The Hostelz.com Review
The best things about Berkeley Residence YWCA are its excellent location, peace and quiet during the night, and clean bathrooms. It is very easy to get to the hostel from the airport (or any other place) as there are at least two subway stations within a ten-minute walking distance. The downtowns stores, some sights, and parks are also just a fifteen-minute walk away. The neighborhood seems to be fairly safe, and there is conveniently a “Seven Eleven” located across the street, open twenty-four hours.
The reception of the hostel and the dining room has mostly friendly staff. The negative side for summer travelers can be lack of air conditioning throughout the building, which can make sleeping difficult especially during a heat wave (such as the one that hit the U.S. east coast during our stay). Further, even though the large “sitting room” next to the main lobby is in principle nice for napping or reading, its furniture seems a bit dirty -- at least for laying down on a sweltering hot summer day.
Regarding the common areas -- the lobby is spacious with public phones and brochures about Boston available, and staff is able to recommend good sightseeing tours or give other advice. Towels are available for free at the reception -- you just need to give two dollars at the time of checking in, which you will get back when you return the towel. You can exchange your towel for a clean one as often as you like during your stay. It is also great that there are two computers in the lobby with fast-speed internet, Microsoft Word etc. The use of a computer costs ten cents a minute (with twenty minutes minimum).
In turn, the bathrooms on each of the seven floors (there were about three bathrooms on ours) are also reasonably spacious and clean, but they do look a little run-down. Each has about two showers, though the speed at which the water comes through them varies (with some shower heads shooting the water like a cannon, and others releasing just a few drops). There is no soap, so bring your own (they don't even have a soap dispenser to wash your hands after using the toilet! ick!). The hallways have carpets, which are old but are cleaned at least once a week. There is no housekeeping in the rooms.
The rooms themselves don't have carpets. Rooms have one or two beds with beddings, including a nice, light blanket. In the rooms there are also closets, desks, a ceiling fan, and a night table and light.
Finally, it is great that the room rate includes breakfast, which is served at 7 to 9 a.m. on weekdays and 8 to 10 a.m. during weekends. There are eggs, grits/oatmeal, fruit, toast with butter and marmalade, excellent guava juice (and some other juices), coffee, tea, French vanilla coffee, cereal, and milk. During the weekends there is also bacon or sausage, fried potatoes, fish sticks, and/or donuts.
Unfortunately, it isn't a hostel, so it isn't a fun place to hang out and there's little opportunity to meet other people (the other guests aren't necessarily young backpackers anyway). So if you're looking for a social place, look elsewhere, but this is a nice option it you just want an inexpensive place to sleep.
The reception of the hostel and the dining room has mostly friendly staff. The negative side for summer travelers can be lack of air conditioning throughout the building, which can make sleeping difficult especially during a heat wave (such as the one that hit the U.S. east coast during our stay). Further, even though the large “sitting room” next to the main lobby is in principle nice for napping or reading, its furniture seems a bit dirty -- at least for laying down on a sweltering hot summer day.
Regarding the common areas -- the lobby is spacious with public phones and brochures about Boston available, and staff is able to recommend good sightseeing tours or give other advice. Towels are available for free at the reception -- you just need to give two dollars at the time of checking in, which you will get back when you return the towel. You can exchange your towel for a clean one as often as you like during your stay. It is also great that there are two computers in the lobby with fast-speed internet, Microsoft Word etc. The use of a computer costs ten cents a minute (with twenty minutes minimum).
In turn, the bathrooms on each of the seven floors (there were about three bathrooms on ours) are also reasonably spacious and clean, but they do look a little run-down. Each has about two showers, though the speed at which the water comes through them varies (with some shower heads shooting the water like a cannon, and others releasing just a few drops). There is no soap, so bring your own (they don't even have a soap dispenser to wash your hands after using the toilet! ick!). The hallways have carpets, which are old but are cleaned at least once a week. There is no housekeeping in the rooms.
The rooms themselves don't have carpets. Rooms have one or two beds with beddings, including a nice, light blanket. In the rooms there are also closets, desks, a ceiling fan, and a night table and light.
Finally, it is great that the room rate includes breakfast, which is served at 7 to 9 a.m. on weekdays and 8 to 10 a.m. during weekends. There are eggs, grits/oatmeal, fruit, toast with butter and marmalade, excellent guava juice (and some other juices), coffee, tea, French vanilla coffee, cereal, and milk. During the weekends there is also bacon or sausage, fried potatoes, fish sticks, and/or donuts.
Unfortunately, it isn't a hostel, so it isn't a fun place to hang out and there's little opportunity to meet other people (the other guests aren't necessarily young backpackers anyway). So if you're looking for a social place, look elsewhere, but this is a nice option it you just want an inexpensive place to sleep.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
August 2006
Their Description
40 Berkeley Details
Category: Other
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40 Berkeley Reviews from the WebHostelz.com Guest Reviews
Clean, chic, and great location The lobby and public area is very comfortable and chic. Love its free Starbucks coffee and movie room. Price is great (around $ 50) with the choice of private room. I recommend traveler on a budget to stay for a night or two. — Anonymous , Taiwan (2012-05-03) Not for the faint-hearted Now, I have worked extensively with people with mental disabilities so it was probably not as disturbing for me as for the average traveler (which would describe my traveling companion) but staying here really put a dampener on my holiday. Lets cut to the chase then -- this place houses long-term permanent female residents with either mental or physical conditions that prevent them from living in the community. There are spaces for tourists -- yep, right amongst them on every floor, sharing the bathrooms and the dining hall for the breakfast. Tourists can be male or female so even the lure of a female only space is not legitimate. The lobby seems acceptable but when you get upstairs you get a basic room (in my case it was a twin room -- two beds and pretty much nothing else). The bathrooms could do with a good refurbishment but bumping into some of the lonely. disenfranchised residents in there was a negative experience always. I just don't think that mixing permanent residents and travelers works in most cases. On the positive, the location is quite central and the breakfast they provide -- juices, cooked and cold food is good value. The place didn't seem totally unsafe, just very unnerving. Now, Boston is the second most expensive city after New York city so it is hard to get cheap accommodation here, but if you are the type who finds that depressing surroundings can really impact on your enjoyment of a city it may be best to say hang it all and splash out on more pricey accommodation. Definitely not recommended for those traveling alone -- you need moral support to get through this place! — Susan , Australia (2009-07-05) Back in 1981, I was relocated to Boston, Massachusetts, as an eighteen-year-old, fresh out of High School, to work as a Manager at for Burger King. I had worked for a Burger King Franchise since I was a Junior in High School in Buffalo, New York working my way up from Cashier to Assistant Manager, and then to General Manager. Upon my graduation from High School, I was asked if I was willing to relocate and where I would like to live. I had always had a fascination for New England and told my Supervisors that is where I would like to live. To make a long story short, I was transferred to Boston. I knew absolutely no one there. Had no family there and was totally on my own. I just knew I wanted to live in Boston. After spending two weeks in a boarding house on Hancock Street in Dorchester, the Secretary at the Burger King that I worked at told me about the Berkely Residence. Soon after I moved in, and spent the most enjoyable years of my life there. I met my future roommate there and an endless number of people who would influence my life including my husband of 20 years. — Kelly Frazier Barbosa (2006-08-29) I stayed at Berkeely when I came to run Boston 2006. At breakfast I met runners from four countries and five states in the most pleasant, sunny, dining room. Tables were covered with linen cloths and adorned with flowers. Both the staff and long term residents were friendly and helpful. The accommodations are old-fashioned dorm rooms with baths down the hall -- and are a good value in this costly city. It was easy to walk to restaurants, stores, historic sites, and public transportation. A short walk and a dollar-twenty-five gets you to the airport, Freedom Walk, or a host of other locations. — Mike Baker of Minnesota (2006-04-23) I stayed at the HI hostel the first time I visited Boston and then the YWCA the next two times.
The positives:
The YWCA has a GREAT breakfast — complete with eggs, fruit, coffee, oatmeal, etc. The breakfast is worth at least $10 of the price. Their security seems to be pretty good, which adds to the comfort factor for a single woman travelling alone. The rooms are small, but private and certainly adequate compared to hostel rooms.
The location is good, with some great cafes and restaurants within walking distance. Also, T station is within easy walking distance. Many of the people staying there are in Boston for school-type reasons, which is why I was there, and the hostel was conducive to getting a good night's sleep before an important meeting/class. In other words, it is definitely NOT a party place (which could be a negative, depending on your goals.)
While I wish this place was half the price it is, I also know that Boston is an expensive city, so it's worth considering this place since it does provide safe, convenient, private accommodations for a price that is reasonable for Boston.
The not-so-positives:
If you are planning to walk with your luggage from the T station, you should know that the sidewalks are extremely uneven. This is not a problem if you have a backpack, but if you have a rolling suitcase save yourself hassle and take a taxi.
It is quite institutional. There are many residents living there, so it doesn't have the atmosphere of friendly travellers. People are polite, but not friendly.
Both times I stayed, there were "crazy old bat" type women around. Harmless, but a little depressing to be around. After a while I started to feel like a crazy old bat myself, and that's when I swore the next time I came to Boston I would stay someplace else. Of course, the next time I come to Boston I will be paying three times as much, so it is all a trade-off.
In all, I would recommend the YWCA to women who want safe, convenient, semi-private accommodations in Boston on a budget. — Anonymous (2005-10-03) I stayed in a single room; it was a good size, clean, and quiet. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The location is great; in South End just a short walk to the Newbury St./Boston Common area. The free breakfast is very generous and you can buy dinner for $7.50. It has a lot of permanent residents. I'd definitely stay there again. — Cass (2005-01-11)