Good location and clean bathrooms. Really near to everything. Basically there are no ceilings and yes you can hear people snoring. Only had one drink downstairs at the bar as I didn't find the staff friendly. If your looking to party hard and just want crash this will do. remember that they taxes on your bill at the end.

Brilliant location - eateries around here are ...aaaahhh delicious and you get to see real new york life. Stairs are a bit of a pain if you've got heavy luggage - lovely doorman but you gotta haul your own bags up there - and there's no lift (open to correction-I just didn't find one)
Cabins are the cutest things ever - to be honest - prefer this option when traveling - you're not in a new city to sit around in a nice hotel/hostel room - bowery reminds you of that. Place was newly opened when I stayed there Aug 2011 so I can't account for common areas or breakfast but the rooftop is a pleasure in itself. And the cabin I had was beautiful and that was such a pleasant change from grubby hostels or even bad hotels. Bathroom facilities luxurious I would even say. I did hear raunchy night time activities as the walls aren't to ceiling on all cabins by my understanding - but I guess I didn't have my ear plugs that night. No doubt would pick this place again and again. Staff were fantastic - Patti in particular.
Don't forget city tax - Europeans don't have this - so it's always a surprise to me - a lady who budgets every penny - only to later blow on shoes. Just remember that!
Had stayed in a "young funky hostel" in Brooklyn earlier in the trip - a reminder to everyone that the US don't do hostels like Europe so the options aren't so plentiful (for decent places) anyway much better to stay in the thick of the Manhattan - the Brooklyn thing didn't feel as safe and it was a waste of time and energy taking the subway especially on weekends when they upgrade/do maintenance - real pain to have to be delayed when you already have to commute into the city - a waste of precious NY time if you ask me.
Get Bowery if you can - I've tried to book a couple of times since - but needed to book further in advance - popularity speaks people.
P.S go to "the best chocolate cake in the world" - cake shop nearby - sells only one kind of cake - the best....light chocolate meringue thing...swoon...still dreaming about it.

It is hard to adequately judge this place. It is a hostel, plain and simple, even though they go a long way to hide that fact. As such, I think it is a little overpriced for dorm accommodations, but being in lower Manhattan probably justifies the price. It is located 2 blocks from a metro station and is relatively obscure, only a small green neon sign.
There are a lot of stairs, so if you're a girl with an unwieldy suitcase, you' re in for some work out. Girls on reception were super friendly, explained the rules, and gave me a key to the dorm room. These communal bedrooms are somewhat loud, not only because people snore or pack & unpack, but also because there are late night partying going on outside on the streets. Good thing the ear plugs were given to everybody. Nevertheless, I felt very comfortable and safe there. I even left my backpack on my bed when I went to town and nobody bothered it and nothing got stolen.
The bathroom facilities are the best I've seen in a hostel for a long time. Look brand new, upscale and modern. Bathroom gets packed by 10:00 am (which is also the time they get cleaned), but the wait is not very long.
You also get 10% discount at the restaurant downstairs "The Bowery Kitchen". I strongly recommend this place for light dinner and tasty varieties of beer. The latter does wonders to put you to sleep in such a place.
I will most likely stay at this place again when I'm in town next time. You just can't beat their prices.

I stayed at The Bowery House for two weeks in September. After reading some of the reviews on here, I do agree with some points, though it just seems people are being to picky.
To begin with, the website clearly states that the single cabin beds are smaller than normal single sized beds. It also states that the rooms do not have a sealed roof. So people should really learn to read carefully.
When you arrive to check in, if you are lucky you will be greeted by the lovely Val or Tiffany, if not another friendly staff member who will greet you and lay out the rules. If you arrive before check in time (3pm) you can leave your bags there.
I stayed in a single cabin room my entire stay and yes after the initial shock of how little space you have, I got use to it. To give you an idea of the size of the room, I am 5’10” and when laying on the bed, my feet were right up against the wall of the room. The bed is surprisingly comfortable. You do get ear plugs to try and drown out the most horrendous snoring you will ever hear. People are not meant to be talking/skyping/watching movies or pretty much anything that is loud in their rooms. So if you find this happens, go to the reception desk and security will sort them out. You will find every night there are people who do not follow the rules, so if you are a light sleeper you will not be impressed. I do recommend having a few drinks before you go to sleep. If you pass out, you won’t hear the snoring etc.
There are big couches in the common area near reception with a TV. This area is a good place to plan your day in the morning. The Bowery House also has an amazing roof top. There is a decent view up there. You get a good look of the Freedom tower. Most nights there are people up there having some drinks, so if you are traveling solo be sure to head up there when the sun goes down to make some new friends. They did start showing movies on the roof top on a Thursday night which is a fantastic use of the space.
The amenities in the hostel I found to be of a high standard. There was always shampoo/body wash/soap in the showers and bathrooms. Even small things like toilet paper was always replenished. The bathrooms and showers were always clean. In fact the whole place is kept spotless.
The restaurant downstairs called The Bowery Kitchen has amazing food. Guests of the hostel get free coffee/tea and 10% off meals. I highly recommend the Italian Burger!
The hostel is in a great location. There are plenty of subways stations within a block or two. The Soho shopping precinct is a 5 min walk away. There is a Whole Foods (supermarket) down the road. The New Museum across the road is pretty cool. It’s free Thursday nights if you want spend a bit of time lining up. The East Village is down the road where there are a lot of cool bars/pubs.
All in all I found my experience at The Bowery House to be enjoyable. I had never stayed at a hostel before, so I was a bit hesitant to stay here but I am glad I did. I had the pleasure of meeting some amazing people. I feel the value for money is very good. You pay a quarter of the price you would for staying at a hotel and the location is so much better and it isn’t as touristy as say Time Square.
I’d definitely recommend The Bowery House and I would stay here again myself. Make an effort to speak with the people that work there, they are extremely hospitable and are just cool people!
Next time I’d be booking a twin room though.