Hostelling International

This hostel is superb, not only as a hostel but because it has so many amenities going for it. We stayed here because we bicycled here from Pittsburgh, PA along the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) and C & O Towpath and needed something convenient to the trail and central to many of the attractions in D. C and with bike storage while being affordable.
This lodging option met all our needs and so much more and came highly recommended by many who went before us on this bicycle journey.
Let me highlight what I loved:
Rooms: Both co-​ed and gender-​specific dorm-​style rooms with bunk beds and private lockers in the room (bring your own lock or buy one for 4.00). The beds were comfortable enough and linens/​blankets/​pillows and one towel (no washcloth) are provided. On the wall by your bed is your own individual light and electrical sockets (thankful to have an easy place to recharge the phone). Each room is locked and you have your own key. My husband’s and my room was a co-​ed room and had I think 12 beds situated such that they were not all next to one another and they gave some semi-​private space the way they were situated. Maybe I got lucky, but my roommates for the 3 nights were very quiet and showed an extreme amount of courtesy during nighttime hours.
Restrooms: Communal restrooms — one for Men; one for Women on the floor. The Women’s had 3 toilet stalls and 3 shower stalls with a dispenser containing one product that was both shampoo and soap in one. There was a hairdryer in the restroom and 4 sinks, each with mirror space. The restroom was generally very clean; can’t account for an odd soul not keeping it that way until the next cleaning.
Food: This particular hostel included free breakfast you serve yourself in a dining room on a separate floor starting at 7am. Among the offerings: cereal, bagels, bread for toasting, coffee, juice, apples, pastry. There is a full kitchen and you can bring your own food, keep it in cubbies marked with your name in the kitchen, and cook yourself. Breakfast dishes are washed for you; all other meals you cook you’ll clean yourself.
Vending machines: There are vending machines for soft drinks (thank goodness) at 1.00 each.
Bike storage: There are bike racks under roof in the back of the building inside a locked gated area. Bring your lock.
Laundry: There is a laundry room in the basement with 2 washers and I think 4 dryers. A wash is 1.00, as is a dryer cycle which was about 45 minutes. There is also an iron and ironing board. You can get detergent there plus change or ask the front desk for change (quarters).
Amenities: I saw 2 guitars in a common sitting area, games, books, a pool table, an outdoor sitting area with tables/​chairs out back, free sun-​screen at the front desk, a sign-​up sheet for free tours of D.C.
Location: Whether by bike, subway, bus, or on foot, you are in the middle of it all. Shopping is within a few blocks of walking (I hit CVS, Walgreens, the Gap, and H&M while here). We hopped on a subway to head to the Zoo then on to the Strathmore Museum. We biked to the White House and all the monuments, memorials, and museums nearby but it’s close enough to walk, as well. Plus we biked to Arlington Cemetery. And, we were very close to Union Station to catch Amtrak for the ride home.
Price: Our total bill for 3 nights for the 2 of us was 276.00 with free breakfast.
The place is excellent for a lodging option and the staff courteous and helpful every step of the way.
I highly recommend and would stay here again.
TIP: Umm, gals. Get a combination lock, not a keyed lock for your locker. Why? When you put your lock key in your purse (you know you will), then your purse in the locker and lock your locker (you know you will), you’ll smack your head at that very moment, a second too late. And, how will you now get your locker open, you ask? Why simple. The front desk will hand you huge cutters to cut thru that damned lock you most likely just purchased from them. How do I know this, you ask? Yeah, me and at least one other I ran into during my stay.

Good facilities and location. The beds were extremely noisey, you could hear every time someone moved, which wasn’t the best. Otherwise everything else with the room is what you expect with a hostel. The crowd seemed to be generally older not sure if that’s because it’s DC or not. I’ve experienced that the HI hostels don’t have as chilled and friendly vibe as other hostels, same as the one in San Diego.

I stayed at the HI DC for two nights and shelled out less than $ 79, which would maybe (MAYBE) get me one half of one night in any nearby hotel. As a bargain hunter, I appreciated this, and I also appreciated the free breaky with unlimited carbs and cream cheese.
The hostel reminded me of the typical college dorm– it’s not sparkling, but it’s clean and functional. The 10-​person rooms are equipped with assigned bunk beds and lockers large enough to fit a carry-​on sized bag and then some. The kitchen smells like a high school cafeteria, but there’s enough fridge space to store leftovers and they’ll wash your dishes if you finish your breakfast between 7 and 10. Also, free bananas for all, all the time.
My favorite part of staying here was meeting fellow hostel-​goers. I was surprised but impressed by the number of older folk staying there, and there were tons of international guests. I ended up hanging out with a group of folks from all over the world that I met through the hostel, and we had a blast.
There are free special events and tours that you can take advantage of, so ask the front desk staff for more info.

A very clean hostel compared to some I’ve stayed at. I saw a guy cleaning baseboards. That’s a first. I don’t even clean baseboards regularly in my own home lol. Free breakfast was basic but filled your belly (no limits like the hi hostel in San Francisco at fort mason). Added bonus the guy who runs it is a hoot. He’s great at breaking the ice when a bunch of strangers are just sitting at breakfast not talking. A mile walk to the White House. Close to a capital bike share station. Beds were decent. I’ve stayed in worse. The downside was the metal/​aluminum beds, they were so noisy! Luckily the front desk has ear plugs. The front desk staff really did lose the fifth star on this review. I got there at 11am and asked about where they can hold my luggage till I can check in (3pm) and they said you have to lock it up in the basement lockers which cost $ 4 cash only. Upon check out I was sitting in the lobby and saw people putting bags in a closet that was FREE! I also asked for a dinner recommendation from the front desk and this Indian place was recommended. I asked for any others he might have and he said no. No? You only like one restaurant?

I stayed in Boston, NY and DC Hostelling International locations in my trip, and HI DC is the cheapest, I paid 25 bucks each night. I’m really impressed by the price, compared to the price of NY location, which was 50 bucks per night. I stayed in a 10 people room, I thought 10 people and 6 people room didn’t really matter, but it turns out I was so wrong. The room smells like shit. It’s like the room haven’t open the window for a thousand years. The power outlet on one side is not working, and the bed lamp sometimes flashes. The hostel is not close to subway station. DC is a small city though, it’s probably easier to just walk to the national mall. This location is not good, but consider the really really cheap price, 3 stars is pretty fair.

Had an excellent time here. My fist time at a hostel so I can’t compare but if other hostels are like HI Washington, I’m in.
The place is situated in the perfect location — the bus stop is literally a few steps from the building and the train is less than a 7 minutes walk. Also, a few steps away is the city bikes that can be rented hourly. Unilocalers I gave you three reasons NOT to rent that car — there’s barely free parking here. when there is, it’s a three hour Max limit. The parking garage cost a lot hourly, even more by the day AND you still will have some walking to do.
The building inside is nicely decorated. It kind-​of reminds me of an Ikea (in a good way). The way everything is situated gave me like. a «community feel». The kitchen is awesome, it is a kitchen that you can easily find in a small restaurant. They have bins that you can store YOUR none perishables, labels and makers to I. D your food that needs refrigeration. They supply you with everything you need to cook food! — Pots, utensils and seasonings! (And cooking oil) If your hungry and hoping to score something free — look no further, these people have a «Free Food Bin». What the hell HI Washington doesn’t have?
Breakfast is a 7:30 am (I wish it was earlier for early birds like me) — they have toast, oatmeal, bananas, apples, cereal, yogurt, granola and all types of condiments. They also provide nice cold O. J and hot coffee .
The hostel was very clean and I felt safe — any female traveling alone, I would highly recommend this hostel to you. I stayed in the room with (female) three bunk beds (sleeps six people) and I think I got very lucky — 1) everyone was pretty respectful with the exception of two Asians girls that stayed awake until 2 a.m. laughing and giggling but thankfully were only there one night out of my four. 2) The locker that is provided to you in the room is freaking huge. I had a carry on bag that could have done flips and twirls in the huge locker. 3) There is a small light for each individual bunk bed 4) The complimentary breakfast was great. 5) Laundry room is a great plus.
Tips:
The hostel doesn’t spell this out for you but I think everyone should know how to behave during their stay. Here are some rules that everyone should follow when staying at a hostel:
1) If you are going to enter the room late — have all your shit together, that way your not making so much noise out of the courtesy of your bunk mates. Plan the night before and have your jammies, toothbrush, etc. ready.
2) If your sick — just don’t come. You will be getting everyone in that poor room sick along with you. Should you get sick during your trip? Nite Quil /​Day Quil should be your best friend.
3) Try not to smell — it’s a small room to begin with, take care yourself and your stuff that way you don’t stink and PLEASE don’t reuse socks — you know what I’m taking about!
4) Do bring earplugs to block out sounds and a sleeping masks for light/​movement. Other people do need to move about and the more you prepare yourself the better off and comfortable you’ll be.
5) DON’T assume because your bunk-​mates don’t look shady that they aren’t shady! Lock your shit up ALL the time. Assume that if given the opportunity, any one of these people will steal from you!
Overall I had a very enjoyable time at HI Washington, the staff was great and they offered free tours. I will make sure to use them again.
Hope this helps guys!
Besitos!
~Amanda

Of all the travelling I’ve done around America and Canada this is by far the worst hostel I have stayed in.
Yes the staff gave you a basic map of the city, but considering it was 4^th July weekend when I was visiting I was expecting some further assistance, but I had to basically squeeze information out of the staff. Eventually it was easier to just chat to people sat in the lobby and Google things later.
The bathroom facilities were very basic and the showers were very strange. There wasn’t any separate cubicles so there was a chance that you could walk in on someone by pure accident.
Every time anyone rolled over in the night the beds made such a noise that it woke nearly everyone else in the room up. I would also say that as well as some WD40 the beds need new linen. I would also recommend bringing your own towel where possible as the towels were pretty scratchy.
Good point: only a few blocks away from the nearest metro station and the laundry facilities were cheap and good!
If you can find somewhere else cheap and cheerful close by then I would suggest you stay there instead!

A hassle but I would stay there again if in DC. You just can’t beat that location and price.
Pros: Location, location, location. Price. Lots of activities.
Cons: When taking out groups of people new to the city for night tours, don’t abandon them at the end of the tour with directions and a good luck. Guides should return guests to the hostel personally.
Much too hot in rooms yet ice cold in bathrooms. Complaints yielded only temporary solutions. Told by staff that they knew there was an issue with the boiler yet everyday suffocatingly hot. Other residents in the room would also complain about the heat TO ME because I’m near the contraption. I advised to complain downstairs but they wouldn’t so I ended up the one calling down about the issue every evening when I returned. I would advise the staff that others in the room were also complaining not just me and would get responses in essence that I wasn’t the only one in the room. They claimed to be turning the temp down yet it still never got any cooler unless they turned it off. WTH?
Mattresses too thin for hard bars under bed. Middle bar can be felt through the mattress. Very uncomfortable.
I came back one day and my towel was taken. The next day, I came back and my bedding was completely gone in addition to my towels. I went downstairs and they tried to blame it on another guest, however, I find it highly unlikely that a guest would take away only the hostel provided bedding and towels. If it was the weekly linen change, the least the staff could have done was to bring up replacements and leave them on my bed.
Another day, I came up and my room key no longer worked. I had to go back down to get them to fix it. I was only asked for my room number not my name or any information that would allow them to verify that I was a legitimate guest of that room. That made me feel distinctly unsafe. I also witnessed 4 other people having the same issue with their key no longer working out of the blue for no apparent reason.
You come in and you’re expected to make your own bed and to unmake your own bed because apparently with the elevator being broken, they didn’t want to inconvenience the other staff. (Exactly what the front desk staff told me).
Broken elevator and no help from staff. I witnessed a small woman placed in a room on 6 who had a heavy bag. She asked if there was a room on a lower floor and explained that her bag was heavy. Only then was she even told about the lockers in the basement. This is contrary to the email notice that «staff would be available to assist with luggage». In addition, as the elevator being broken is your issue not the guests, why is no discount given for the stay or the basement lockers provided for FREE. That would have been the decent thing to do.

Although I would give this 3 stars for my personal experience, I think it’s a 4 star quality place if you’re a young person traveling on a budget. It’s clean, pleasantly decorated, secure and organized. The morning breakfast is great. The location couldn’t be more perfect and they offer lots of opportunities to partake in activities.
My only problem was that I felt really old. I was constantly surrounded by loud and rather obnoxious young people. I was in DC for a conference and needed to be up early, and needless to say it wasn’t a very restful night. The beds aren’t super comfy to begin with, but add in constant party noises from yelling kids in the halls until after 3 in the morning and you’ve got yourself a long night. I think it would be a great place if you’re a college kid on spring break but other than that you may not find it the most comfortable stay.

I booked a four night stay for the National Bike Summit as it was 2 blocks from the event hotel and I was looking for a place to sleep & shower during the week. Great front desk staff, always friendly & helpful; I shared a communal room with nine other guys (and the required loud snorer) – room was warm, clean and comfortable. My locker was right next to my bed and I was happy that i was able charge my smartphone from the wall lamp next to my bed (also to minimize the sound of my wake up alarm). I didn’t eat there or do much socializing, but I did use the internet for some last minute research and was happy with the $ 4 lockers in the basement that allowed me to check in my luggage after my checkout so that I could roam DC by bike share before I returned home via Amtrak. I look forward to returning soon!

I spent two nights here, arriving June 10^th and leaving June 12^th 2014. I stayed in the Female Economy 10 bed for ~$ 36/​night. It was clean and I have no complaints about the room itself or the bathrooms.
The location was great, within walking distance of all the landmarks I wanted to see.
Why only two stars? When I stayed there the laundry was broken which was super inconvenient for me, and I also hated the lockers you have to pay for downstairs. It also felt a bit stiff for a hostel, but hey, it’s in DC so I kinda expected it.

The location is perfect, walking distance to national land marks just a few blocks away. The building is old and is not kept in a good condition, the rooms are clean but the beds are not very comfortable. The bathrooms are uncomfortable with no exhaust fan, just bring your own towel and slippers. The floors in this place make sounds because the building is just so old. Breakfast is free and served on the lower level where you can meet people from all over, the food quality is not very good its just cheap food with high sugars. You must wash your own dishes and I don’t trust any of the dishes people there have washed. The staff is very friendly and easy going. If you are going to visit D.C. for just a few nights just get a hotel, but if you are going to stay a week then save some money and do the hostel. Just LOWER your expectations when staying here.

This was my first time staying at a hostel. I stayed for 3 days and they were great! Everything such as the bathroom the kitchen the bedrooms work extremely clean. The people who work there were very kind and very helpful. The only issue that I had while I was there was the internet service was a little slow and the elevator was slow. They also had a nice patio that you could sit outside and enjoy. You can go as you please anytime of the day or night. They have a nice size locker that could fit probably a carry on bag in every room. I felt very secure there and look forward to going there again.

The best part is the price. It’s only ~$ 40/​night. There are many different types of people who come here because it’s so cheap, and the majority of guests are tourists. Some of them are even from different countries. It feels very multicultural.
Bring your own soap, shampoo, shower slippers, and laundry bag. You’ll be glad you did. You can use their towels, but you must bundle up your towels and bedsheets before you check out, and put them in a yellow wheeled receptacle. They have hair dryers in the bathroom, the wifi is free, and there are guided tours daily. A free continental breakfast is always a plus, but keep in mind your choices are going to be limited, and there will be a long time when the cafeteria opens in the morning.
I recommend not booking a coed room if you’re traveling by yourself. Lastly, the most important thing is to bring a lock. A carry-​on luggage will fit nicely in the locker, just make sure you lock it.

Not even close to what I expected. It was clean, organized and practical. We wish we stayed in the hostel the whole time as apposed to splurging for a hotel for our last night.
They have everything you could possibly think of. Free tours. Locker keys. Bike rack. TV room. Dining area. Full kitchen. Vending machines.
Bathrooms were clean, they check them every hour.
No complaints at all.

When i heard hostel i freaked out right away! Well when i got to DC and stayed in a 8 coed dorm room. First impression was «this place is pretty nice and clean» everyone was friendly they serve bagels for breakfast. I like it! If ever i’d stay in a hostel again i would definitely book at hosteling world! :)
Thank you for the great experience!

Always thoroughly impressed with HI, having stayed at one in Boston and now in DC. I think they are probably the most friendly and clean hostels in the industry. I didn’t peruse the entire hostel, as it was merely a place to lay my head for the night, but I think the price is well worth the quality that was provided. If I ever come back to DC, I will most definitely be staying here again!

I work for a non profit and we often stay here when in the District. The bathrooms on each floor and clean, the kitchen is well stocked, and the staff is nothing but friendly and helpful.
The only real negative I could mention is the mattresses on the beds are pretty lumpy/​cave in so that may affect your sleep. Over all what you get for the price is more than worth it though!

HI never disappoints. I stayed here with a group of 13 other ladies on a school trip, and we booked three rooms. (Two group rooms and one twobedder.) the rooms were cozy but not too small, well heated and supplied with clean linens, towels and extra blankets.
This is a great place for groups– there’s communal cooking supplies and eating utensils in the spacious kitchen and the lobby has big spaces for group activities. Free breakfast and wifi doesn’t hurt either! The staff and customer rep we worked with, Joelle, were all extremely helpful and friendly.
My absolute favorite thing about HI is its location. About 20 min walking distance away from the White House, 10 min from the metro station, and ten minutes away from a 24 hour Safeway, it was perfect for a large group from out of town with no car. Other features include a TV room, 24 hour coffee, planned evening events and guided tours of the city, lockers in the rooms (bring a lock if you want to use them!) a small library and several desktop computers for public use. I would definitely rebook at HI for my next trip !

Super clean and the front desk attendants are very helpful. The desk is also staffed 24 hours. The worse part about this place is probably the elevator but I won’t knock them down on that. It’s good exercise to take the stairs anyway.
They provide clean towels and a free breakfast each morning. At about $ 40 a nigh, it’s is an awesome deal since the hostel is situated right in DC and I think it’s the only hostel that is in the center of DC. Other great pluses of this place is they provide free wifi and shampoo/​soap.
Don’t forget to bring a lock with you if you want to lock up your belongings in the locker in the room. I was dumb and bought a lock at CVS when it probably would have been cheaper to just buy one at the front desk. You probably won’t need need to lock up your stuff unless you have expensive valuables.
Didn’t have a chance to go on the tours provided by the hostel but I heard they’re good. They’re also free.

Near the White House and all the museums, less than 10 minutes away from a subway station (Mc Pherson Square) by walk, subway restaurant just next to it, bike station also, nice people, free breakfast (you have to do your own dishes but it’s okay, it takes only 3 minutes), clean place with wi-​fi, outlets, computers with camera if you don’t have yours, billard, piano, etc. As cheap as awesome. Definitely the place to stay.

Je n’ai jamais eu de mauvaises expériences avec les HI, et celle là a été super! J’ai pu effectuer mon check-​in à 9h du matin car le lit était disponible, les chambres né sont pas exceptionnelles mais bon on y passait pas la journée! Chaque personne a aussi un casier a cadena (qu’il faut fournir). petit hic, 1 seule lumière au plafond pour 6 personnes dans la chambre, c’est carrément pas suffisant ça!
La cuisine est juste super, en 3 parties: l’évier, enfin les 4, la partie frigo et grille pain, et dans la 3e les gasinières (changées en juin durant notre séjour) et tout le matériel pour cuisiner, il né manqué rien! La salle a manger est très grande aussi de quoi accueillir une 60aine de personnes.
Le petit déjeuner est juste excellent: céréales, muffins, bagels, pain, yogurt, jus de fruit, lait, café, confiture, tout y est pour un super petit déjeuner!
Des bananes offertes toute la journée à l’accueil de l’auberge, des fauteuils, un billard et meme une bibliothèque et un piano.
Le service est excellent, on nous a toujours aidé quand on en avait besoin, des tours gratuits (arlington cemetery, baseball game, george town) soirée repas gratuit parfois!
l’auberge est parfaitement placé, on a toujours visiter le Mall à pied, nous avons utiliser le métro (très cher), seulement pour le baseball et le pentagone/​cimetière.
Même pour atteindre la station megabus/​greyhound (à 3 rues l’une de l’autre) nous l’avons fait à pied, il faut juste se motiver pour marcher 20 à 30 min.
Il y a même une terasse pour profiter du soleil.