The Traveler’s Rest Hotel Review – Rooms for Groups and More

Note: We stayed at The Traveler's Rest Hotel when it formerly operated as a hostel. Now the hotel has overhauled its offering to offer private rooms for various group sizes with shared facilities and is much more in line with a traditional boutique hotel. As such, we have updated the language of this article accordingly.

As avid travelers, we've done our fair share of overnight stays in hostels and boutique hotels- from $3 hole-in-the-walls in central China to high-end lodge-esque accommodations dedicated to hikers in Patagonia. Whenever we need to travel economically, we look toward shared dorms and private rooms in order to meet our travel goals.

One thing that always bothered me about the Pittsburgh hotel scene is that our budget and boutique hotel offering is much more limited compared to chain offerings.

Traveler's Rest is one boutique hotel that opened up in South Side near Station Square and it certainly fills a need!

I was invited to the hotel for an overnight stay and wanted to share a bit more about this hidden gem in the South Side.

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Cambod-Ican Kitchen Review – Go for the Cambodian Staples

If you find yourself in South Side and are looking for dinner, or a late night snack, or a late late night snack, a visit to Cambod-Ican Kitchen may be for you. This particular spot serves staples from Cambodia from 6pm until 3 or 4 am!

So if you are in the mood for a different kind of Asian fare, you may want to try this one out!

During my first visit I opted for a Cambodian classic which hit the spot!

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The Colombian Spot Review – Go for the Arepas

The Colombian Spot is a casual restaurant in the South Side and Oakland with a menu full of authentic Colombian dishes like arepas, empanadas, ropa vieja, tostones, and bandeja paisa.

There aren't too many places in Pittsburgh where you can find Colombian food, which is why we're super happy that The Colombian Spot exists and is delicious to boot.

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Ascend Pittsburgh – Rock Climbing and Bouldering in South Side

When we heard that Pittsburgh was getting a rock climbing gym within the city limits, I was pretty excited. (Angie, not so much.)

I had tried this activity out a few times when I was in college, but in being a college student couldn't quite afford to go as much as I would like.

I knew that once Ascend opened at their location in the South Side I would have to go and see if I still enjoy it as much as I remember, and of course had to drag Angie along with me for her first rock climbing experience as well.

As it turns out, I like rock climbing now even more than I remember, and even Angie was on board with it after we got there!

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Dive Bar Review – A Modern Gastropub in Lawrenceville

Dive Bar is, in contrast with its name, a modern gastropub with three locations in the area in Lawrenceville, South Side, and Wexford. The menu features several standard bar favorites like burgers and wings but mixes it up with some twists including unique appetizers and sandwiches. They've also got a great happy hour deal which is $2 off draft beer and half off appetizers.

We visited the Lawrenceville location recently for happy hour and were pleasantly surprised at our meal. We thought Dive Bar was going to be just another mediocre bar in the sea of many in Lawrenceville, but there were a few things that set it apart.

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Club Cafe Review – A South Side Bar for Amazing Live Music

Club Cafe in Pittsburgh's South Side is a unique performing arts venue in that it is incredibly small, yet attracts some of the best up-and-coming musicians there are.

So when the guitarist of one of our favorite bands (Chris Eldridge from the two-time Grammy nominated Punch Brothers) came into town to perform with one of his closest friends (guitarist Julian Lage- Grammy nominated for the Best Contemporary Jazz album), we bought tickets in a heart-beat.

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Acacia Review – A Fabulous Speakeasy in South Side

In a neighborhood where it would seem almost impossible for a business to be hidden away, especially one that serves alcohol, the South Side cocktail bar known as Acacia is just that.

Ringing true to their speakeasy theme, this spot should be on your list of places to seek out in the city if you are in the mood for a superb drink.

If you can find it, that is.

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The Grand Concourse Brunch is a Classic Pittsburgh Tradition

Brunch at the Grand Concourse in South Side is perhaps one of the most classic and loved Pittsburgh experiences.

Although we'd visited several years ago, we recently made a return trip to refresh our memory on why this spot is so beloved by Pittsburghers.

It didn't take long to remember- the stunning and grandiose architecture of an old train station is a fitting backdrop to the decadence and grandeur of the buffet.

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