I've stayed in quite a few hostels in various parts of the world and this is one of the ones that seems to have remained true to the original hostel spirit. .

1) ,The manager is very welcoming and helpful. (can't mention her name to give credit since you aren't allowed to mention names onTripAdvisor, unfortunately)
2) , it is in a rural setting and very quiet.
3) It has a very nice kitchen/common area. You can cook your own dinner here. There is only a small convenience store nearby with no much in it so you might want to bring things to cook if you're going to eat there. If you didn't bring any food the hostel does have a few items for sale such as mac & cheese & ramen soup.
4) Free pancake breakfast in the morning. -- if you like pancakes, that is.
5) Free WiFi and internet computer.
6) No TV! -- This is a huge plus. (Sadly, some hostels have put in a television and it generally completely ruins the atmosphere. A hostel is all about meeting other travelers, but once a TV is on, all conversation stops. ) Hats off to the hostel management for saying NO to television!

You can walk to the Harper's Ferry National Historic Park, a town that is sort of an indoor/outdoor museum of the revolutionary war / civil war era. It is two miles down the Appalachian trail.

There is also tent camping at the hostel. BUT, if you camp there you are not allowed to use the hostel facilities. This seems strange to me since the whole point of staying there is being able to enjoy the hostel and meet other travelers staying at the hostel.

We stayed in a private room which cost $45 (plus $5 extra for non-members). This seems like quite a lot for a hostel. But it is still worth it since it's a completely different experience than an impersonal motel.

The dorm, priced at $18 (member rate) is quite reasonable if you're a single traveler and don't mind sharing a room.

Although the focus of hostels has traditionally been young people, people of all ages are welcome.

The front desk was fantastic and super helpful. We booked a private room for the night, and were coming off of the Great Allgheny Passage after quite a day of riding from Williamsport, MD.

The hostel was clean and quiet. No tv that I could see. Internet available in the common area. Breakfast was included in the cost as was the linens and bath towels.

The standout for this property is the peace and quiet. They offer camping, but for the price pay the extra and get a bed.

LOVE this place! We ride the Great allegheny Passage and the C & O Towpath each year and have heard of this hostel. This was our first time to try it out and we will be back next year. O! Checkout time is 11am where as other hostels are before 9am for checkout.

BTW, I got a better night's sleep here than at the hotel the night before.

I have stayed at this hostel twice.Once while hiking part of the Appalachian Trail.And once while bicycling down the C&O Canal Towpath. Both times the HI Harpers Ferry Hostel provided a great place for a well deserved rest.

Since many of the guests are hikers or bikers , its a great place to exchange information about the trails.Especially if they are going the oppisite way as you .Its also conveniently accessable to both trails.

Its basicly a clean and comfortable no frills hostel with friendly staff.My only complaint is that there is a "lock out" period during the day. But i understand that they must do this since they do have a tight budget .And at $20 a night it is a bargin.I have been to 22 other hostels and this one was one of the cheapest.

It also has a computer with free internet access.This is rare . In most hostels they charge for internet time.

I defintly will stay here on my next bike trip on the C&O Canal.

If you are staying there my best advice is to hike up Maryland Hieghts.Its Marylands highest mountain and offers a great view of Harpers Ferry.It also has the remains of a Civil War fort on top of it.

This place is comfortable and roomy and management is helpful. The full kitchen is good and well marked on the cupboards for finding utensils and condiments. The included breakfast consists of pancakes, coffee and juice. It makes an affordable and sensible alternative to the expensive places actually in Harpers Ferry, especially to hikers and bikers on the C&O Canal. .

Location: Another fellow and I shared the high price ($3.49) of a dozen eggs at the super expensive mini-store around the corner for a non-pancake breakfast. Other nearby businesses are a liquor store and gas stations. There is also one restaurant, called Cindy Dee's, where I choked down a pretty awful fish sandwich for lunch. Supper was somewhat better with the overdone pork chop for supper.