HI Washington DC - Hostel

Everyone was friendly and helpful, and the rooms were clean with large lockers. My carry-on and full backpack fit easily. The kitchen was being remodeled, so breakfast was just a croissant and coffee. They offer free tours, but bring a few dollars for the bus. The beds creak a lot, and the bathroom was cold. I don’t think it had any AC or heater. There’s only one elevator, with room for maybe four or five people, so expect to wait if you’re on the 7th or 8th floor. This was my first hostel stay, and it makes sense when you think about how little time you spend in a hotel while out on vacation. The experience was good overall, and I’d recommend it. Good luck in your travels.

A better experience than I expected. The staff were friendly and helpful, started conversations, and answered all my questions. Being right in the heart of Downtown made it easy to get everywhere. It wasn’t as quiet as a nice hotel, but the noise was better than at some motels I’ve stayed in, and I had no trouble sleeping. Well worth the price, and a good stay overall.

This was what I expected from a youth hostel: basic, but clean, with everything you need. The bed felt safe, the bathrooms were clean, and the laundry was good. Breakfast was included, simple but enough to get you going, and I enjoyed chatting with people at the table. They also put together nice gatherings for people traveling solo. The staff were wonderful. At breakfast, a guy with a huge grin welcomed people and explained how things worked. Even when he had to correct my friend, he stayed friendly. It’s a great price, about a three block walk to the metro, next to some very high end hotels, and ten minutes from white house.

I didn’t find the atmosphere very good for meeting people. Many rooms were occupied by school groups or international students who mostly stuck with their own groups, so this may not be the hostel for anyone wanting a relaxed social scene. The rooms were okay, with about what you’d expect from a hostel: beds, lockers, and maybe a chair. The mattresses were noisy when you moved, and curtains would have been a nice touch for privacy. Free breakfast and laundry were available, but there wasn’t much beyond that. The bathrooms were dated but usable, and the shower pressure wasn’t great. There was no bar, just a small downstairs gathering area. Reception staff were friendly on some shifts, though at times requests got half bothered replies that made me feel like an annoyance.