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Hilltop Hostel Reviews
Verified Reviews by our Community
Hilltop Hostel isn't flash, but it's perfectly reasonable for a short stay, and is very close to public transport.
The Location
The hostel is located in Washington, DC, in a suburb called Takoma. Getting there from the Amtrak is very easy -- just jump on a red line metro train and head to Takoma station, and walk three hundred feet and you're there. There is a 7/11 across the road, a jazz club up the road, and plenty of cafes and eateries within walking distance. The hostel is set in a Victorian era neighbourhood, which feels safe at night and in the day.
Rooms and Bathrooms
There are eleven guest rooms in the hostel and at least one bathroom on each of the four floors. The accommodation is basic, but for the price it's very good value. Rooms are carpeted and heated, and small lockers are available in all rooms. These lockers are not big enough for backpacks, but will hold electronics and other smaller valuables. We spoke to the manager, and he said in the twenty years of this hostel's existence, there have been no complaints of theft. There are no locks on the bedroom doors either, but the hostel seems safe enough. The mattresses are comfortable and plastic wrapped to prevent bedbugs. Linens are provided but towels are not.
Common Spaces
The common areas include two living rooms at the front of the hostel; a large, open kitchen and dining room; and a huge games room in the basement. One of the living rooms at the front has a large, flat-screen television capable of getting more than two hundred fifty channels. The dining room has a common computer with free internet access, and a phone which offers free calls throughout the country and Canada. High speed Wi-Fi is available throughout the premises.
The kitchen is older style but very functional and always clean. There is a free rack for spices, tea, and oils plus any food that guests leave behind. A fridge is available for food storage, as well as ample cupboard space. The games room in the basement has another large TV and a foosball and a pool table. A graffiti wall is the highlight of this room, with twenty years of signatures from guests who have stayed. There is a few bookshelves for guests to exchange books, which is neat.
Summary
In summary, this hostel is definitely worth the price in comparison with prices of other hostels in DC. The staff are friendly; there is a combination lock on the front door for safety; it is tidy; and there is a generally good, laid back vibe to the place.
A Very Old, Dirty Place
Every room in this facility was stinking of tobacco. Pillows were dirty with stains. [Had to get creative and use my pants and a towel as pillow.] Rooms were filthy with no air condition. Mattresses were old, disfigured, and some even had tapes on them. Dead roaches in living room, probably because people are allowed to eat anywhere. Booked for a week, but didn't stay longer than one night. Owner (or owner's wife) is very unprofessional and disgusting. Definitely would never stay there again, or recommend that anyone stay at this place. The only good thing about this place is the location -- right across from the train station (Red Line), but everything else is terrible. Did I mention security -- There isn't any security to this place. Anyone can walk off the street and directly into your room. Windows are left open and rear doors are always unlocked.
Needs work
This place has gone downhill since I stayed here three years ago. The same people are running it, and they are visibly tired of it, and I don't think they've repaired anything in that time. The building is deteriorating and the heat is kept on to balance the drafts from the leaky single-pane windows, so on cold days there's a draft of like 30 degrees between the radiator and the window. Smoking is allowed in the public areas, which thanks to the drafts means that there's smoke in the bedrooms. Other people have commented on the lack of security, but let me add that there is no bike rack, and the back yard gate is only openable from the outside. That's right, if you put your bike in the backyard, you can't get it out, but anybody can get in. That said, it's still a great location and a great price, and the guests are very nice and interesting. But I found myself envying the people who were staying at another hostel downtown, which was not the case five years ago. All this place needs is a little love and it could be great again.
Very, very good
The Victorian House is very impressive! Clean rooms, very kind staff, free barbecue, good facilities, very nice people. I would really recommend this hostel.
Fun and Quirky Crowd
I have to admit I had a good time the four nights I stayed here. A Halloween Party, Friendly staff and owners, a great group of visitors. I loved the area the hostel is located in, quick Metro ride to everything and I always felt completely safe. My only problems -- the smoking and the bathrooms. First I didn't realize that You could smoke and as someone who doesn't I really hated the smell it left on everything. The Bathrooms are very clean but for a place that sleeps forty -- three toilets and two showers made for very long waits and uncomfortable first thing in the morning! I will recommended it to some of my friends but maybe not to others.
Party all night long
This place is fantastic! Although not exactly being the cleanest place I've stayed in I would recommend this place for all who are traveling on their own and want to meet a bunch of great people and have a good party. I stayed on Labor Day and was -- first thing -- invited to a BBQ in the hostel's garden, which is really nice. All of Washington's attractions are about a fifteen-minute train ride away, but the train station is just outside the hostel. By the way, the liquor store -- which you will surely have to visit when staying -- is just as close.
Let me be honest about this hostel -- it rocks! If you're looking for a five-star hotel, with white gloves, room service, and VIPs everywhere, dont you dare go to Hilltop and wreck it for us all! This place is awesome, there is free internet for those of us who don't have a laptop, and for the lucky ones, free wifi. It's clean, warm, and friendly. The only con would be the lack of lockers in the room, but eh, if you truly are a backpacker, you wouldn't even think about traveling without one, would you now? Special thanks to the staff. fair enough, the owner is a drunk, but it's really the other guys who run this hostel, and make it so awesome! Don't change a thing!
I chant along with others -- this places rocks! but with an earthly warmth that one craves so when traveling, especially on business. As a peoples lobbyist, I loved leaving the pressure of policy wonks behind at the end of the day and chill out, watch TV, and listen to good music. Having easy access to the Internet beats all the fancy hotels hands down! The house is charmingly decorated in a slightly updated version of mid-'70s hippie style. Very clean, comfortable, and secure. Staff is responsive but not intrusive. Cordial and cooperative relationships amongst the guests make the place hum -- even when you end up waiting a bit for the bathroom. Caution -- lots of stairs, so pack light and keep in good shape in order to enjoy this hostel to the max! I have hesitated to post such accolades for fear that they'll be completely book next time I call.
Description
Location and Contact
Location
Map
Address: 300 Carroll Street NW, Washington, DC (Washington DC), Washington, DC, USA
Hilltop Hostel is listed on the following booking sites:
Not listed at HostelworldWebsite
www.hosteldc.com
Facilities and Amenities
Digital Nomads
Party Hostel
Solo Traveller
Bedsheets
Bike Rental
Lockers in Rooms
Luggage Storage
Towels
Wi-Fi in Lobby/Commons
Wi-Fi in Rooms
24 Hour Security
ATM
Air Conditioning
BBQ Grill
Board Games
Book Collection/Exchange
Cable TV
Clothes Dryer
Gameroom
Hair Dryers
Hot Showers
Kitchen
Laundry
Lounge Area
Movie Library/Rental
Outdoor Seating
Pool Table
TV
Table Tennis
Videogames
Airport Pickup
Breakfast
Credit Card Payments
Entirely Non-Smoking
Parking
Power Point/Sockets in Rooms
Wheelchair Accessible
Pet-Friendly
Service Animals
Genders: Males & Females
Max. Age: 60
Min. Age with Parent (dorms): 17
Min. Age with Parent (private room): 17
Min. Age without Parent: 18
Checkout: 12:00 (12 Noon)
Curfew: No Curfew
Lockout: No
Maximum Stay: 7 nights
Minimum Stay: 1 night
Open Dates: All Year
Reception Hours: 9 am - 12 midnight
Size: Small (less than 30 beds)
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