I stayed here with some friends from uni during a trip in February 2011 but wasn't able to select this date. I really loved the place I have to say. Everything was clean, very spacious yet cozy and staff was extremely friendly. The hostel is situated close to grocery stores, bakeries and coffee shops. It is also just around 2 blocks from Central Park which gives you the chance of a nice walk if the weather is on your side. The only drawback is that it is quite far away from the main tourist attractions (except Central Park) and the city centre. However, there is a Metro Station very close by and most things can be reached without difficulties, it just takes a while. I'd def recommend the place!

We stayed here for a few nights in a mixed 6 bed dorm.The rooms were clean.The bathrooms were clean as well.Loved the bagels in the morning.The location could have been better.The wireless was good as well.

I recently spent 11 nights here and it was fantastic. I was paying $59 per night to stay in a 'superior' room, a 6 bed (3 sets of bunks) room. The price included a breakfast - choice of cereal/bagel, choice of tea/coffee and choice of a piece of fruit (generally a banana or an apple). You could also purchase many other things - muffins, fruit juices, rolls, sandwiches etc.

The room was spacious, on arrival each bed has two pillows (hurrah!) a sheet, a blanket and a towel. You are also provided with a large locker in the room - but you need to either provide your own lock (medium or small sized would be best) or buy one from the hostel for a few dollars. The room was clean on arrival and must have been cleaned each day - I didn't actually see the cleaners as I was out each day.

Hot powerful showers (and toilets) are generally only a few doors away - soap dispensers are provided in showers and at sinks. Again these bathrooms are kept very clean.

Free wifi is provided throughout the building.

A well provided large kitchen is in the basement area with plenty of storage - cupboards, fridges and freezers. Also in the basement is the 'theatre' - used as a lounge/TV room but also for Stand Up nights and other events. There is also a locker storage area here - large and very large lockers which cost $5 per 24 hour period.

On the ground floor beside the cafe (which seemed to be open pretty much 24 hours a day - at least any time I passed it night or day) is an internet room with another lounge area with a pool table. Round the corner is the 'New York Room' another large lounge area which is used for welcome nights.

A laundry is on the 2nd floor (beside the lift) - $1 for a box of washing powder, $1.75 for the washing machine and $1.75 for the drier (one go on the drier dried things like jeans and fleece for me) - all in quarters (of course). Reception are happy to give you change.

The staff are fantastic - extremely helpful - and well used to answering the most obscure questions! A large number of activities/walks/visits are organised - I had my own plans and didn't actually participate, but feedback from room mates indicate these are very good.

Directly across the road on Amsterdam Avenue is a Pizza Parlour and a Chinese - both excellent. Round the corner between Amsterdam and Broadway on 104th Street is the amazing Malaysian Grill. On Broadway, roughly half way between 103rd and 104th Streets is a very comprehensive supermarket.

The hostel is well situated in the Upper West Side - within easy walking distance are Tom's Restaurant (the Seinfeld restaurant), Cathedral of St John the Divine (absolutely magnificant), and the northern half of Central Park. It's also a block away from the subway stop at 103rd Street/Broadway.

I know what it's like to arrive in the middle of the night, exhausted after a long flight, suffering from jetlag, nervous about being in New York, not having a clue about which way is east or north, not wanting to look a stupid tourist ready to be ripped off, I add the following directions!

On arrival on the 1 subway (the only one which stops here) on 103rd Street, when you get off, look for and take the 103rd Street/Broadway exit in the middle of the platform. There is also an exit which takes you out to 104th Street.

When you go up the steps and go through the exit gates, turn left.

You will now have to chose between two sets of stairs, one to the left and one to the right. Take the stairs to the right.

At street level (you are now on the north west corner of the 103rd Street/Broadway junction), on your left you should see a bank - Soverign/Santander, mainly branded in red. Keep this bank to your left as you walk down 103rd Street. After about 50m you should walk under a building awning which just has the number 2700 on it.

Now in front of you will be Amsterdam Avenue (one way traffic coming from your right). Cross at the crossing - and the hostel is the large red building in front of you! Go down the ramp and in to reception - and there you are. Easy!

One of the best hostels I've ever stayed in, fantastically equipped, friendly and cheap. Although being quite far up the Upper West side, there are two central subway lines 2/3 blocks away that take you right into the heart of Manhattan. The hostel is spacious and the staff are very friendly. The living room area is welcoming with lots of sofas and a pool table, the outside area is inviting, especially in the early evenings when there are lots of people around. The dorms are all that you would expect from a hostel, bunk beds in rows, but each bed is provided with a locker large enough to put a rucksack in (remember to take a padlock!). The toilets and showers were clean but we sometimes had to wait for showers at busier times of the day. The hostel run lots of great activities to get involved in (bar crawls, club nights, tours), that were all great for a group of girls who didn't know the city! Would definitely recommend this hostel to anyone travelling or backpacking through New York!