5 stars, and here's why - Larry, the general manager of the establishment. There was a problem while I was there, I won't bore you with the details, but I talked to Larry (Who, from what I've seen, is on site very often) and he handled it really well. Definitely resolved the issue. So book your stay here worry free, knowing that if you do have a problem, Larry will do his best to make it right. Thanks, Larry. read more

American Hotel Hostel - You can play foosball while doing laundry. - Hostels Near Me - Seattle, Washington

American Hotel Seattle generously made 14 skaters' dreams come true by donating rooms for the annual Wheels of Fortune skateboarding competition! Lydia, the assistant general manager, was incredibly kind, and promptly and warmly responded to emails. They flexibly accommodated requests for extended stays and thoroughly answered questions about the accommodations, super helpful. Thank you so much! read more

I highly recommend HI Seattle at the American Hotel! I only stayed for one night, but the atmosphere was great and the room (especially the bed) was very comfortable. I believe it was memory foam? I was asleep before I had much time to decide. A small fan and lamp, plus two extra power plugs was a great addition to each bed. The neighborhood might seem a bit iffy at night at first glance. There were a couple of bums standing beside the doorway when I arrived and rang the bell to get in at 10:30pm, but they didn't say anything or bother me. I agree with other comments that there should be screens on the windows. I wanted to leave my window open overnight to let some fresh cool air in because my room was very hot from the day, but I did not want to get chewed up by mosquitoes so I left it closed. Overall, great room and great experience. I will stay here every time I come to Seattle as the location is wonderful - walking distance even to Pike Place Market! Recommended to anyone looking to see Seattle on a budget. read more

Thanks American Hotel for supporting Skate Like a Girl, and our international travelers that came for Wheels of Fortune!

Surrounded around many resturaunts. Next.to the subway and bus stations. Everything is walking distance and a grea fun staff with a very clean place and kitchen. This is bit of a sketchy neighborhood, but if you are with people you will be fine. The bus system is great free service in downtown Seattle. read more

The reception staff were all very nice and helpful. The location is within walking distance to everything, however be careful at night as we witnessed someone get assaulted by a group of men in the park across the street. The rooms had plenty of space and were relatively quiet however were quite hot, but each bunk had small individual fans, which helped a lot. The bathrooms were very clean and so was the rest of the hostel. There's also many activities hosted by the hostel such as free beer and pizza and live music! read more

What can I say? I love this place! Hotel rooms can be rather expensive in Seattle and since there is so much to see and do in this city, why spend a ton of money on a room that you won't be spending much time in anyway? My happy experience started when I called and booked my reservation. The phone was promptly answered by a very friendly and helpful person. Instead of putting a hold on your credit card like most places do, they charge you a small deposit fee, less than $20, to hold your reservation. The place was very easy to find and if you are driving there, you can park your car in the lot across the street and pay $21 for a 24 hour parking pass that includes in and out privleges. I stayed in one of their private rooms that included a private bath. The room was furnished with bunk beds- full sized bed on the lower bunk and a twin sized bed on top. It was impeccably clean and a decent size too. The room did not have a closet or dresser, but there are a few hooks for hanging clothes and also lockers for storage. The only thing about the room that was less than wonderful was the shower. While it was clean and also a decent size, the shower head was somewhat problematic. It came out of the ceiling which must be about 8 feet high, maybe more and it was very hard to reach for adjustment purposes. I'm only 5ft 4in, so I had to stand on the outer ledge of the shower floor in order to reach it. Once it was turned on, the stream was so weak that it took a while to get rinsed off properly. I could not imagine how difficult it would be to try and shampoo one's hair with such a weak shower. Luckily, I brought dry shampoo! Other than that, I have zero complaints about this place and I look forward to staying here again the next time I visit Seattle. read more

Clean, centrally-located, friendly and helpful staff! Stayed at HI for my first visit to Seattle and it was a good experience. I arrived at 11am and even though it was too early to check in (3pm being check-in time) I was able to leave my luggage free of charge. (NOTE: this service is free when you're checking in NOT when you're checking out. I had to pay $5 per two bags to beheld after I checked out.) Towels are given to you upon arrival, to my pleasant surprise! I stayed in a 4-bedroom dorm. It was tight BUT you do get a huge shelf that can be padlocked. The shelf can fit a large suitcase with room to spare. The sheets are clean and smelled mildly of bleach--which I enjoyed haha. Bathrooms are well-maintained and perfectly functional. The common area also has its own bathroom. I personally love the foosball table in the common area as well. It can be a bit crazy in the kitchen; you have to clean your own dishes! read more

TERRIBLE BEDS! the place smells a little and the beds are cheap IKEA tubular steel construction. They are loud and creaky too. The area is sketchy and there have been 4 loud garbage trucks go by so far tonight. I honestly haven't slept a bit tonight. It's 5:55 and I'm thinking about getting up because the beds are worse than sleeping on a couch (Chesterfield, sofa, whatever you want to call it). I've stayed here twice now, and I'm not coming back. The Green Tortoise must be better than this place! read more

Great atmosphere, very helpful front desk. I came back to Seattle just to stay here again because of how accommodating they are. Best price in Seattle for a longer stay to enjoy everything seattle has to offer. Did I forget to mention FREE FRESH BREAKFAST EVERYDAY!!!! read more

American Hotel Seattle is a wonderful organization that is committed to supporting its local community! The staff is very friendly and helpful. read more

Just like a "bad neighborhood" anywhere in the world (this has nothing to do with the beautiful International District of Seattle, WA)... JUST DON'T GO!!! No privacy; no protein with the breakfast (plus they charge more than most hostels), the manager won't listen to your concerns and make any necessary/courtesy or complimentary changes; and no privacy in the bunks. It's a shame because they have an EXCELLENT housekeeping crew that work endlessly, happily and tirelessly (seemingly) and they have no health care insurance. The only plus is the housekeeping crew and how clean they keep the hostel. The manager is rather disconnected from real people, real concerns about heating, and other facility concerns and problems and really won't go out of his way to help the traveler feel like it is worth the extra money to stay here. The manager obviously doesn't want to hear about it; and let's you know it! Never again; and when in Seattle, only go to "The Green Tortoise!" You will be more than satisfied! Go to the Green Tortoise for the ultimate Seattle experience; the best breakfast and free dinners, the best concierge/daily discussions/; the best showers and hot water (not at HI!), and the best bunk beds! Keep traveling and keep hosteling! read more

I stayed here recently for a few nights as a budget-conscious way to see Seattle. Situated in the heart of a Chinatown near the light rail and bus terminals, its location is one of the best things about it. One disappointment was that we booked the hostel with the specific intent of using the nearby Light Rail station to take us to the airport. Unfortunately, this specific terminal was closed for the weekend, which meant we had to take an overcrowded bus to another terminal, and it totally defeated the purpose. The location is also one of the worst aspects about the hostel. I admit that it is quite sketchy. If I weren't traveling with my boyfriend, I would not feel safe walking in this neighborhood alone, primarily at night. It seems like there are a lot of homeless people and/or drug addicts roaming around, especially after dark. The bathrooms are OK. Each floor has two private water closets which have a shower, toilet and sink. There is also a public bathroom with two shower stalls and two toilet stalls. They are pretty well maintained by the housekeeping staff. I never really had a wait or problems with getting hot water. I recommend keeping on shower sandals when using said restrooms. I got a private room with my bf and we each got our own bunk in a twin bunk bed. The mattresses are very hard and thin. I do prefer a soft mattress, so I woke up with back and hip aches, but I expected as much for how much I paid. There is free breakfast from 6-9am, although I think it would be more reasonable to have it from 6:30-9:30 or 7-10, because a lot of people (like me) missed breakfast due to simply wanting to sleep more. Options for breakfast include: oatmeal, bananas, oranges, bagels w/ pb or cream cheese, toast. There definitely is not much in the way of protein, but you can buy ingredients at the local Asian market (Uwajimaya) and cook for yourself as well. I would say this hostel is moderately clean, not spotless, but not terribly disgusting either. You are expected to chip in and clean up any dishes you use. Although - I do think this counts as a public health hazard. The window in our room had no netting on it, it's a real danger because someone (like a child) could easily fall four stories down. Also, the windowsill is coated in a THICK layer of pigeon excrement. The only means of getting fresh air also means exposing your lungs to pigeon feces, which is sure to harbor some form of disease. I don't know how you could logically expect the hostel to clean it, but it's surely a hazard you should be aware of. Overall, I give this hostel a fair rating. It definitely lacks a friendly, social vibe that I expected with staying at a hostel. It seems like people mostly keep to themselves. But it's a cheap option for those who don't want to spend much time in their rooms and more time exploring the city. read more

Amazing business! Thank you for supporting the international competitors that came out to Skate Like a Girl's Wheels of Fortune Skateboarding Competition! Everyone loved their stay at American Hotel! read more

This place is soo convenient. Satellite tv. Decent basic breakfast from 6am to 9am. Comfortable clean beds..Laundry on site $2 for dryer and $2 additional for washer. There is a foosball table and people are really friendly. Overall great experience. Lots of good places to eat in Chinatown. Maximum 2 weeks stay per year read more

Super clean and new, I really enjoyed this hostel. It is super conveniently located right near the Amtrak station and downtown. Compared to other hostels I've stayed at, this one seemed a bit quiet for my taste and people mostly kept to themselves. More of a hotel perhaps but still a great deal for the city! read more

Place has dead energy, staff aren't accommodating to basic needs of travelers. Avoid any of the HI hostels unless it's a last resort. They all have the same kind of dreary vibe. HI hostsellers don't care about guests as much as they do about there pockets and it shows. read more

This hostel's location is both great and kind of sketchy depending on the time of day and the kind of person you are. At 10pm on a rainy Thursday, as a single female traveler, I walked a little faster on the streets and by the alleyways, but I never really felt in danger. Inside the hostel is clean, warm, well lit, and secure. The front desk staff were wonderful and seemed to have a solution or answer to every question. The bathrooms were clean, as were the bunk beds, sheets etc. Love the free wi-fi, though it got quite slow towards the late evening, perhaps due to a larger number of people using it. While no drinking is allowed inside, there are plenty of bars and pubs all around the area with plenty specials and happy hours for those wishing to get their drinking on. read more

Bare bones. Great price. Decent breakfast. Restrooms need help. No paper. Loud streets. But nice people. Clean rooms.

Worst service ever.... they cancelled one of our friends card ( their fault) and then they deactivated our keys with our stuff inside with a note on the door. Again, They deleted the card ( the card was working perfectly fine). The employees came off as rude, disrespectful and unprofessional! Went to hostel in Canada & it was VERY difference experience. From trash to amazing. Won't have my business anymore. read more

You can't beat its prices. having stayed in hostels before, I found the rooms to be well designed, the bed squeaks -but that's what you get for ~$35 per person. The staff was nice, the building was incredible, the other patrons were great. All in all a great trip read more

We stayed 2 evenings here and it was okay, the staff was friendly and the price can't be beat when compared to a hotel for this area or for downtown. My girlfriend and I came in on the link train from the airport which was about a 40 minute ride (2.75 per person) and it dropped us off a block away. So the location for getting around is perfect. We walked around seattle from here, it was a 30 minute jog to mertle park north of here just to give you an idea of how far things are away. This place is also located on the last stop for free rides on the metro - so getting around is cheap and convenient if you don't want to walk. Maybe the crazies were out when we checked in, but we arrived around 11 pm and it looked like I was going to get held up at every corner. This is the reason that I'm giving this place 3 stars. There was a guy hiding out in between pillars who scared the crap out of us because we didn't see him till the last second! As far as the room goes, it was painted an ugly puke green and the beds were firm. We had the two bed suite, which was a bunk bed and was acceptable for a place to stay. They have 3 rooms that have their own shower/restroom but they were all booked when we arrived. You have to share a community bathroom and shower, so if you don't like that you'll have to stay elsewhere or try and get one of the 3 rooms with private bathroom. They provided a towel and there is soap dispenser in the shower. All in all, the place was pretty clean. Like some of the reviews before mentioned, people tended to keep to themselves. Breakfast was included in the rate. Nothing too fancy, but it was something to hold you over till you get a chance to stop at the many cafe's around seattle. Beagles, orange slices/bannans, and oatmeal were our options. read more

This may be my first stay at a hostel and am almost 60. I did not know what to expect but I ended up enjoying my stay. Private food was clean and bed was comfy I was working during the day so was not around. But at night the place was quiet on the room floors. Communal areas had people around but all seemed low key. Staff was helpful when I had questions I was taking the bus to and from and this is very easy. Just a block to bus line. I took train into Seattle and it's just a few blocks from train station. A easy walk Neighborhood may be iffy but I felt comfortable going out for dinner I like Asian food and enjoyed being able to walk to a variety of places. read more

Very historically located in hearth of china town. Convenient is an absolute to getting around via walk/bus/light rail transportation line. Love the vibe that HI Hotel old and new at the same time. Got a somewhat of a goodnight sleep stayed at room #420. located by the alley side of the hotel. The room felt very warm even though their is a tiny fan next to you just not enough ventilation even having the window open without no screen afraid the pigeons will fly inside just covered with the blind's for protection. Now what I really dislike are the 4 bed room set up. Very small room not enough elbow room l had the lower bed felt my head hitting the upper bed when getting out of bed. I guess you get for what you pay for the room was converted from a SRO type for single resident to lodge. They got away by adding 4 bed's in a tiny closet. Staff and residents were great and very respectful not very social but respectful to other's which is fine with me. I would recommend if in town for short visit, if your budget friendly and lot's of cheap restaurant to enjoy. I will be back again when visiting Seattle. read more

Room prices are very fair, location is excellent, and there's a kitchen and their refrigerator is clean. Laundry is expensive, but I will be staying here again for sure ^_^ read more

This is a beautiful, clean & perfectly located hostel in downtown Seattle. It was completely refurbished back in 2009. Only a half a block from the Link Light Rail station from SeaTac Airport. A great location for buses in the 6am to 7pm Ride Free Area and for buses to the University of Washington. Walking distance to both the football/soccer stadium and the Mariners baseball stadium. Charlie, the super friendly morning concierge, knows everything there is to know about what to see and do and all the transportation options. This place is a bargain! read more

As all hosteling international locations, this is not a vibrant and youthful place to stay. However, it's super close to the train and bus stations, as well as century link field if you're here for a game. The neighborhood itself is dodge city, featuring drug deals and drunken homeless brawls, but it's a short walk to downtown. Plus, the hostel is immaculately clean, the free breakfast is not bad, and there's strong wi-fi and all day coffee/tea. For me it was perfect! read more

I had a great time at the HI Seattle. Staff are great. The rooms arent too overcrowded. There are washers driers, a library/game room, darts, computers, foosball , a lounge, kitchen. I am surely forgetting a lot of things. I think the best part of the experience is meeting others from all over. I met some great people from northern California and a really nice person from Melbourne Australia. The price is really inexpensive which is great. The site is located within steps of the LINK public transit (Chinatown stop) so it is a breeze to get there to and from the airport. Overall it was a great time and fun experience. Thank you HI seattle! read more

My friend and I stayed here for 3 nights in a 4 bed female dorm. PROs: Hostel is brand new (nothing is covered in dirt, stained, or really used at all yet) close to downtown/amtrak station Zeitgeist Coffee is a two minute walk away Big open kitchen and common area separate tv room friendly staff Locked at night (so we feel safe!) CONs: Brand New: nothing is done yet and half the bathrooms were out of order (as well as most of the rooms) International District = China Town = Sketch at night. We were hassled only once but there is a bar on the corner that usually has shady characters. Thin Walls...we had party neighbors It was a small inconvenience that one of the front desk people did something strange with our reservation and we got locked out of our room. Overall this was a good experience for us. It was the first time we'd stayed at a hostel and it was super easy to meet people. We spent some time at the other hostel in Seattle (The Green Tortoise) and really appreciated how established it was. This hostel is still a little bit empty and there are actually a lot of older people staying here which is a bit strange at points. read more

The room was not very clean. The lockers smelled, and the restrooms had garbage on the floors. The front desk staff was either incredibly nice or incredibly rude and condescending. Check-in was unnecessarily stressful when i was almost turned away because my wallet had been stolen, so i did not have anything but my US passport and proof of non-Seattle address. They told me they were doing me a favour my allowing me to stay there with my Canadian fiancé who I live with in Canada. Only good thing was the location. read more

staff was excellent. check in went fast, even when they had to take time to combine two reservations. I was not impressed with the beds. but then I have a bad back. but over all a very good experience. I will be staying again. read more

The American Hotel is the HI-Seattle hostel and part of the Hostelling International network. It is a great hostel with a huge community kitchen and free coffee for it's guests. Walking tours, pub crawls and happy hours are all led by hostel staff throughout the week. Rooms are clean and spacious! A great way to see Seattle with friends or if on a budget. read more

Only stayed for a few days but it was really nice! It was my first time using a hostel so I was nervous and didn't know what to expect. The experience was pleasant, the amenities were good and the people/staff were all nice and helpful. I would recommend this place to anyone, just mind that there are a few sketchy people who hang out across the street. Otherwise the location is pretty central and it's great for the price! read more

They let people that float through town stay there and then end up employed with them. It is kind of shady environment . I thought I was going to have a room with other females and was put in a hostel room with four metal bunk beds, that are old and worn with two men who looked extremely scary. Its located downtown , yes but far away from the normal area and has a busy street in front of it. The bathrooms looked unclean, and the linens are old and worn. It is cheap, and that says it for the place. They have some issues with their front door so they have many security cameras. Spend a little more and go to Green Tortoise !! Green Tortoise is right beside the Saturday Market!! read more

I loved it here. Bathrooms were spotless, cleaned every day. The whole hostel was actually very clean. The rooms are small but comfy and warm and got completely cleaned every two days (new sheets and everything) I was in a four bed dorm which was empty most of my stay so I had the whole room to myself which was awesome. The location was in walking distance to down town or just hop on a bus nearby at the international station. Good cheap asian supermarket just one street across(where i ate pretty much everyday ) Only issue I had was with the noise at night (lots of traffic at night honking) But still can recommend staying here :) read more

Could not ask for more. Staff was flexible, helpful, knowledgeable and willing. The location is ideal. If you depend on public transit you are set. If you prefer walking you are close to all of tourist spots. The only worry I had was room sharing but I had a great experience and felt my roommates were very appropriate. There is even locker space in the room. I never had to wait for a bathroom and the secure access cards on each floor put me at ease. I slept great even with some street noise- I just closed the window. It was my first hosteling experience and I cannot wait to do it again! I 100% recommend this place for hosteling. read more

My sister and I stayed here for two nights while on a road trip as it it was the cheapest option in Seattle. I have stayed in other HI hotels and felt that staff here is among the best. They took the time to provide great recommendations (including where to park for free), suggestions for clubs and things to do and were overall very friendly. read more

My boyfriend booked a room at this place for New Years Eve weekend for us. When we showed up he was asked for ID and card as he presented it the very rude receptionist told me she needed to see mine as well.I thought it was strange but gave her my passport as I was handing it to her she informed me that They dont take AMERICAN PASSPORTS! Seriously? The place is called The AMERICAN HOTEL ?!? They only take International passports lol ohkayyyyy what a joke .I wasnt even registered on the room why would they need my ID in the first place ???We had just drove 200 miles from home and were in complete shock .We went outside and I called them asked to speak to the manager explaining our situation again she told me it was too late to speak to her (it was 6 pm)All we got in return was her snotty unsympathetic response saying, We're not going to make an exception for you ..Dont waste your time or money on this dump read more

Located in historic Chinatown, this hostel is incredibly central to downtown. I had an amazing time staying there for a week, they have free breakfast that has fruit and juice along with other breakfast breads, and has other sweet amenities that really make it feel kind of like summer camp! I stayed in a 4 person bedroom with a couple of other people In my program, however, throughout the week a couple of other folks came in and out for the night. The rooms have lockers that you can lock your things in if you like but I didn't feel the need to. I would absolutely stay at the hostel again! You can't beat the price and the community read more

Overall good place, conveniently located just a block from the Bolt bus stop! Very very nice staff! Clean common areas and bedrooms. My friend's bed was significantly better than mine though. Seagulls were super obnoxious and kept me awake all night (I'm usually a very heavy sleeper). They were able to move my friend and I into the same room which was nice! Also they have fooseball in the kitchen and bike storage in the basement. read more