About Us

A long time ago, on a far away, tiny, tropical island, a tanned and handsome young Canadian man (Steve) met a pretty but pale young Australian girl (Glenys). Fate smiled on their romance. They travelled the globe before eventually settling back in Australia. Being an oil field worker in the outback, and an adventure travel agent meant ongoing travel and adventure for the couple, but the north wind was tugging hard at the man and he eventually managed to pry the girl away from her home, and together with their two children, Kieran and Lara (who were too young to have a say in the matter), they packed up their suitcases, and moved to the other side of the globe to create The WhiteHouse Backpackers Lodge, in the not so tropical, but oh so lovely town of Nelson, BC.

For Steve who always loved Nelson (he was born in Creston and spent his childhood in the Kootenays), it was a chance to share his passion about the town and the area with not only his family, but with like minded visitors from around the world. Steve has stayed in many hostels over the years, good and bad, gleaning ideas about what makes a hostel great, and after much planning, effort and expense he put the best of these ideas into The WhiteHouse.

Nelson is easy to fall in love with, and we welcome the chance to offer you a warm and comfortable base for some romance of your own.