This place is a little over 1/2 hour away from Tacoma area, yet its in rural part of Washington, at the east end of Alder Lake, about 20 miles from Mt. Rainier. Technology is not their strong point, as you have to call to make a reservation. You don't get an email confirmation but a verbal one, so you just hope that the confirmation code they give you is legit (it was). And there's no WiFi here. Verizon users have about 2 bars LTE, but T-Mobile users get zero service. Fortunately Stephen was able to tether off my iPhone and used it as a hotspot. We arrived at 7:30 pm, and the sun was just starting to set. When you drive to the caboose, there's a sign that says the registration is n the Dining Car a block behind you. It was walkable, but we drove to the "first' dining car, and sure enough, you sign in at the bar. Word to the wise: get here when the sun is up. There is a gas station / convenience store and espresso stand across the road. When we got there at 7:30, I don't recall it if was open. When I peeked outside around 9:00, the place was dark. Arriving with the sun still up will help you find your caboose. At 7:30, it was hard to find our caboose, because the number is posted on the door, and not all the doors are facing the same way. We had caboose #4, which was the yellow one. I wish the gal who checked us in told us the color, instead of us blindly looking. The caboose share a wooden platform staircase, which should help you determine where the front door is. Caboose #4 had a hot tub, and was more spacious than I was expecting it to be. The room had a queen size bed (although lumpy), a tv that had no reception, but they did provide you with a fridge, a variety of VCR tapes with movies ranging from comedy to horror to drama. If you have VCR tapes at home, bring one! On a table, they provided a coffee machine, packets of Maxwell House coffee, 2 non caffeinated teas, and a bucket for ice... only there's no instructions where to find ice. We went to the Pizza car, where they told Stephen to go to the Dining car. The car was empty but luckily a worker came out, and got him a bucket with ice. The bathroom was spacious, and had a decent size hot tub. The water took a while to fill up and you really had to read the instructions on where to find the knob to turn on the timer, where to start the hot tub, and which dial to increase the pressure of the jets. Once you figure that out, it was a nice relaxing hot tub. The Hobo Inn provided us with 2 bath towels, 4 washcloths, and 2 hand towels. We got 3 dinky bar of soap (so BYO if you want soap) and 2 tubes of shampoo and lotion.. except one of my bottle of lotion looked used as the cap had lotion smeared inside. The place was clean, but its definitely no frills. Its a motel for sure. One Yelp review said they got breakfast included with their rate. I was told in check in that information was wrong. I could not find any information on their web site which proved it did or did not come with breakfast. Overall not a bad stay. They charge your room upon arrival and they do take credit cards. Aside from the no breakfast included miscommunication, I can't really find anything bad. Oh, the Dining Car does not open until 9:00 am, so don't try to check out beforehand. We were lucky that a "kitchen help" found us wandering the area at 8:30 and took the key from us. read more

See all

For one is the price and two is the value of what you are paying for?Must of the hotels has a continental breakfast and they don't but the Hobo restaurant and pizza is one of the most expensive place in Washington State too and it's not even good plus I would not even let my service dog eat it too read more

We stayed at The Hobo Inn due to limited hotel options in the area and were intrigued by its unique concept. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to our expectations. The King Suite with jet tub was just a basic bathtub in a less-than-clean bathroom, not the hot tub-style experience advertised on the website. The space felt cramped, floors were sticky, and overall cleanliness was lacking. At $250 a night, it was overpriced for what we got. Fun idea, but we likely won't return. p.s. don't plan on watching any Tv! All they had in our room was a TV with a built in DVD player and a small selection of movies. read more

See all

Clean room, Nice young man who checked us in! Confirmation of your reservation recommend, they failed to have ours!

I really wanted to like it. It is unique.But no food when they advertised having breakfast was bad....thin towels was not fun....but someone sideswiped my car while it was parked next to the caboose and there was no one to call. The police would not even come out. The estimate is 6900 dollars in damage. I was scared to come out of the room to investigate. read more

I enjoyed my stay here although we arrived late and every business nearby was closed. The Hobo Inn is very quirky as they provide you with random DVD movies you can watch. Overall the experience was fun and worthwhile. Its a short drive to rainier national park. read more

Hobo Inn - The Hobo In cars! - Hotels Near Me - Elbe, Washington

See all

Accommodations were fabulous, the train cabins were cute and very spacious and had everything we needed. We loved the history binder too!

Beautiful spot! Which is why it's such a shame one of the workers is incredibly rude and unhelpful. Hope you don't try getting help from her. read more

Caboose rooms is a great concept if you are going to stay here in the summer make sure you don't get caboose #9 it has no a/c we were not made aware of this when booking we arrived to go on the scenic train to the museum checked in went to our caboose and all it had were 2 cheap fans in it thank god we only booked 1 night we ended up driving home because the heat was unbearable inside the room big waste of $145 it would be nice if the disclosed this information of no a/c when you call to book probably will not stay here again thought it would be cool for anniversary but ended up being a hot unbearable waste of money read more

This was the coolest thing I've done in a long time. This quirky little hotel has it's niche. Old train caboose cars lined up on a detached track. Converted into hotel rooms. Figuring out where to check in can be confusing.. (Check in at the dinning car next door) I hear they even have a jacuzzi in one of them. The scenery is postcard worthy with a cozy feel. I loved it.. We are going back!!! read more

See all

Just a note: The "filtered" review by Jackie W. Kelso, WA is as complete as mine or the other review shown. And it is accurate. As usual Yelp's filters are garbage. As long as you realize you are staying in restored antiques (and make allowances for that) this will be a great experience. I am putting the pros and cons below, but I suggest you stay here (if you can) even if the cons bother you. Pros: You get to stay in a CABOOSE! COOL! You support the preservation of vintage railways. They're cute. It's pretty much the only place to stay in town. It has a full service restaurant, bar, and they are in DINING CARS! COOL! Bar looked nice, I don't say that about many bars. Breakfast is included. No smoking in rooms. Air conditioned Quiet peaceful. Close to national park. Fairly clean. It's next door to (and associated with) the Scenic Steam Train. Cons: Steep steps (pretty sure no handicapped rooms) The inside of a caboose would be a great place for a kid to get hurt if you don't keep 'em from it. Staff seems a little paranoid. Maybe it's justified given the tourists going by. Various things, just an example, you can't look at a room before you pay, you might use the bathroom or track in dirt. I guess no staff to walk you over? May be a little pricey for some folks: $126 (I recall) But as they pointed out, with breakfast, that close to the park, it's fair. Spider webs, lots on outside, some on inside. In the one I stayed in, the fixtures were ok, but not "hotel" level. In other words, if a smallish shower stall bugs you :( I was ok with it. AC blows on bed. Most windows don't open. Our breakfasts, while large, were not the greatest. I've had much worse but... It the kind of place that puts kid's rainbow sugar sprinkles on the whip cream on the powdered sugar that is on the Belgian waffle. No maple trees were bothered for the "maple" syrup - just high fructose corn. The berry sauce for the waffles was pretty synthetic tasting. My bacon was good. Eggs were fine. Pancakes and waffles were ok. Non dairy creemers, milk on request. My suggestions: Go for meat and things that they are unlikely to sweeten. Bottom line: I don't mean to run them down, but I like a good diner / greasy spoon breakfast, ie not healthy, but worth it, this one was not worth it. Maybe ordering something different would have helped, maybe if we stayed again... But I wouldn't stop for breakfast if I was going by. All that "con" stuff aside: It was fun, it was unique, I'd stay again. But I wouldn't recommend it to the 5 star resort crowd. read more

We stayed here out of emergency when we had car trouble and it was the only place in town. It was the most expensive night on our trip at around $120 for a 2 bed room but it is in a restored caboose which was a first for two of the group. The room was clean and had a VCR with videos so we got our retro on as there was nothing much else to do. Its a nice place for a novelty stay but if you expect anything fancy go somewhere else also the only food here is also out of a train as is the bar and pizza place. Staff were helpful in lending there phone and advice which was helpful. read more

This is an authentic railroad car inn. The people who run this place are very helpful and friendly. If you're a little adventuresome and you're looking for a different experience this is it. Each railroad car is a separate room. The amenities are simple and down to earth. It has a lot of charm. If you're looking for a high-end hotel with swimming pool cable TV and internet this ain't the place for you. If you can step back in time just a little and enjoy the hobo Inn for The rustic charm that it is you will have a very nice stay. read more

Nice novelty for my son but even he (at 9) was afraid of the shower! It was $126 for the night and the bed was fine and shower hot so by Hobo standards it was pretty swell. read more

Hobo Inn - Hotels Near Me - Elbe, Washington

We stayed here the night before we took the steam train ride. We almost blew past it on the road, because it's literally just a bunch of little cabooses right next to the road. Of note, we lost all cell reception, on AT&T. Nada, zip, nothing. It's a little confusing to check in, but we eventually walked into the lounge, and the wait gal checked us in. The staff were super nice, and very friendly. The caboose was very clean, and well maintained. There is a steep step up, so if mobility issues are a thing, this might be a no-go. There was air conditioning in our caboose, and we sure needed it because it was such a hot day. It had the added benefit of drowning out road and train noises. The bathroom was well stocked with towels, soaps, and shampoos. The little table we had, had a coffee maker. There are two little stores across the street, but they are hit or miss, and I could not figure out their hours. The bed was a bit more of an issue. My husband is 6'4" tall, and I am a 5'6" guy. Together on that bed was a bit of an issue. It wasn't a standard queen by any stretch, and I literally got bumped out of the bed at one point. Poor hubby had to sleep kind of catty corner to keep his feet on the bed. I mean, don't get me wrong, the bed was super clean, and comfortable, just if you are bigger folk, it might not be the most comfortable. There are two little gas station shops across from the hotel. They seem to close early, and open a little later than expected. We ate at the lounge, and the staff were amazing. The food was decent, and the drinks were strong enough. We'll probably due this again, but at least we know the cell reception is nil, and the bed is small. read more

Neat place to bring the kids... I wouldn't typically give this type of place a "4 Star" but I think it's neat for what it's worth. They didn't have a key drop off box for in the morning and the registration place was locked up so we thought that was a bit odd. But the kids really enjoyed it. read more

Enjoyed our stay at the Hobo Inn! I thought my boyfriend would get a kick out of sleeping in a caboose and I was right. Very cute room, air conditioned, mini fridge, table and chairs, tv to play vhs movies (we watched Forrest Gump!), bathroom with shower... everything you need. Was this super fancy? No, of course not. You're sleeping in a converted rail car, not the Ritz! The room was clean and quiet and the staff was great! No cell service or WiFi which, to me was a plus. It's nice to unplug for awhile. Had dinner in the lounge car. Again, cute atmosphere, server was great! They could probably put a little more effort into their food. It was a little overpriced and nothing to write home about. I figure, it's probably difficult to get a great chef to move to Elbe to work so I'll cut them some slack. Rode the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad the next morning - it was lovely and we had a blast! It would be nice to see more seats filled on the train! I'd hate to see it go under because not enough folks experienced it! read more

I stayed here a few weeks ago and I am still thinking back on it fondly. It was clean, cozy, and safe as a young woman traveling alone. They were very accommodating with my late check in time. I am counting the days until I can go back! read more

This was an anniversary trip my partner and I were planning for our first ever visit to the Rainier area. I stumble onto trendy things like these every once in a while and think "how fun". We are both outdoor enthusiasts and she has a pure love for trains, so I thought this would be the ultimate "hubby points" type of pairing for a solid weekend. We ended up booking two nights in #6 (The Caboose Suite) with the Jacuzzi tub and I had put in for the "romance package" for one of the nights. We had to work the night of arrival, so we got in late and had to coordinate with them to get the key because they close things down at 9 PM. Wasn't too much of an issue, but when we got there, a small mix up on the schedule happened where they weren't anticipating us until the next night. There is no electronic confirmation or booking, and we had put in for this two months prior. Luckily, nobody was in the room and we didn't have any issue like a previous review stated where a similar incident left them without a room. So we got the schedule snafu fixed easily enough. The room was exactly like what we expected. It was a pain in ass to get into as it took me the entire trip to master how to negotiate the door/locks efficiently. But once we got in, it was definitely maintained nicely, clean, and some may call it a musky smell, but I would call it more vintage/authentic. I don't know how the heck they got a king sized bed in the bedroom section, but there it was. A connected coil system that wasn't half bad in the not too firm, not too soft category. And I didn't even expect there to be a small tv either (no cable, but there is a dvd player in case you want to bring some of your favorite movies). The Jacuzzi tub I am sure is a nice draw to the room. We were warned that it takes about 20 minutes to fill, but it was more like 30-40. And we found out the first night that the water turns cold if left for too long, so it was more luke warm than anything, though the jets work wonderfully. My advice is to turn the water off after 10-15 for a few minutes so you can get the heat back and get it to the desired temperature. The shower, though in an expected tight space, is equally nice in the water pressure/heat department. Though a previous review stated that while there are some small soap bars, be sure to bring your own shampoo/bathing supplies or be prepared to purchase them from the shopping center on the other side of the road. So it took a little troubleshooting, but we got through the first night okay and slept rather well. We made a joke that the temperature for the cars/rooms is like camping in a way. Feels warm and insulated at night and very nippy and crisp the next morning. The next day we were going to spend all day in the mountains. I was putting the bed somewhat back together for room service when my partner reminded me that it was the reason we pre-paid with the tip and that they would handle it as well as set up whatever the "romance package" was. We ate a nice and simple breakfast in the rail road dining car before setting out for the day. When we returned that afternoon, we were a little surprised that the room hadn't been touched. Bed was still where we left it, no new towels, and we didn't see a sign of the romance package. I took a quick shower to wash the mountain off while she did a quick turn to the front office to inquire. When she got back, there was somebody there to look into it and find out what happened. Regarding the "romance package", I didn't exactly know what it entailed or what it actually cost, but the person who came over told me to check the fridge. Low and behold, the romance package was there. Two chilled glasses filled with some chocolates and a bottle of Riesling(retail about $15 total). So the romance package was taken care of, but we never had any more follow up with room service. Being it was a Sunday night, everything in the town shuts down pretty early and there isn't anybody to really contact for pertinent things. So we took care of tidying up the bed and just reused the towels we had from the day and night prior. But hey, we were that much more savvy with the Jacuzzi tub this go around and got the temperature super nice, so HA. Check out the next day was 11 AM. Not a problem because we had to get on the road to fit in one last hike before venturing home. We got everything packed and were ready to hit the road, but found out everything was still locked up until 10 AM. So be advised that all check out action must happen in the hour window provided. We had to rush though so we left the key and its cute train key chain with a note at the front and scooted out. I loved the concept of this place and we had a great time in the mountains overall. It was fun and they kept it clean. But for 2 nights, the pre-paid tip for "room service", and the "romance package", the bill was $490. I'm all for memorable experiences, but solid quality service needs to come with those kinds of prices. read more

We had to give this place a try as my husband is a railroad employee!! Gave this a 2 star rating because it was not a great place but not a bad place either. Pros: Very Unique. Clean. Air Conditioning. Comes with full breakfast served next door in the dining car. Bar was nice - ate dinner in there and then played the pinball machine. Military Discounts. Cons: Lock on first unit (car #1) didn't work - had to move to another unit (car #5) - husband kept having to run back and forth to dining car (in the rain/mud at 10pm), which is the hotel office. Small showers. No seating in room. No phone, no televisions, no wireless (okay unless you have kids-which we don't). They do have a small tv for movies but it is for VHS. Could only preview room through a tiny window. Outdated furnishings. Small, sqeaky beds. No hairdryer in unit #5 - which the staff told me there would be. Very Steep steps to get into unit - would not be easy for elderly or handicapped. Lot is in need of gravel with several large potholes and is very muddy. Finally, I think it is pricey for the overall condition of the units. If you factor in that you get breakfast - it is a little better. Meal prices are on the expensive side - would not have eaten there if not for staying there. No discounts for AAA, AARP or railroad employees!! All in all, this was a unique, one time experience. read more

It's not a 4 star hotel like Seattle. This is Elbe folks. But for the town and location it's 4 stars. The beds and pillows are comfy. It's very clean and tidy. Each room is an old train car. We stayed in the red caboose car and you can sit in little couches in the top of the caboose and look out! My 7 yr old son thought this place was the best thing since sliced bread. If your kid loves trains stay here! Fairly moderate price. Not bad. The restaurant is great; great homemade food. And the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad is steps away. What a great find. Friendly little town. Each train car has its own bathroom, shower, TV, and fridge. read more

This Awesome!!! a hotel made from old railroad cars. Who wouldn't want to spend the night in that!!!

Loved staying in a Caboose as our accommodations for the night. A few things worth noting: 1. The caboose we had, had a lumpy wobbly bed, which wasn't a big deal. 2. The lights outside were bright, so we ended up unscrewing one of the light bulbs on the porch (there was still quite a bit of light pollution inside from the street lamps). 3. Trains noises can be heard throughout the night. 4. The morning we woke up, the water line was broken and there was no water. The waitress at the restaurant had great service. Each time she came to our table she would state, "Woot, woot here I come!" The novelty of staying in a caboose far outweighed the items mentioned above. read more

The concept for this hotel is awesome, but we were really disappointed. The train car we were in was filthy and all we had were wash cloths. No hand towels or bath towels. We asked the bartender when we went to dinner and she said she would call the housekeeper (her daughter) to see what happened and provide us with towels, but they never arrived. We found hairs from several people on the pillows which tells me that the cases were not changed. If you decide to stay here, please keep in mind there is no tv other than an old vhs player, no wifi and no phones. I have ATT for cellular and did not have service. They also asked at check in if I wanted to tip the housekeeper. I heard about tipping them on cruises but not at a hotel! We just thought it was odd. read more

Went here in the off season. Although the idea for a hotel in a railroad car is pretty sweet, the room we stayed in had a musty smell and was a little run down. read more

My wife had a coupon to ride the train, and a weekend getaway was overdue, so we tried the Hobo Inn and the dining car restaurant one Saturday night. It's a great idea for a hotel, but needs some work. I stay in lots of hotels on business and in an old theme venue don't expect the same standards, but the rooms aren't clean. Ours had half-empty shampoo bottles and someone else's half used soap in the bathroom. For what we paid it wasn't worth it, even with the "free" breakfast which consisted of OK eggs and very crumbly pancakes that needed lot's of syrup. The restaurant service is wonderful, nice people; the hotel is another story-- rushed into taking the room, no chance to check out the others, and no response when we asked if they had any other VHS movies on hand (who wants to watch "Glitter?"). We were glad to check out, and if we ever stay down that way again will look for a decent motel. read more

We booked a premium room (Caboose) with a spa tub. Checked in and turned on the AC since it was a very hot day. After going on the train tour we returned to the room to find that the AC was not working. At the front desk I waited for another customer who was there complaining that his AC wasn't working. They told me to shut off the AC and turn it back on in a few minutes so it can "reset". That failed to have any effect. The front desk personnel left at 9 pm. No help was to be found. After a difficult night in 90 plus temperatures in the room I went to the front desk to speak to the manager. The manager could not be bothered to come out and speak to me. The only person available basically told me that it was a hot night and you can always open the windows- Did I mention it was over 90 degrees out? She then told me that since they are the only hotel in town that nonworking AC is not a big deal. There is hotels about 10 minutes away. This establishment does not deserve anyone's business. read more

If you are looking for a 4 star hotel, pass this one by, you won't like it. It is "rustic" and no frills. the bathroom is tiny with a tiny shower, and not much knee room on the commode,the sink is outside of the bathroom in the sleeping area. There was a coffee maker with sugar, powdered creamer, coffee and cups, a hair dryer and a refrigerator.There was no network TV service or cable, but there was a TV that played VHS movies and a basket of various mostly family type videos, and there were some children's games in the closet. Everything about the room and furnishings was functional and no frills. If you're a RR enthusiast, you will enjoy all of the RR cars and artifacts in and around the Hobo Inn. . We stayed in the red caboose #3. There was an easy chair in the room and 2 double beds, as well as a little desk built in and an observation seating area above that gave a great view above the roof. There was no cell phone service and no phone in the caboose. Wi Fi is not available. This is a small town, there are 2 general stores, 2 churches, a coffee hut and a little drive in restaurant ( which was closed when we were there in Sept.) as well as the Mt. Ranier Scenic RR which was running a special event excursion the day we were there so we had the thrill of seeing 2 steam engines working the tracks, and the Hobo Inn, with dining and a lounge called the SideTrack. Lodging rates were similar in the other motels we checked on the road out of Mt. Ranier, however the Hobo has breakfast included, the food is not gourmet, but the portions are large. the eggs & ham were excellent, I was not fond of the hash browns. I never order pancakes or waffles when dining out for breakfast because it is a given that REAL maple syrup will not be served with them. It worked out well for us and we chose this place for the unique experience of staying in a genuine caboose, it will make a great story to tell the folks back home. read more

As long as you know your NOT staying in a 5 * hotel your in great shape. These old historic caboose's for as old as they are are in great shape. The owner has put a lot of time & effort in to preserving the historic nature of these Caboose's. All the rooms have a little different theme. They even have 1 with a jetted tub in it. The cupola's are & addition to the excitement. Not only do kids adore trains but adults do TOO !! The rooms include breakfast in the resturant which I must say... They have the best hashbrowns I have ever tasted... The ham steak is HUGE !!! The staff is friendly & 1 gal has come back to work for the daughter which took over for her dad who founded this place. She's been with this company for 15 years, which say's WOW to me!!! Dawn definately takes pride in this place, & her husband (the bartender) makes the best long island ice teas ever!!! She does Karaoke there, & she sings like an angel... She is what makes this place a total package.... Stop by & see for yourself. I dare you...to say anything different !!! read more