Downtown Washington Hostel
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4.0
#2 of 14 hostels in Washington DCLocation
4.3
Cleanliness
3.6
Service
4.0
Value
4.1
The iconic, trend-setting City House Hostel Washington DC is still a 'Washington DC must' for travelers in the know. With a downtown location conveniently situated in a hip mixed use district, City House Hostel Washington DC is surrounded by a plethora of shops, restaurants, bars and clubs. Washington DC buzzes from early morning until late night. Travelers are connected via 2 nearby metro stations, 3 bus routes, and a bike share program just a block away! At City House Hostel Washington DC we aim to provide you with comfortable, affordable, and fun accommodations where you can feel at ease and meet fellow budget travelers in a lively and relaxed environment. We provide a unique backpacker experience which offers great facilities including internet, chill out areas, lockers, tourist information, internet access, movie nights, luggage storage, telephone facilities and much more. The rooms in our hostel are large, bright and spacious with modern decoration and interior.
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Property amenities
Parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Wifi
Game room
Non-smoking hotel
Shared kitchen
24-hour front desk
Ironing service
Shared lounge / TV area
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Room features
Housekeeping
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Location
506 H St NE, Washington DC, DC 20002-4338
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Grade: 79 out of 100
79
Ronald Reagan National Airport
4.1 mi•
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Dulles Intl Airport
24.9 mi•
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Union Station
9 min•Washington DC Metro
Rental Cars
33 Restaurants
within 0.3 miles
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Detailed Reviews
One word sums up this hostel. Potential. Its got a great location, superb staff and fantastic atmosphere.
Two things let it down. Firstly, the interior of the building needs some minor investment. Everything is in working order, but bare brick in this showers is grim. Also, please put locks on the room doors!
Secondly, the management need to take a step back. No need example of this was when a new guest arrived and the senior staff was playing a drinking game, whilst the on duty staff member was taking care of another guest. Next time put customer care first and take care of the new arrival.
I should stress we really enjoyed our stay and would recommend. 3.5/5
Two things let it down. Firstly, the interior of the building needs some minor investment. Everything is in working order, but bare brick in this showers is grim. Also, please put locks on the room doors!
Secondly, the management need to take a step back. No need example of this was when a new guest arrived and the senior staff was playing a drinking game, whilst the on duty staff member was taking care of another guest. Next time put customer care first and take care of the new arrival.
I should stress we really enjoyed our stay and would recommend. 3.5/5
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Date of stay: April 2015Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Good- The location is really nice- about a 15 minute walk from Union Station, which I found to be easy, safe, and reasonably well lit. Several food options immediately around the hostel, which makes getting dinner easy. Check in was quick and simple, and they let me check in 45 minutes early, which was nice. All of the general staff that I worked with were really nice and helpful. The rooms themselves were somewhat small, but had enough space to deal with. The wireless internet connection was excellent, even when lots of people were on the computer at the same time. The common area was fun, with cable tv and a netflix account and lots of social people hanging out.
The Okay- There are three bathrooms in the hostel, which do get very crowded around peak hours (8-10am, 9-11pm). If you avoid those times, it's easy to get a shower. Everything is showing it's age a little bit, especially the bathrooms, which could use a little freshening up. Still, completely acceptable.
The Bad- I try to be as honest as possible in these reviews, so this is the direct sequence of events that occurred. I stayed in the hostel from a Sunday night to Friday, as I needed a temporary location to live in for the start of an internship. I slept in the hostel on a Sunday night after coming from my apartment in Delaware (aka no other locations to gather any bugs). Monday afternoon I noticed that raised bites were starting to appear on my legs and arms. After a little internet research I found that those bites were absolutely typical of bedbugs (trails of three bites following the "breakfast, lunch,dinner" pattern, and no bites anywhere there was hair or skin creases) even though I couldn't see clear signs of this on the bed itself. I immediately went up to the front desk, where the worker brought me to the owner. He looked at the bites and said they were probably mites, not bedbugs. He handed me a tube of cortisone cream, changed the sheets, and told me to check in with him again in the morning. The next morning was the first day of a very important summer internship, which I got to show up to covered in over 90 bites all over my body. Great for the first impressions. I sent an email to the owner from the office reporting that the number of bites was steadily increasing (no one was at the front desk when I left for work in the morning), and they replied 4 hours later to say that they would change my room. When I returned to the hostel, I had a new bed, but found that the person in the bunk over me was still sleeping there. The following day (Wednesday), signs were posted in the rooms claiming that a "regularly scheduled cleaning" of the room was taking place. When I talked to the guy who was above me in the bunk, he told me that he too was finding bites all over his body. I reported this to the owner, whose response was that they hadn't had any bedbugs in 7 months. This didn't help either of us. I also heard several staff members report tell new guests specifically that it was a regularly scheduled cleaning, with nothing to worry about.
I know that bedbugs happen, especially in hostels. It isn't necessarily a sign of the actual cleanliness of the hostel, which overall seemed to be very good. What I'm really concerned with was the nonchalant attitude of the owner over the entire thing. He didn't bother telling other people in the room about the problem, and continued to insist that it probably wasn't bedbugs. Trust me- it was bedbugs. The only compensation that I got for the incredible amount of discomfort from all of the itching was a tube of cortisone. Not exactly stunning customer relations.
The Okay- There are three bathrooms in the hostel, which do get very crowded around peak hours (8-10am, 9-11pm). If you avoid those times, it's easy to get a shower. Everything is showing it's age a little bit, especially the bathrooms, which could use a little freshening up. Still, completely acceptable.
The Bad- I try to be as honest as possible in these reviews, so this is the direct sequence of events that occurred. I stayed in the hostel from a Sunday night to Friday, as I needed a temporary location to live in for the start of an internship. I slept in the hostel on a Sunday night after coming from my apartment in Delaware (aka no other locations to gather any bugs). Monday afternoon I noticed that raised bites were starting to appear on my legs and arms. After a little internet research I found that those bites were absolutely typical of bedbugs (trails of three bites following the "breakfast, lunch,dinner" pattern, and no bites anywhere there was hair or skin creases) even though I couldn't see clear signs of this on the bed itself. I immediately went up to the front desk, where the worker brought me to the owner. He looked at the bites and said they were probably mites, not bedbugs. He handed me a tube of cortisone cream, changed the sheets, and told me to check in with him again in the morning. The next morning was the first day of a very important summer internship, which I got to show up to covered in over 90 bites all over my body. Great for the first impressions. I sent an email to the owner from the office reporting that the number of bites was steadily increasing (no one was at the front desk when I left for work in the morning), and they replied 4 hours later to say that they would change my room. When I returned to the hostel, I had a new bed, but found that the person in the bunk over me was still sleeping there. The following day (Wednesday), signs were posted in the rooms claiming that a "regularly scheduled cleaning" of the room was taking place. When I talked to the guy who was above me in the bunk, he told me that he too was finding bites all over his body. I reported this to the owner, whose response was that they hadn't had any bedbugs in 7 months. This didn't help either of us. I also heard several staff members report tell new guests specifically that it was a regularly scheduled cleaning, with nothing to worry about.
I know that bedbugs happen, especially in hostels. It isn't necessarily a sign of the actual cleanliness of the hostel, which overall seemed to be very good. What I'm really concerned with was the nonchalant attitude of the owner over the entire thing. He didn't bother telling other people in the room about the problem, and continued to insist that it probably wasn't bedbugs. Trust me- it was bedbugs. The only compensation that I got for the incredible amount of discomfort from all of the itching was a tube of cortisone. Not exactly stunning customer relations.
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Date of stay: May 2012Trip type: Traveled on business
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My first experience with a hostel was at this one in early October. A few things made the stay a good value:
* First and for most, its location, which is basically inside the town, with 10 minutes walk to Union station, few blocks away from capital bike share; the DC StreetCar also running on H street (though I didn't try). Walking to the Capitol is about 20 minutes, not bad at all. The H street strip was a neat and cozy neighborhood, and it was a pleasure taking an evening stroll along the strip.
* Flexibility. I arrived noon before the check-in time, left my luggage there and went on with my tour schedule; on the check-out day, I stepped out early and was able to keep my stuff in the locker, then came back later in the day to pick it up and catch my bus.
* Clean rooms. I'm pleasantly surprised on the no-shoe policy and how clean the room and hallway was.
One thing that could use some improvement was the shower. I totally understand body wash and shampoo were not provided to control cost, but the water flow was too weak and often not stable (sometimes it went cold by itself). After a long day of walking in town, anyone would greatly appreciate a good hot shower.
* First and for most, its location, which is basically inside the town, with 10 minutes walk to Union station, few blocks away from capital bike share; the DC StreetCar also running on H street (though I didn't try). Walking to the Capitol is about 20 minutes, not bad at all. The H street strip was a neat and cozy neighborhood, and it was a pleasure taking an evening stroll along the strip.
* Flexibility. I arrived noon before the check-in time, left my luggage there and went on with my tour schedule; on the check-out day, I stepped out early and was able to keep my stuff in the locker, then came back later in the day to pick it up and catch my bus.
* Clean rooms. I'm pleasantly surprised on the no-shoe policy and how clean the room and hallway was.
One thing that could use some improvement was the shower. I totally understand body wash and shampoo were not provided to control cost, but the water flow was too weak and often not stable (sometimes it went cold by itself). After a long day of walking in town, anyone would greatly appreciate a good hot shower.
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Date of stay: October 2018Trip type: Traveled solo
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
OK, let me first say, I did pay for a night here, but there was no way I could stay...And Im not writting this review to be negative only informative...for when I was researching this place all reviews roared A+ ( and maybe for some it is ) I just wish I would have read a review like mine before choosing this hostel...MY EXPERIENCE here...I arrived around 10:30 am. I took a shared shuttle from the airport so I saw all the areas everyone before me was being dropped off before I arrived to this hostel...and let me tell you it went from nice lovely areas and just got worse and worse as we slowly arrived to my destionation "Downtown Washington Hostel" I was becoming a lil less excited about my first trip to DC when the shuttle driver dropped me of at a place where there was NO sign or invitiaon stating this place was in fact the hostel...(and if there was it was so small neither I nor the driver saw it)...From the outside the place looks like an old out of bsuiness Thai resataurant...the width of the store front is maybe 8 ft wide with three long narrow windows covered by what looks to be bed sheets...I am completely taken back as I have booked two nights here hoping to spend at least 4 and the area looks dodgy the place from outside looks dodgy and really I just want to run but I go ahead and enter...as you open the first door you see two other one to the side one in front they are both covered with something so that you can not see in( im guessing all this is fro your safety as the street outside is not appealing at all)...so I choose the one with the buzzer...A gentelman in what seems to be sleeping gear( wrinkled up black T shirt and Black sweats no shoes or socks greets me...there is a dirty bowl , that looks ot have held a marinara sauce , sitting at the desk. He is extremely kind...but Im like what the H....the room is super dark Ie the three narrow windows form the street are covered and no other light is coming in...just not a refreshing place to enter...there is no media center, no table of any kind to write or set your map or books on to plan your day the check in deck is a thin narrow table with a laptop....I look around and wonder have I just stepped into this guys college style house??? very tiny room no light no tables a sectional and tv blasting LOST ...I have lived all around the world and stayed in loads of hostels and this is just not for me...It had nothing to make "my" stay worhtwhile or comfortable..I told the guy ," Oh wow it is really dark in here, im not sure I can handle this" and he said "Well thats the way we like it, let m eshow you the kitchen" SO I contineued with my tour ( three feet away from a 10x14 social room there was a dark and narrow walk to a kitchen that sat 4....."FOUR" in a hostel's kitchen??? and there were like 9 people shoved all aroudn it..the kitchen was the size of a kitchen space in a studio apartment..and off of that were two bathrooms???? yuck....Alll I could do was please ask to have one night instead of 2 and I immediately left to find the other hostel I had been torn between when reading reviews..THANK GOD they had availabilty...So From the NEW hostel choice ( ie in perfect safe beautiful location loads of light media room ac giant kitchen free teas and coffees all day professsionally dressed reception ( polo and jeans all that needed just more than pj's) and for the SAME price as DWH...I was over the moon...I went out walking as again the location here was SAFE and near everything and later in the day went back to the DWH and kindly told the gal in the social room I was just here to collect my bag as DWH was just not a fit for me...she again was very kind....WHAT I have to say about this place is ...it is def a FIT thing...if you like sunlight safety media center lockers great location this would not be the place for you...if you like to stay in a area with a lil more grit and be bound to the metro for for your journeys and like a college homestyle ie tv on lounge in jammies very close quarters kind of space...def stay here...I wish I would have loved this place..but I couldnt:(
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Date of stay: July 2015Trip type: Traveled solo
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The review I posted to Hostelworld was deleted so I am posting it here.
I am an experienced traveler who has stayed in hostels in 12 countries on three continents. Hong Kong, Manila, Phnon Phen, Beijing, Prague... I live abroad and travel actively 4 months out of the year. I usually leave good reviews but I have to say that the rude staff made this my worst experience ever. There is no laundry service as advertised, unless you want to stay up until 2 am and toss out the hostel laundry to get your stuff done as I eventually had to. There are three bathrooms for the whole place. And there are bedbugs. I asked to check out two days early. You would think a normal place would say, oh sorry, here's your money back that you paid in advance, have a nice vacation... No. I was rudely told that there was a 48 hour cancellation policy so I had the choice of losing two nights payment or sticking around for more bad service.
I have never been to a place where the staff does not seem to understand that you are a customer, a guest, and moreover someone who is on vacation, and not someone who is staying at their home. Ridiculous. Do yourself a favor. Avoid this place at all costs.
I am an experienced traveler who has stayed in hostels in 12 countries on three continents. Hong Kong, Manila, Phnon Phen, Beijing, Prague... I live abroad and travel actively 4 months out of the year. I usually leave good reviews but I have to say that the rude staff made this my worst experience ever. There is no laundry service as advertised, unless you want to stay up until 2 am and toss out the hostel laundry to get your stuff done as I eventually had to. There are three bathrooms for the whole place. And there are bedbugs. I asked to check out two days early. You would think a normal place would say, oh sorry, here's your money back that you paid in advance, have a nice vacation... No. I was rudely told that there was a 48 hour cancellation policy so I had the choice of losing two nights payment or sticking around for more bad service.
I have never been to a place where the staff does not seem to understand that you are a customer, a guest, and moreover someone who is on vacation, and not someone who is staying at their home. Ridiculous. Do yourself a favor. Avoid this place at all costs.
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Date of stay: July 2013Trip type: Traveled solo
Value
Rooms
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Unfortunately, I have to repeat what others have reported here: The hostel has a problem with pests, and although they claim that they are doing something against it, those attempts seem half-hearted and the issue remains.
They have a policy stating that there should be no food in the rooms - any traveler will understand that as a sensible rule in favor of hygiene and consideration for other guests, but what they do not tell you is that the actual reason for that rule are the mice. As souvenirs, we had some packed, unopened candy in our backpack (who would think of storing that in the communal kitchen??) which was under the bed at night. Next morning, the mice had gnawed a hole into the backpack, the plastic bag that the candy was in, and the wrapper and they had eaten most of the candy. We were shocked and reported it to the staff who apologized but that was it - no compensation whatsoever, so in the end, we paid full price for our beds and got a ruined bagpack and souvenirs as a bonus.
Apart from that, the staff were super friendly and helpful, but that is not a consolation for our damaged property and the overall negative impression the experience left us with.
They have a policy stating that there should be no food in the rooms - any traveler will understand that as a sensible rule in favor of hygiene and consideration for other guests, but what they do not tell you is that the actual reason for that rule are the mice. As souvenirs, we had some packed, unopened candy in our backpack (who would think of storing that in the communal kitchen??) which was under the bed at night. Next morning, the mice had gnawed a hole into the backpack, the plastic bag that the candy was in, and the wrapper and they had eaten most of the candy. We were shocked and reported it to the staff who apologized but that was it - no compensation whatsoever, so in the end, we paid full price for our beds and got a ruined bagpack and souvenirs as a bonus.
Apart from that, the staff were super friendly and helpful, but that is not a consolation for our damaged property and the overall negative impression the experience left us with.
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Date of stay: March 2017Trip type: Traveled with friends
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I called the hostel to cancel the reservation for personal reason and the person who picked up the phone did not seem to have any idea about the hostel policy and kept telling me that I had to contact through email, which for me did not make any sense. Also, when the person did not have any answer to my questions, he just hung up on me. This gave me the impression that the staff here is very unprofessional and rude and also that they have serious communication problem. I have not stayed at this place so maybe people who actually have stayed here might have a different idea but just by judging from what I experienced I think this place is overrated.
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Date of stay: August 2012Trip type: Traveled with friends
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The stay I had at City House Hostel Washington was great, the staff was friendly and the overall atmosphere was great. The only thing that slightly bothered me was the fact that the AC could barely be felt during a very hot and humid period, but for the rest everything was great :)
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Date of stay: August 2018Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I woke up last night to squealing and scratching under my bunk bed, and it persisted all night. The next day the guy sleeping in the bunk next to me said he had tried to catch video of them while I was gone during the day, because there had been "at LEAST three of them INSIDE your suitcase". I had no food in there, though there was food in the trash can in the bathroom close to my bunk. Still, what kind of freaking hostel is this??? I told the girl at the front desk and she said "oh, yeah that sucks. That's why we say you can't have food because they'll come for it. We have traps". Traps? Call an exterminator ffs. I am a super low maintenance traveler: I just need a place to shower and a door that locks. I draw the line at mice in my suitcase, who, by the way, created a lovely little hole in the netting. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. I'm only giving them a two because they did indeed have a shower and a door that locks. 🙄
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Date of stay: February 2017Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We loved this hostel, we felt so welcome from the moment we came in. They leave little personal notes above your beds which is sweet for when you arrive. Beds were comfortable, rooms are clean and the bathrooms have everything you need. The social spaces were really good, with a fully equipped kitchen and nice big lounge area with a tv board games etc. The thing that really made it though was the staff.. they are the nicest, funniest bunch we've ever come across in a hostel. They were always so friendly and chatty and really helpful. We had a problem with an overnight bus on the day we left DC and at 4am when we had nowhere to go, we came back to the hostel and they checked us back in right away and were really really good to us. The locations great, good connections and safe area, main attractions are easily accessible. Would 100% stay here again and would 100% recommend to anyone visiting. đź’•
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Date of stay: October 2016Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Downtown Washin... H, General Manager at Downtown Washington Hostel
Responded Nov 9, 2016
From all of us it was awesome having you both! Please come visit us again if your ever back in D.C.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sorry but we cannot accommodate you and your family. Thank you!
"The more expensive dorms were no more spacious and had no better bathroom access than the cheaper dorms."Read full review
LOCATION
United StatesDistrict of ColumbiaWashington DCNational Mall
NUMBER OF ROOMS
10
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Claim Your ListingDOWNTOWN WASHINGTON HOSTEL - Reviews (Washington DC)
Frequently Asked Questions about Downtown Washington Hostel
Which popular attractions are close to Downtown Washington Hostel?
Nearby attractions include H Street Corridor (Atlas District) (0.1 miles), J.O. Wilson Playground (0.2 miles), and Swampoodle Park (0.3 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Downtown Washington Hostel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, a 24 hour front desk, and a game room.
Is parking available at Downtown Washington Hostel?
Yes, parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Downtown Washington Hostel?
Conveniently located restaurants include Ethiopic Restaurant, Indigo, and The Big Board.
Is Downtown Washington Hostel located near the city center?
Yes, it is 0.9 miles away from the center of Washington DC.
Are there any historical sites close to Downtown Washington Hostel?
Many travelers enjoy visiting Arlington National Cemetery (4.0 miles), Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens (4.2 miles), and Ford's Theatre (1.5 miles).