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Mickey
CEO

Mickey’s life is a tale of rags to riches. Mickey was abandoned at the USA Hostels Hollywood hostel when he was just 5 months old. As adorable as he was, the staff took him in and quickly trained him to do their jobs. Before he knew it, he was checking in 20 guests at a time, cleaning the toilets and doing the reports. All this while negotiating contracts with the hostel’s vendors. Realizing that he deserved more for all this than just dog food and belly rubs, he set out to create the world’s best hostel.

Marc Desmarais
Owner

Marc has more than 25 years of experience in the hostel business. Originally from Montreal, Canada, Marc moved to California in 1998 and joined USA Hostels where he helped grow the company into one of North America’s finest chain of hostels. In 2007 he set out with Mickey and Ines to form Apple Hostels, in what they hope will be another success story. At the very least, it should keep them out of trouble for a while.

Marc’s interests include travel, home renovation, hiking and extreme ironing.

MichaelAssistant
General Manager

Born in Florida, Michael (AKA Chuck) Moved to West Philly with their partner over 6 years ago with the intent on setting up permanent roots in the city. A true jack of all trades, they’re passionate about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Chess, Cinema, Dungeons & Dragons, and all matter if outdoor recreation. Michael has been living in West Philadelphia for as long as they’ve been in the city and is more than happy to help you get to know the farther out natural sights that the city has to offer.

Max Svalgard
Night Audit Manager

Max has spent most of his life living in Pennsylvania (so he knows the public transit REALLY well) and has toured the US with his former band nine times. With family from all over the world he’s seen his fair share of it and is looking forward to visiting family in Argentina in the future. Max is an avid fan and member of the Philadelphia Art Museum so feel free to ask him about current and upcoming exhibitions.

Jazz
General Manager

Jasmine has been living in Philly since the end of 2022. She grew up in Buffalo, NY but has traveled all over the states and even has roots in the Hawaiian Islands. Aloha fam!

Her interests involve collecting comics & vinyl. She also loves to cycle around the city to different parks & loves to be by the water!

Jasmine’s knowledge of Philly focuses on community involvement, volunteer opportunities, live music & local events.

A hospitality natural with over 10 years of experience in the industry, her goal is to help curate your journey here at Apple Hostels. Ask her what’s going on in the city during your visit!

Ben
Future Receptionist

Ben is currently in the maturing process and will be joining the team soon!

Evan
Receptionist

Evan grew up in New York but has resided in Philadelphia for the past 15 years. He is our in-house real estate agent and you can come to him with questions if you’re thinking about moving to this wonderful city! In his free time he loves checking out new local restaurants, visiting and learning about historic sites in the city, and checking out music shows.

Danny
Receptionist

Hey there! I’m Danny , originally from San Jose, California, but I’ve spent a lot of time bouncing between there and Philadelphia. With Vietnamese and Jamaican roots, I have a deep love for fashion, music, and delicious food. I’m your go-to person for discovering amazing local Vietnamese cuisine and the coolest cocktail bars around the city. When I’m not here at the hostel, I’m probably hanging out with my cat, Demetrius. I can’t wait to share some great stories and help make your stay awesome!