaces in between that are filled in with what seems to be a paper-like screen. Think sound proofing about on the same level as a bathroom stall. This would not be a problem if it was well-communicated/there was ample signage on-premise/there were people on-premise enforcing quiet hours, but because 1. There is the illusion of private rooms and it is not just a bunk room or mattress room where the other guests would simply self-enforce quiet hours for sleeping time (especially since this is a hostel geared towards folks doing outdoor activities) and 2. Many people do not read their information emails other guests do not adhere to quiet hours. The man to one side of us was incredibly loud upon his arrival around midnight (then snored louder with each breath and we could hear him like he was in bed with us), and the two women on our other side who had been out to a concert beforehand rolled in loud as can be at 1 am and stayed up and loudly partied until 2 or 3 in the morning, even after multiple attempts at asking them to quiet down. To me, especially when the ownership clearly poured a lot of money and intention into this concept, having the rooms appear private with a full opening at the top is a very bizarre design flaw. The second issue that we had was communication from the numbers that you are to text in case of any issues, as

Sarah Petsinger

9 months ago

Extremely clean & new. Simple & convenient. Just the basics you need for a good nights sleep. I had no problem whatsoever with the app checkin/door key. Worked great. Good nights sleep & a clean shower, friendly people.

Lauren Martin

year ago

Had a great stay at Zenith Basecamp! Loved the common area where I got to meet lots of other outdoorsy and adventurous people. The entry room with all the local maps for skiing, hiking, paddling, and biking was such a unique touch. The location was also clutch for a quick walkable night cap at nearby Ursa Minor, and morning coffee Back Alley. The rooms were comfortable and easy to access with the phone app. Lots of info provided before arrival to make things smooth when we got there. Love this mix of outdoorsy adventure, social hub, nice amenities, hostel living! Can’t wait to visit again.

Chase Petron

year ago

The rooms were very clean and cozy. They even include a small camping chair and cooler that you can take out and about with you for while you’re staying in Duluth, and they give the option to buy them to keep if you want. It’s the perfect little spot to stay for people who just need a place to sleep, which when Duluth has so much to offer in general is all most people need. I especially love the community aspect of the this place as well, and surprisingly while we weren’t the only people staying there we wouldn’t know it. Once we got into our individual room we couldn’t hear much of anything. The only thing is that when you’re scanning into the building with the app make sure you have the case off your phone or sometimes it has trouble scanning. This is the only place my wife and I will be staying when we come to Duluth from now on, and I’ll be recommending it to everyone. Thanks so much for a great stay!

Lori-Anne Johnson-Nagy

9 months ago

Stayed here last night on our way up to Superior HT and what a gem. Very clean. Everything you need. Private bathroom, shower and rooms. Information room has plenty of items to help you plan a trip up here. Check in and parking was easy and had a drink at the bar attached before bed. Will definitely stay here again. We need more hostels like these. Reminded me of ones I've stayed in overseas.

Kristi Heintz

8 months ago

We moved from Duluth a few years ago but regularly make an impromptu trip to hit our favorites. We always look for locally owned spots to stay, and love that this place encourages enjoying all the great natural gems this area has to offer. We traveled with our dog and 14 year old and were thrilled to find this spot with a really affordable price point. Super easy reservation, helpful (but not intrusive) staff at check in, the space was exactly as described so we came prepared with all the "camping" creature comforts...but were delighted to find some awesome extras in the shared spaces (we over packed, a good problem to have)! Clean bathrooms, compost bins on each floor!, and really great food/bev options really close. The proximity to a morning hike in Lincoln Park along Miller Creek is underrated. We'll absolutely be back and will probably bring friends. Love this new everyone-friendly space in LNPK!

Megan McNair

8 months ago

It is so so nice to finally have a fun, affordable, pet friendly way to rent a room in Duluth! I am always looking for things that are quirky and unique, independently owned and operated, and allow dogs. Zenith Basecamp checks all the boxes! The rooms are great, there are plenty of bathrooms with showers (3 up and 2-3 downstairs). Don't forget to bring your own towel. The beds are comfortable (sheets and a blanket provided) and yes, you can hear everything because the way the rooms are ventilated is by having slats at the top of the walls for air movement, which (in my opinion) works fine. A hostel (to me) means sharing communal space and being willing be part of a group. Which brings me to the bar... SO MUCH FUN! The bartender was great, the cocktails are super fun and the people were friendly. 10/10 overnight stay!

Michelle A (Shell8)

9 months ago

Stayed here for a mother/daughter getaway. We enjoyed our time SO much we added another day to our trip. Our door key stopped working shortly after arriving but that was resolved very quickly and we had no issues the rest of the time. The bedroom we stayed in had a very comfortable bed and enough space for us both. The bathroom, common space and kitchenette met our needs nicely. The staff we met were so friendly and helpful. Loved shopping at the attached boutique - great items for self and to give as gifts (dont miss out!). Parking was not an issue, we quickly unloaded in the 15 minute parking zone on site and parked in the allocated parking lot a very short and safe walk down the street. Overall we loved it here and will be back. Don't miss out on this gem of a place. Also if you are a light sleeper they provide earplugs - I just travel with a small fan for white noise and had zero issues. One suggestion for the owners - a mirror in each of the rooms would be nice for getting ready if the bathrooms are occupied. Highly recommend this hostel!

Torii Corey

month ago

We stayed here a few weeks ago and loved it! We don't own a cooler so it was really nice that the we could take the one out on our adventures up the north coast. Our room had an ac/heating unit inside of it so we were comfortable when in the room.