Dexter House Hostel

I actually live at Dexter House and can confirm that, yes, it is being run illegally as a Youth Hostel and that the law Department of New York City is suing management of the building for running it a Youth Hostel in a residential neighborhood. Dexter House tenants are tired of being treated as second-class citizens (no, we are not all "on welfare" although some tenants are disabled and on public assistance). Your building would be dirty and shabby too, if you had backpackers trooping through it all day and night, and management too cheap to hire maids to clean things properly. Most of the tenants are either elderly retirees or single working people who can't afford apartments in this way-too-expensive city. They have jobs and they're just trying to get by. Management is doing everything they can, meanwhile, to drive them out of the building.

This hostel is illegal. The building is considered to be a single-room residency, and the landlord is renting out rooms short term and calling the place a hostel because it is a way to make more money. But it isn't at all legal. If he's willing to break the law in this regard, you have to wonder what other sleazy things the management might be doing.

This is actually legally a welfare hotel and not a hotel/hostel. it is a dump. thilthy, depressing, germy bathrooms, etc. stay at the real hostels instead - on 102 and amsterdam and jazz on,the park at 106th and central park west! this place feels unsafe and unhealthy.

I would never recommend this place to my worst enemy. It was the pits.

The hostel is dirty and there is one (really dirty) bathroom for 'bout twenty persons. The location is quite good (upper west side) and it's cheap for money makin' Manhattan. That means it's still too expensive.

We stayed at this place only a few days ago and we loved it! Although the rooms were a bit small we enjoyed our stay. And it is good if you're on a budget. It's situated in a very safe and friendly neighborhood. Dexter House is ideal if you are in a group, as it can accommodate up to eight people. The staff are also very friendly (and good-looking) and we got on with them very well. All in all this place was great for us and I would recommend it to people on a tight budget.

I couldn't form a full opinion of this hostel as we chose not to stay after walking into our room, which in no way resembled the photos on this site. It was a room with one bunk bed with no way to reach the top bunk, i.e. no ladder. There were no lockers, just a cupboard, which did not lock. The bathroom was a disgrace. It was dirty and the taps didn't work on the sink. I didn't even attempt to try the shower. The time we were there we saw no evidence of other backpackers. As we were two girls travelling on our own we quickly made the decision it was not safe to stay at the hostel and made a hasty retreat. The only positive thing I have to say about the place was that the manager refunded our money, which suggests to me that this was not the first time that it had happened.

I stayed at this hostel last summer, 2004. I thought it was very clean. The staff were very friendly. This location is so close to the subways and buses. It was an enjoyable stay and I would recommend it to anyone on a budget in New York.