The Continental Hostel

Located on the Upper West side two blocks from the West 96th Street subway station, Continental Hostel is a perfect place to stay for a New York sightseeing getaway. We felt safe in this area at any time, day or night.

The whole place is very big -- it's a five-story building with two entrances that looks like an apartment house that can make guests feel anonymous in there. They don't accept credit cards -- which is surprising, after all it's NYC! So bring your cash unless you want to pay extra fees for using the ATM located across the reception desk.

Due to the hostel's size, it seems they don't quite have a good grip on everything going on. We reserved three beds in one mixed dorm three weeks in advance, and upon arrival there was nothing like that waiting for us! The staff is not really supportive as far as the guidance for the city, but they solve any problems with the accommodation. In our case, it took a while but eventually they put us next door in two double rooms with TVs for no extra charge! That was a really nice surprise, even though we had to walk over to the next building to use the facilities, including the playroom, internet (paid access), or the lockers (which cost a few dollars a day for a big one).

The place is quite clean, however we saw a cockroach in one of the bathrooms. Rooms are tiny (even our "first class upgrades") so if you happen to stay here during the summer and sleep in the full room, you might not be able to fall asleep. There is no AC and fans are only present in some rooms! Even though the washrooms are cleaned regularly, the showers get stopped up easily. You have plenty of them to choose from on every single floor, if you don't mind walking around in your towel.

The only negative thing is the cooking. Although there is a designated place for it, it's hard to call it a kitchen. There is nothing beside the cooker and the sink, so if you are on the tight budget we highly recommend the very inexpensive hot dogs available all around the city. We enjoyed our stay here -- safe, easy-going, no curfew, and really cheap -- after all it's still Manhattan!

— Avis exclusif de Hostelz.com
October 2006