Wayfarer Hostel Opens

The Wayfarer hostel, nearly two decades in the making, opened at 12 East Montecito Street this week, offering private rooms for $159 a night and beds in shared rooms for $59 a night. The 9,811-square-foot location has 100 beds total, with all-male and all-female rooms available, and 27 parking spots. Amenities include free wireless Internet, a swimming pool, and a community kitchen. The hostel was one of the conditions levied on late actor, winemaker, and DoubleTree owner Fess Parker for approval of a second hotel in 1995; his family is in talks to build a boutique waterfront hotel in the next few years. Construction of the hostel took a little more than a year.