Reviews of Hostelling International – Washington, DC

15 November 2012 Keeley would recommend this property

Liked: - The free breakfast! Absolutely delicious, such a good way to start each day. - Free tours and activities. They're a great way to see something new and meet new people, and the volunteers are so friendly. - Good location, close to attractions but in a quieter area. - Things like free area maps and cheap laundry facilities are awesome. Tip: Eating in the area is expensive, but Wok & Roll (604 H Street, Chinatown) is amazing value for money. It's expensive like everywhere else, but actually cheaper than the surrounding restaurants. It serves sushi, but the Chinese dishes are best value and definitely worth a try. Drink water with rice, it's free and doesn't fill you up.

Disliked: - The wifi doesn't reach the bedrooms! This is the only real negative point, but it also makes you socialise since you have to sit in a public area to use Internet. - The atmosphere was good everywhere but the dorm rooms. Maybe it was just my room, but this is the only hostel I've been to where nobody spoke to each other in the dorm and it felt a bit uncomfortable.

15 November 2012 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: The staff

Disliked: The noise in the rooms

05 November 2012 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: good location. Very nice staff.

Disliked: The plugs in the room or the cafeteria are rare and sometimes doesn't work. this is something that should be improved

31 October 2012 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Good location downtown washington dc.

Disliked: Mediocre bathrooms. Staff mediocre.

24 October 2012 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Loved this hostel, definitely better than its NYC counterpart, close to all the monuments

Disliked: Showers are pretty small and dodgy and the bathrooms smelt but that would be my only issue

22 October 2012 Ping would recommend this property

Liked: Location is perfect and the guider books are very good.

Disliked: Too less choice for breakfast. Maybe fried eggs and more fruites will be even better.

11 October 2012 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Location, extra free activities (Manny's concert)

Disliked: No hot water - on several days. First in the evening. Then I was told it was fixed. Next morning no hot water, later that day no hot water. The staff was generally excellent, however one in particular ignored customers and was rude.

03 October 2012 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: The breakfast

Disliked: Check in was extremely slow! A bunch of Europeans checked in before me and the staff were slow, inefficient and disorganized checking them in which made me missed the last tour of Engraving & Printing. I had to wait till Monday to join the tour again, but that was the day I was leaving Washington!!! That really pissed me off!!! Also, those European left there luggages scattered around the lobby and they stood and sat everywhere making it hard for guests to walk by them, they didn't even budge. The staff should have told them to step aside and place all their bags against the corner and should've told them to get documents & money ready instead of chit chatting w/ them. Geesh, this is basic knowledge of handling situations, they need more training!!! Didn't like the dark washrooms and I had to keep pumping the tap for water to come out. I know the hostel wants to conserve water. Why not install sensor taps? It's more hygenic too. I didn't enjoy paying for the lockers when the NEW hostels in Chicago and Boston didn't charge me!

29 September 2012 Aaron Paolo would recommend this property

Liked: Complimentary wifi in the lobby and somehow, the location.

Disliked: Bathroom. Could have been better. But not that bad either.

29 September 2012 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Good breakfast.

Disliked: There were no Wi-fi connections inside the room.

27 September 2012 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: This is my first time hostel experience, I would say if you just want an cheap overnight stay at such expensive city like DC, this hostel almost give you everything, and the location is very good.

Disliked: First night I didn't get good sleep, because there had an homeless like stinking old man on my lower bed, the horrible odor was a nightmare in such a small room that ten persons were living. Although this is not hostel fault, the hostel should mandate the basic sanitation and personal hygiene rules to the guest when they check in, such an awful smell is really offensive to other nine persons. If the guest don't want to follow it, they should be warned in advance to be evicted out before they evict out other roommates.

25 September 2012 Andrew would recommend this property

Liked: Location

Disliked: Nothing

13 September 2012 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Comfortable, central, secure

Disliked: Nothing

03 September 2012 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Great location. Had free events and tours

Disliked: Nothing

23 August 2012 Oduwole would recommend this property

Liked: The lovely and delicious breakfast

Disliked: wi fii internet should be available on all floors

22 August 2012 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: One of the best hostels I've stayed so far!!! Amazing location in the middle of DC, amazing atmosphere, a lot of events for guests (free tours, concerts, dinner nights etc.), kitchen with a lot of free food, everything was clean, staff is extreamly friendly and ready to help with everything! And the philosophy of HI about travelling, ecology etc. is really inspiring! My first and incredibly great experience with HI!! I am sure its the best hostel for backpackers in Washington!

Disliked: Customer left no negative feedback.

06 August 2012 Shun would recommend this property

Liked: worth it, it gives me a good experience.

Disliked: nothing

27 July 2012 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: The daily free tours and trips were great and the volunteers were super enthusiastic.

Disliked: The lift was very slow, but there were 2 sets of stairs so it was easily avoided. The staff were a little unhelpful when we asked to turn the airconditioner down in our freezing room.

17 July 2012 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Feels very secure. Breakfast was good. Not too far from the main sights, close enough to metro too.

Disliked: The guy at breakfast gets a little annoying after a while (we only stayed two days, so I'd say after the first day...)

10 July 2012 Dusan would recommend this property

Liked: Location and staff

Disliked: No comments

04 July 2012 Peter would recommend this property

Liked: This was my first stay at a hostel in many years. I am now nearly 60 years old and was a bit apprehansive about being the old guy staying with a bunch of young guys. But my experience was great. I felt welcomed and not at all out of place. Great affordable place to stay. Highly recommended.

Disliked: AC was not what is needed to be. Way too hot in many rooms.

27 June 2012 Dean would recommend this property

Liked: Nice location and nice spacious clean rooms. Staff were friendly and helpful. Breakfast guy really made you feel welcome and brought everyone together in the morning. Pool table and piano were good additions.

Disliked: Not enough communal space. Often no seats remaining. Slightly more expensive than other hotels. Air con was very cold at night particularly on beds near it.

12 June 2012 Kathy would recommend this property

Liked: CLEAN!!! and very well-located, I was especially impressed with the laminated information cards located in the rooms to find essentilas such as the Post Office, Metro Station to the airport, varieities of nearby restaurants, etc. Even though I did not take part in the free tours offered by the hostel, I was amazed that they offer the free service.

Disliked: One negative that needs to be taken care of IMMEDIATELY: As the mother of Marine Lcpl Chris Dyer, KIA 8/3/2005 Iraq.......I was dismayed to see posters in the elevators and hallways advertising a tour of ~IOWA JIMA Memorial, as opposed to IWO JIMA Memorial. This is embarrassing! They need to re-do the posters with the correct spelling|!!!!!

11 June 2012 Beverly would recommend this property

Liked: Excellent place to stay, great staff, very helpful, great character

Disliked: Not a real dislike but elevator was pretty slow, but it is what it is....was fun anyways

01 June 2012 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: The staff were very helpful, and (like all HI hostels) a safe bet to stay

Disliked: They messed up my booking, and it took a while to figure out what to do with me