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Hostels Guide > North America > USA > New York > New York City Hostels > HI - New York Hostel

HI - New York Hostel

New York City (Manhattan - Upper West Side)
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Address
891 Amsterdam Avenue, New York City (Manhattan - Upper West Side), New York, USA   Map
Price
Dorm Bed: $27-35 Check Current Prices by Date Here
Location/Contact
Details
This is a Hostelling International (HI) hostel. A membership card isn't required, but an extra fee will apply for non-members. You can get a membership card before your trip here.
HI - New York Hostel Online Booking
Arrival Date:   Nights:  People: 
Their Description

Features

  • Free Breakfast
  • Kitchen
  • Lockers
  • Gameroom
  • Lounge / Common space
  • Pool Table
  • BBQ
  • Food/Restaurant
  • TV
  • Washing Machine (laundry)
  • Elevator/Lift
  • Travel information provided
  • Free City Tours
  • Bike Rental
  • 24 Hour Free Hot Showers
  • Phones (public or in room)
  • Air Conditioning
 
The Hostelz.com Review
If you're looking for a good-value place to stay during your stay in New York that's still close to the action and offers a fantastic chance to meet fellow travellers, then the HI is for you.

Located in Upper Manhattan, the hostel is just a short walk from Central Park and good public transport links provide a frequent, convenient link to the downtown attractions. There is a bus stop right outside the hostel, served by buses travelling north from Times Square. Alternatively, a subway station can be found just one block away and is served by 'B' and 'C' trains. This is especially useful if you want a very cheap transfer to/from JFK airport. At the airport take the shuttle bus to the parking lot which stops outside Howard Beach subway station. From there just hop on the 'A' train to Manhattan and get off at Penn Station (34th St). Stand exactly where you get off and wait for the next 'C' train to come along and this will take you to 103rd St., your stop for the hostel. The hostel is just around the corner on Amsterdam Ave/103rd St (check map at subway station).

The hostel itself is large and spacious. Dorms are clean and a locker (bring your own padlock) and bedding is provided. The bathroom facilities are tidy and there never seemed to be a need to queue for a shower even in the peak summer season. Another nice feature was the water fountains that could be found on each floor, saving a long hike down to the kitchen if you get thirsty. There are also plenty of payphones on each floor.

Other facilities include a cafe, kitchen, laundry, shop (selling souvenirs, postcards, and discounted attraction tickets), TV room, and a help desk in the lobby area. This is staffed by volunteers who can be very useful and can really help you to make the most of your time in the city by recommending good attractions and restaurants etc. They also weekly activity schedule offering walking tours to show you different areas of the city from a local's point of view and also a chance to meet fellow travellers.

Unfortunately they charge to use the internet terminals, and they even charge a fee to use the internet over wifi (currently $10/day)! Hopefully they'll eventually make wifi free for their paying guests since it costs them almost nothing to provide the service.

Check-out is at 11am, allowing a little bit of a sleep in. However, should you want to dump your stuff earlier or leave it there longer, there is a locker room (costs a few dollars) where you can keep your belongings secure while you get out and about. Security in the hostel is very good - you have to show your key to get into the main hostel from the lobby.

This hostel is highly recommended - stay here to get the most out of your stay in New York at a price that can't be beaten for value.

— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
February 2004


Ratings & Comments

3.5 Average from 51 Ratings
This is an open forum, and unlike other hostel guide websites we don't censor out the negative comments.
We can't validate the legitimacy of comments posted on this site—so take what you read here with a grain of salt.
HI - New York Hostel Comment by Chris, New Zealand
June 2009
1 Elevator broken and nothing done about it
This could be a great hostel. They have a great building in a good location handy to the subway. It is a large hostel with no shortages of guests. They are currently renovating the bathrooms, which will make an improvement. But this is a five-story building serviced by one elevator which was broken down for nearly the entire week of my stay. Fixing it does not seem to be a high priority for the management, who are content to just let tired weary travelers traverse all those stairs instead of fixing it. The broken elevator obviously is an ongoing problem they are ignoring. I will stay somewhere else next time.
HI - New York Hostel Comment by John R, UK
August 2008
5 The best in many ways!
For the adventurous, outgoing, gregarious type -- who likes to walk the city -- or even cycle -- this is the place to meet like-minded people from all over the world. As mentioned this is the only HI Hostel on the planet that does no sort of communal, sit-down meal at all, although the cafe provides coffee and a Danish for when it matters most. Free Wi-Fi is controversial, as although the quality of connection is excellent, it is unreal -- all these fit young people having flown in from everywhere, yet chatting to those they have left behind miles away, and not to the person sitting next to them! I tell you, as an inveterate hosteler, that experience is weird! HI NYC makes up for it on its daily and cheap walking tours -- or try the Amateur Night, Wednesdays, at Harlem's world-renowned Apollo Theater. On these guided experiences, its a great ice-breaker, and you get to meet so many people. The TV lounge has an odd feel, long and thin, and several LCD TVs high up on the walls. The downstairs kitchens are spruce -- refurbed in 2007 to a very high standard indeed. Just let your Delia Smiths out here, and be prepared to cook for your pals. All in all, a convenient site, close to the Subway, Central Park, and the rapidly gentrifying South and West Harlem, with amazingly friendly and helpful staff with many amenities included to make your stay a cinch, and every opportunity given to make new contacts. Friendly, clean, secure, and a bed in Manhattan for $$ that's a steal -- I recommend.
HI - New York Hostel Comment by Ryan, United States (West Virginia)
August 2008
2 Has some kinks to work out
When I first arrived, they had overbooked and/or lost my reservation; I got stuck in a female dorm room (I'm a male). While this may seem like the most convenient misunderstanding in the history of American hosteling, it actually felt extremely awkward and caused me some anxiety. It was all in my head -- once I actually got to the room, everyone was pretty congenial and understanding about the whole thing, but it still would've been nice to not be placed in such a strange situation -- especially since I made reservations a month and a half in advance. The second day I was there, I was switched to a male room, whereupon I had to stow my bags in secure storage until re-check-in. When I checked back in and tried to get my bags, I had to wait twenty minutes for the security guy to even show up. This was rather irritating. Beyond this, this is the only HI hostel I've stayed at that didn't offer a breakfast in the morning. This isn't a huge deal, but I've always felt the breakfast to be a meeting place amongst fellow hostelers, and was disappointed by its absence. Finally, to top off all the issues I had with the hostel, they charged me for four nights even though I only stayed there for three! I can only presume when I checked out of the female room, somebody left me in it for a second day; normally I wouldn't make a big deal out of being charged for another day if I were at fault for checking out late, but I did attempt to check out of the female room before 11 a.m. (their checkout time), which I was only in as a result of the hostel's incompetence, so I feel a little ripped off by this excess charge. I tried to bring it to the hostel's attention before I left because I saw all of the charges pending to my account, but they seemed adamant that I had only been charged for three nights. The fact that the accommodations were pretty tolerable is all that salvages this hostel a two-star rating. It's located one block from the 1, 2, 3 lines and a few blocks from the A, B, C lines, so it's in a decent location, although not necessarily close to anything of interest. I don't know that I would feel safe walking through this area if I were alone and of smaller stature. I don't know if there's a better hostel to stay at in NYC, but this sure isn't all that great. Easily the worst HI Hostel I've stayed at.
HI - New York Hostel Comment by ddd, USA
July 2008
4 Pleasant Overall
I stayed there last weekend for $41. Also one of the more expensive hostels in NYC but I chose it for its generally positive reviews for being clean. Wi-Fi was free and worked great. Loved the community rooms and the cafe. Location was far from things and possibly in the ghetto but close to subway and streets busy enough to easily catch a taxi. Security was tight enough I didn't feel worried. Loose enough I didn't feel hassled. My big complaint was that they made me check out/in in the morning -- seemed like they did the same to a lot of people. So I had no bed or room from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Beds are crazy squeaky so don't expect to get a lot of sleep till you get tired enough that noise doesn't bother you. First night I was on fourth floor which was nice. Second night I was on second floor, which was sweaty and smelly. Lockers in room are roomy and secure and another reason I'd recommend this hostel over others I've stayed at with no place to secure your stuff. And all the choices for common areas plus activities are a fantastic thing for single travelers. I stayed in a super skanky hotel once in NYC that was far noisier and less enjoyable for $200 a night! Totally stay here and use the money you save for cab fares.
HI - New York Hostel Comment by Ade, UK
February 2008
3 Ok -- Average
Huge, fairly cheap (for NY), but quite unfriendly.
HI - New York Hostel Comment by Kazu, Japan
April 2007
2 I admit that It is cheap, rather clean, and its location is useful. We can make a lot of international friends there. But there are some problems. One of the washing machines didn't work and I couldn't get back a quarter. I asked to change a dollar bill to quarters at a shop on first floor, but they refused that because they didn't have enough quarters. Therefore, I asked a girl at the front but she also refused it for the same reason. Later, when I went to the front again because my card key didn't work, the same girl at the front sighed loud, seeing my face. I think she thought I brought a lot of troubles to her. I'm afraid that she forgot that I was a customer. Next day, when I tried to throw away trash into a trash bin in front of the shop on first floor, the bin's lid somehow didn't open. While I was trying to push to open it, suddenly, a Hispanic female worker at the shop yelled something at me. I think she meant "Don't do that" or something like that, but I am not sure because it was almost Spanish. I'm afraid that some of the workers of this hostel have attitude problems.
HI - New York Hostel Comment by Jason C
March 2007
4 Value for money is ok. The place did smell a bit and the room was either very hot or very loud (when window opened to let some air in). staff at front desk was helpful with directions and sightseeing options. Can't beat $25 a night in NYC though. but to get that price you have to sleep with eleven other people which can make for an uncomfortable sleep. Great neighbourhood with lots of cheap food options around. much better than overpriced Times Square for getting food. close to subway and central park too.
HI - New York Hostel Comment by Jim H
February 2007
3 This was my first and (as yet) only trip to the U.S., so I can't really compare this to other hostels in the U.S. Although this appears to be a little far out from the centre of NYC (i.e. Times Square), it's very close to the subway, so I never felt like I was out in the sticks here. The hostel gave me pretty much what I needed (a bed, somewhere to socialise), but I had a few complaints. Firstly, the place smelt really bad, like old sweaty clothes, and the rooms were even worse. Seeing as I was unlucky enough to get food poisoning during my stay, that smell didn't make me feel much better. Secondly, giving only a blanket for bedding was not enough, especially in the NYC winter -- especially when you're feverish and shivering. The bathrooms were not in a good state either, but that can be the fault of the guests too. Some complained about the overzealous security checking everyone's receipts when they entered, but then there is probably a good enough reason for that. There were good and inexpensive breakfasts served in the morning too. This hostel was ok, it could just do with a little improvement.
HI - New York Hostel Comment by Katie from england
February 2007
4 This was my first time staying in new york and staying in a hostel so it was all new for me. i stayed for five days in at the beginning of january '07 with my sister. we followed the directions to get from the airport to the hostel and found them incredibly useful. however got confused about the free bus to howard beach subway station and caught the airtrain to howard beach instead for $5. we also wasted time standing in the same spot at penn station to change trains until we realised we had to stand on the other side of the track. other than that we found the hostel no probs costing just $7. the hostel itself was well presented but the receptionist was quite miserable, we had no probs checking in though. the room was clean and tidy we stayed in a ten-bedded dorm. this was fine except for the strange smell of cleaning chemicals which was strong and overpowering at times. once you had been in the room for fifteen minutes, you began to forget about the smell. the location of the hostel was in easy reach of a subway station just two minutes' walk however there was no excitement or nightlife in the vicinity of the hostel. i would recommend staying here and think it is excellent value for money if you're on a budget. The best thing about my holiday to new york wouldnt have happened if i hadnt stayed at this hostel. the hostel put on excursions lead by local new yorkers. Jerry's sixteen-hour tour was amazing and made my trip. it was fantastic and i will remember it forever. the trip cost just $10 and he takes you everywhere. wear comfy shoes though because you must walk at least ten miles. the tour takes place every saturday -- it's worth doing the trip before you see any sites so you can decide were you would like to revisit. the tour sets off taking the subway to brooklyn for a walk round brooklyn heights and the view of lower manhattan, a walk across brooklyn bridge, george washington park, st. paul's, ground zero, wall street and financial district, staten island ferry and statue of liberty, battery park, lunch in china town, little italy, soho, greenwich village, union square, grand central station, rockerfeller center, times square, and many more. It's brilliant!
HI - New York Hostel Comment by Bryan
September 2006
5 I was in NYC for five days over the Fourth of July 2006. I had no idea where I would stay. This hostel was at the top of my list -- the first place I checked out. Luckily they had a room. I stayed in a four-bed dorm, which smelled kind of "Funny," but was tolerable. I met a few nice people, and even went sightseeing with a guy from Scotland who was staying in my room. Check-in was no problem. The staff seemed very helpful and attentive. The outside courtyard was a nice place to relax and have a smoke after touring the city all day. The bathrooms/showers were pretty clean and there was always a housekeeper in the hallways doing some cleaning work of some kind. The only problem seemed to be the incredibly slow elevator. It became a joke among those waiting for it to arrive! Make sure you bring a lock for your locker in your room and a pair of flip-flops for the shower. I'd say the neighborhood is a little scary if you have not been to NYC before, but if you have, then it should be no problem. Just be alert at late hours. The twenty-four-hour convenience store across the street was great, as was the food at the little Mexican/Italian place next to it. I had a great time and would highly recomend if staying in NYC to stay here.
HI - New York Hostel Comment by Peter (N.I)
September 2006
4 This was probably the best of all the HI hostels we stayed in over the summer. Despite not allowing alcohol, at least they posted up bars with offers on. There's a good atmosphere and plenty of activities (comedy night, movie night). The only complaints is the really small kitchen and the bathrooms could be cleaner. Overall though I would recommend this hostels, plus it is only one block away from the subway.
HI - New York Hostel Comment by Richard
August 2006
4 Nice friendly atmosphere, clean, and pretty well organized. A nice touch is individual reading lights at each bed. Also, they have lockers in the dorms for each bed, something you dont't find, but should, in every hostel. It's conveniently reached by subway.
HI - New York Hostel Comment by John
August 2006
2 Stayed here August 12 to 17, 06. The first night I went to check in they said my room was undergoing "plumbing problems" -- they then apologised and gave me a piece of paper with directions by bus or train to the "Jazz on Harlem," stating it was a recommended hostel with rooms still available. I had booked my room a month earlier. I got a cab and gave him the piece of paper, he took me to the worst part of Harlem and circled the blocks for five minutes looking for the hostel before saying "it is not safe here, you should not stay here" and took me back after I agreed with him. I then went back to the check in and told them what happened, then they suddenly found my room had become available. No reimbursment for the 15 bucks I had just wasted on a cab. I heard other horror stories from guests there who had been awoken in the middle of the night by security shaking their bed demanding to see a receipt because the hostel had double booked their bed. Also an account of having police detectives using someones room as a stakeout while guests still stayed in it. The TV room never has enough room.
HI - New York Hostel Comment by Phil (Oz)
August 2006
3 Stayed here early June '06, alone, three nights. Very poor hostel, very normal HI establishment. Common room is quite average -- during my stay the place was overrun by older travellers and families with children, so not a place for a solo traveller to enjoy the "backpacker culture." Includes function rooms and several offices. Very clinical, kitchen is essentially unusable, bathrooms are a health hazard, ridiculously overpriced internet and cafe. More positively though -- very secure, great location, affordable, great customer service, and there's a book-exchange.
HI - New York Hostel Comment by Laura.E.
July 2006
5 Great service! The staff were wonderful. I arrived a couple hours late on a Friday night due to a flight delay -- I was quite tired and I had to go downtown to meet a friend. The staff told me upon my arrival that I had three messages. After I got settled in the room one of the friendly staff members ordered me a taxi so I could get downtown to meet my friend. It was my first time in NYC and I can't wait to go back. The staff were so helpful I was there for three days and there was always someone with a smile to answer my many questions. The room was clean and quiet. The bathrooms and showers need a bit work, flip flops are a good idea. I would not hesitate to stay there again.
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