Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Black Elephant Hostel

    4.9 (23 reviews)
    Open 7:30 am - 11:00 AM, 3:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Black Elephant Hostel Photos

    You might also consider

    More like Black Elephant Hostel

    Recommended Reviews - Black Elephant Hostel

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Looking up Hampshire Street toward the Black Elephant. March 1, 2019.
    Victoria B.

    This is as good as it gets. When people hear "hostel," they usually think spartan accommodations and smelly backpackers. They usually think 20-something kids and zero privacy. When I was younger, I hosteled in Europe, and stayed in my share of spartan dorm-like places with aromatic kids from France and Germany. It was a great time. But I'm older now and somehow a few years ago I discovered that when travelling alone, a hostel is a really good choice. And it's not spartan or smelly, especially at the gorgeous new Black Elephant, a thoughtful, communal, eco-friendly space. It's cheaper (by a lot) and more social. Strangers talk to each other and join together to do things such as pup crawl or tour lighthouses. Black Elephant .... 1. Very clean beds. These beds are cleaner than most hotel beds I've stayed in. Seriously. The bedding (which is changed with each guest, not per night) is hotel quality. A sheet, a pillow, a duvet with cover, a blanket. Each bed has a corresponding locker (big enough for a suitcase and satchel) with lock and key provided. 2. Each guest is given a large bath towel on check-in. In addition, the housekeeping staff stocks the bathrooms daily with at least a half-dozen very clean very white hand-towels and bathmats. Liquid hand and body soaps are provided as well. 3. The place is spotless. The bathrooms are pristine. So are the bedrooms. The lobby closes between 11 and 3 each day and they spend the whole time cleaning. 4. If you want to cook or just need a place to drink a cup of coffee (provided free daily), the kitchen is high-end: marble counter tops, gas range, full sink. All kinds of tools, including a large lobster pot, should you get the urge to boil the local crustaceans. There's a large commercial fridge for shared use (with labelled bins for each guest). All of it is very clean. No freezer or ice but I think I'm probably the only one who noticed. 5. The communal area with sofas and chairs and tables and a gas fireplace and great wi-fi is funky and cool and beautiful (and clean). It's a good space to read or write. The owner has an amazing talent for design -- from the stained glass in the windows to the tile on the bathroom floors -- it's all gorgeous in a way that feeds the soul. Every bit of the place just feels good. 6. The location can't be beat. It's very very close to some really great bars, restaurants, and breweries (Duckfat, Eventide, Tomaso's, Honey Paw, Shipyard) (Portland was named Bon Appetit's restaurant city of 2018). It's an easy walk downtown or to the waterfront. Also veryvery close are the Food Coop for groceries and Rite Aid for toiletries and whatnot. 7. You can book direct (which is what I did) or through airbnb or booking.com. There are accommodation options, too, everything from all-female dorm style to a private room with a double-bed. Rumor has it there's even a tub for rent but I never got that far. The bathrooms are private and the showers are great! 8. They have a dog. He's calm and sweet and clean. I watched many travelers hug and snuggle him. He's like home-away-from-home therapy! 9. I've already booked my next visit.

    garden area
    Rebecca H.

    LOVED this hostel. It is the BEST location, you seriously cannot beat it, especially with the insanely low prices. We were able to walk everywhere from the hostel in downtown Portland which was amazing because parking downtown isn't always the easiest. The staff is so friendly and gave us fun suggestions. They have coed rooms, single gender rooms, and private rooms. The place is so cute and I would definitely stay here again.

    The hostel dog keeps watch
    Tyler S.

    We loved our stay here! My girlfriend and I stayed in the Kristofferson room - a private room with a full-size bed and a shared bathroom. For less than $100 on a Saturday night, it was much cheaper than anything in the rest of Portland. The location is great - blocks away from Shipyard brewery, Tomato's Canteen (went there for brunch AND late night food since it was the only place still serving food at 1am), and Eventide Oyster Co. (a MUST for oyster lovers!). We loved the funky decor at the hostel! The staff was kind and helpful and the common area was spacious and inviting. This place had only been open for two weeks when we stayed there but we'll definitely return next time we're visiting Portland!

    Lemur Room wallpaper

    See all

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of LeeAnn M.
    52
    15
    75

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of J S.
    2
    799
    69

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Robin H.
    22
    60
    41

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Crista C.
    15
    83
    10

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Black Elephant Hostel

    Review Highlights - Black Elephant Hostel

    Super clean, so cute and unique, friendly staff (Sam we loved you!) & everything was so smooth and easy.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    Get access to customer & competitor insights.

    Verify this business

    Inn At St John - Shared bathroom

    Inn At St John

    4.0(208 reviews)
    1.4 miValley Street
    $$

    We stayed at Inn at St. John. It was very clean and comfortable. The staff was so very friendly and…read morecourteous, the breakfast was convenient and good. The location makes it easy to quickly get around. We walked to the Old Port area, the Western Promenade historic area and to downtown Portland from the Inn. The Inn is dog friendly, and the staff enjoyed out pup. The Inn is close to Maine Medical Center if you have someone there in the hospital. I recommend the Inn for your stay in Portland.

    There were tons of positive reviews for the St John Inn so my husband and I booked it for our…read morevacation in Portland. Unfortunately our stay was very disappointing. Upon checking in the front desk only gave us our keys, no instructions on how to get to the room, where the shared bathroom was or any information for our stay. Our room was 9C which we found out very quickly was 5 flights up the steepest definitely not up to code stairs. Me and my husband are 25 years old and in great shape and it was a struggle for even us to get our luggage up to our room. Our room was honestly pretty sad looking. There was a bed and a sink with no mirror and a mini fridge and a microwave in the corner. You can tell this place is historic because everything looked very old and outdated and looked like it could use a good clean. We found leftovers from the guests who stayed in our room beforehand so the room was not turned over well. Also the smell in our room was horrific. It smelt like something was wet and molding. I even went down the 5 flights of steps to let the front desk know my concern of the smell and all he did was hand me a can of febreeze. I was hoping when they would go to clean our rooms the next day they could clean and get to the bottom of whatever the smell was but our room was not cleaned the entire 4 night stay even when I went down and asked the front desk if our room could be cleaned due to the smell and if we could get fresh towels. I had to go down to the front desk several times to ask for our room to be cleaned and finally they changed the sheets got new towels and sprayed breeze again and didn't say anything about the smell. The shared bathroom was across the hall and this was honestly the worst part. I've lived in dorms with gross shared bathrooms but this one is not only gross but it's the tiniest bathroom especially if it's supposed to be a shared space. First time going in the whole bathroom was wet and slick with towels on the floor and shampoo from other guests. There's hardly any counter to put your towel or toiletries. The shower itself is extremely small I'm only 5'3 120lbs and I could barley wash off my arms and legs I didn't even attempt to wash my hair in this Barbie doll sized shower that was pitch black dark with a moldy celling. The Inn says they have a complimentary breakfast but all it is in bagels and coffee in the lobby hot breakfast is not provided. The plus was there were no bugs! Other than that I would not recommend staying in the St John Inn.

    Photos
    Inn At St John - Our room at St John's Inn

    Our room at St John's Inn

    Inn At St John - Double Room

    Double Room

    Inn At St John

    See all

    The Percy Inn

    The Percy Inn

    4.2(38 reviews)
    1.0 miWest End
    $$

    What a great place! (Since 2018). We stayed in the Elizabeth Barrett Browning room (yes next to…read morethe front door) and loved it. Newly updated this room was so comfortable (loved the gas fireplace). The Inn owners Dale and Misael are very genuine, outgoing, informative and very knowledgeable about the history and places to eat in Portland... steered us to great venues. Continental breakfast was good and we loved the set up of the dining area and having access to snacks 24/7. Thank you for the great ambiance and hospitality. We plan on returning! (2024 Visit, still a wonderful establishment in a perfect location in Portland) (2025 Visit, exceptional as always!) P.s. (2018) We found our room, next to the front entrance, to be quite acceptable. We were a little worried by some of the reviews, but we've had far noisier experiences in those typical long huge hotel hall ways with the throngs of people walking through, getting ice and elevators. Street noise nothing. Even if the windows had been open the noise was just normal. Unless you need to bed yourself in a complete vacuum don't let the negatives count this room out.

    The Percy Inn. Where to start...let's start at their…read moremisleading web site , showing a candle and a beautiful piano in a comfortable room with a fireplace. None of which exists, not found despite our extensive exploration of the Premises. No piano, not common sitting area. Instead, a narrow, steep staircase with a curve making it impossibly difficult for us to carry luggage up this flight of stairs. Let's also start with our call at 2pm on the day of our arrival. A courtesy call to advise them of our arrival time. The phone rings, and after several rings, a voice answers. Not with "good afternoon, Percy Inn" not with "hello" or not with "hi this is the Percy Inn", but simply with a bothered "I'm listening". That's all. Huh? Ok. We arrive. No one there. No one answers the doorbell. No one greets you. A guest happens to open the door. Lets us inside. There's an envelope on a desk with my name and instructions on where the room is and a few policy notes. We carry our luggage up a 20-step narrow curved staircase to our room. The next morning we wake early and go into the adjacent breakfast room. A gentleman walks in carrying a tray. No "hello", no "good morning", just a pissed off "coffee isn't ready" clearly annoyed by our presence. Once breakfast is ready we discover there is no cooked meal. Just a simple continental breakfast with hard bagels, Raisin Bran and yesterday's leftover pie. We finish eating and a different gentleman (clearly the owner) comes into the breakfast area. No hello. No "how was your evening?" No head nod. Nothing. We grab our suitcases, and as we are heading downstairs, he calls out to us with "I'll be right down to check you out". A lesson in how NOT to run a Bed & Breakfast. One star for location. Zero stars for everything else.

    Photos
    The Percy Inn
    The Percy Inn
    The Percy Inn

    See all

    The Westin Portland Harborview - 2 Double Beds, Harbor View

    The Westin Portland Harborview

    3.2(263 reviews)
    0.7 miParkside
    $$$

    A nice hotel with a few issues but overall ideal for a weekend stay. My wife and I booked three…read morenights here at the Westin Friday through Sunday to attend the Guster on the Ocean concert for her birthday. The hotel is centrally, located to the heart of downtown Portland and many great places to dine. We easily utilized our legs and the local bus system to get all over the peninsula over the three days we were there. I was told by the front desk that the hotel has a private complementary shuttle that you can request to drop you off at places in the area. I saw it, but we did not use it. When we arrived, there was complementary infused water, a juice of some sort, and an assortment of cookies on the table in the lobby. After a half day of travel and started very early this is a nice welcome as we were getting checked in. The check-in process was quick and we were allowed to the room earlier than advertised. The room is spacious enough for two people to be comfortable and it was very clean. The only issues I had with it were minor for us, but could be more significant for someone else. The main one being that the hot water for the shower was incredibly finicky. You could turn it on and turn it all the way too hot and it would stay ice cold for an excess of five minutes. Sometimes it would get scolding hot or as hot as you would like it with no trouble other times it wouldn't function to warm the water at all. I can only assume the culprit is a dedicated hot water unit that is failing or something with the mixing valve in the plumbing. In any case, we were able to make it work when we needed it and it was so hot while we were visiting we didn't mind a lukewarm or cooler shower anyways. The other issue is the TV is outdated with almost no options for viewing anything other than the 50 cable channels that I assume are free to the area. I don't watch a lot of TV especially when I travel, but in the evening it is nice to be able to stream a movie or a show before going to bed. The TV was old enough that it had no smart functionality whatsoever and you could not AirDrop from your phone. I feel like in 2026 at a somewhat nicer hotel property a cheap $200 smart TV should be expected. Those issues aside the property worked out great for us. It was also the first Friday of the month and the adjacent main street was lined with local artists. We did not dine on the property as there is too much good food in the area to have to do that. I would stay here again

    Chose to stay at the Westin Portland Harborview due to its close proximity to State Theater. I'll…read morenever, ever stay there again. Prior to even arriving we experienced how rude the staff was-- we called at 2:30 asking if it would be possible for us to check in a half hour early and were shocked by how rude and unaccommodating they were. We knew check in was at 4, we were simply just calling to see if we could check in at 3:30- but, apparently they don't make exceptions. So, you can't check in until 4pm and need to leave no later than 11am. No exceptions. Once arriving, the layout of the hotel was an absolute mess. You had to walk quite a distance indoor/outdoor to access the parking garage (parking not included-- so another fee on top of what you're already paying a lot for). Depending on where you're staying in the hotel.. it can be quite a distance to the lobby/garage/etc. so, prepare to do a lot of walking to get from one place to another within the hotel. We had a junior suite. It was fine. Very spacious. Mostly clean, but we did notice some leftover dog kibble from a previous guest underneath one of the tv stands. The weather was so cold, it wasn't super fun to walk around. We spent more time in our hotel room than anticipated and were disappointed that they only offered a few channels-- no ability to sign into Netflix, or even pay to rent a movie. Additionally, they didn't have a pool or hot tub. So, really not a lot to do within the property or your room. This particular hotel seems much more suited for business travel than for leisure or pleasure. Again, wasn't a HORRIBLE experience, but for what you are paying to stay there the "amenities" and the way you are treated isn't worth it. Which is very disappointing for me because I've always enjoyed the other Westin properties I've stayed at.

    Photos
    The Westin Portland Harborview - 2 Double Beds, City View

    2 Double Beds, City View

    The Westin Portland Harborview - Suite Living Room

    Suite Living Room

    The Westin Portland Harborview - Thoughtfully curated culinary and libation menus

    See all

    Thoughtfully curated culinary and libation menus

    CoHo Hostel

    CoHo Hostel

    4.4(14 reviews)
    48.5 mi

    The White Mountains Hostel is a great option for lodging in the Conway area. I took a last minute…read moretrip up to the mountains to hike and didn't have time to get all my camping gear together. The hostel had availability at a more than fair price and it was simple to make a reservation online. Check in starts at 4pm. My only interaction with a staff person was at that time but they were very friendly and explained where everything was in the house (as it was my first stay). I ended up with the female bunk room to myself. There is also a male bunk room, co-ed room, and plenty of private rooms. Depending on your needs, they're likely to have the accommodations for you. Sheets, blankets, pillows, and lockers with keys are provided. The amenities were a welcome addition to my stay. The full kitchen came in handy when I decided to stay in for dinner. The bathrooms were clean with several stalls and a couple of showers. Plenty of tables and seating downstairs. A back porch to lounge on. Several children were staying in the hostel at the same time that I was and though they were a bit rambunctious during the day, all guests were respectful of quiet hours. I would definitely stay here again. Similar if not cheaper in price than some of the local campgrounds.

    I'm pretty new to the concept of hostels; this is only the 2nd one I've stayed in. The first also…read morein the White Mtns was horrible and dirty so I was nervous to say the least about staying here. Alas, this is a jewel. Very clean. Comprises a fully equipped kitchen big enough for several cooks in the kitchen at the same time. Has a dining room big enough to seat at least 12 if memory serves me which is open to the living area. Has at least 10 bedrooms (I say that because we were in room 10 on the 3rd floor) with linens provided. We had a private room with 2 queen beds and a sink for about 63.00 including tax. There are other rooms available with bunk beds. There are separate gents and ladies bathrooms on the 2nd floor with shower stalls, toilets, and sinks. There is another restroom on the first floor. Towels are provided but bring your own soap and shampoo. Our caretaker is the new owner, as well. She was very inviting and gracious. I'd definitely stay here again. I'd say it's better than a hotel for my needs. I don't mind sharing a bathroom with the offset being I have a kitchen to use. I'd say that's a fair tradeoff when looking for a place to stay while hiking the White Mtns.

    Photos
    CoHo Hostel
    CoHo Hostel - Dining Room

    Dining Room

    CoHo Hostel

    See all

    Snow Squall Bed & Breakfast

    Snow Squall Bed & Breakfast

    4.6(10 reviews)
    37.4 mi

    We loved Snow Squall so much. For me a great B&B needs to do a few things well, but have some…read morelittle thing that is kind of unique. The room was comfortable, the hosts super-genial, and the breakfast was tremendous - one of the best we had in Maine, actually. The husband is a former chef, and the wife teaches yoga classes and does massage. Perhaps the most surprising part is the price. I'd expect to pay twice what we did. I'd go back in a second, and if I had a friend visiting Maine, would not let them go until I saw an email confirming their stay at Snow Squall.

    I absolutely love this place, I really only have two criticisms: the beds/pillows were far too firm…read morefor my liking and I had a hard time getting to sleep, and I would have preferred more than one hot prepared breakfast option. After doing a lot of research I ended up with Snow Squall because it looked like the perfect combination of price and quality and I believe that's exactly what it turned out to be. Prices are listed on their website and in my research I could find no deals on travel sites so what is listed is what you'll be getting your room for (still a good deal). The exterior and interior of the Snow Squall is absolutely beautiful with attention paid to every detail, I can't get over how immaculately clean and gorgeous this place is. Paul (the co-owner/chef) was a true gentleman, he was very kind without being over the top and was a absolute pleasure to deal with. He's also an amazing chef and made the most amazing breakfast of pancakes with a berry sauce w/ fresh berries as well as ham/scallion/gruyere scones. The pancakes (though perfect) were only only about 5" and you only got 2, thankfully Paul had set up a table with cereals, scones, yogurt, fruit, and juice. Again it would have been nice to have a second option, maybe something with eggs but I didn't leave the kitchen hungry and the food was awesome. The dining area was set up with a number of tables and chairs so you didn't have to sit with strangers. In fact you didn't need to interact with any guests or feel as though you were in some sort of hostel at all, just a very comfortable big house with plenty of privacy and hospitality. The B&B had a couple of very comfortable living rooms which I wish I had taken advantage of as well as a couple of very cute and friendly cats. The rooms are not equipped with TVs and the room I had (the Flying Eagle) had a stall type shower which was alright but bigger would have been ideal. Snow Squall is located right on Route 1, a fairly major road in the area, although it's not that noisy you won't get absolute silence if that's what you're after. Personally coming from NYC I hate absolute silence and I need a passing car every once in a while so this wasn't an issue. Also the town of Wiscasset is very tiny so if you want a bunch to do you'll have to drive 20 or so minutes to Boothbay Harbor down the way (also not really a hassle whatsoever). All in all Snow Squall and Paul were both very charming and it's a really nice place to visit.

    Photos
    Snow Squall Bed & Breakfast
    Snow Squall Bed & Breakfast

    See all

    Anchorage Inn - An easy walk to the beach from the hotel:)

    Anchorage Inn

    2.3(146 reviews)
    39.3 mi
    $$

    Patrick at the front desk made all the difference in our stay at Anchorage Inn and Resort in York,…read moreMaine. His kindness, patience, and warm welcome elevated our experience from the moment we checked in. The jacuzzi and pool were fantastic, the room spotless and beautifully decorated. Thanks to Patrick, it wasn't just a stay. It was a delight

    We visited recently, off-season, and had two rooms on the 2nd floor. The view was beautiful! They…read moredecorate (at Christmas) BEAUTIFULLY and I believe their lights remain lit until late January. It really is gorgeous. The rooms are definitely old but our bed was comfortable, clean and updated appearance to the beds and linens, and the tv/coffee maker/etc were all nice to have. We had two double beds and it was comfortably sized (along with a little cafe type table and 2 chairs). The tub is old. Clean but old. Tub and toilet are in the bathroom, the vanity/sink are outside of the bathroom - just for reference. This worked well for us, and can work well for families trying to shower/get ready separately but simultaneously. Location is fantastic. Right across from the gorgeous ocean. Roaring waves, beautiful sounds and sights. I loved the location. Plenty of restaurants, even off-season, to visit VERY close by. Nubble light is in view from the hotel (and is just minutes away by car). Gorgeous. They have a little bar/cafe inside the office/pool building. The bar is pricey in a way that makes zero sense. Bartender, while nice, probably isn't a bartender at all and is just assisting in that area as there was really no knowledge of beverages to make/mix and no rhyme or reason to pricing. No where to sit to enjoy them unless you sit in the pool area which is WARM (heated pool, so it's nice for swimmers) and noisey as all get out if there are many swimming. Pool seemed nice, though we didn't use it (outdoor pool is closed right now due to the season). All in all, we would stay again. Our rooms were ready VERY early (so great) and we received text messages to alert us, so we were able to check in well before our time and we appreciated that a lot.

    Photos
    Anchorage Inn - Bugs in the room

    Bugs in the room

    Anchorage Inn
    Anchorage Inn - More bugs

    See all

    More bugs

    The Trailing Yew - Kitchen, from the order window

    The Trailing Yew

    4.8(11 reviews)
    47.0 mi

    I've stayed here mostly the last 11 years I've come to Monhegan. I've missed a few summers due to…read morelife, but I ll say this. Marian and the Yew Crew make staying here a remarkable experience. I originally got clued into them because they allow dogs in a few rooms and I don't overnight without mine. We came out for the day in 2014 because I hadn't found any pet ok accommodations , then I got the recommendation for the yew. So the next summer we came out and stayed overnight, and it was this lovely basic but not Maine camp experience. We had electricity and Wi-Fi , which on this narrow gravel roaded island isn't a given, a shared bathroom, and conversations at breakfast that were opening my pov to ones I hadn't considered. It's a beautiful campus, featured on many well known plein air paintings and prints. I often stay in the room by the laundry line that is well represented in many beautiful pieces of art. I came out this last August with 2 missions. My soul dog who had absolutely loved this campus, died in January, and I came to spread some of her ashes. In the interim, I had been gifted a new dog, who continues to be a challenge. I wanted to introduce her to people who had loved her predecessor, and introduce her to this wonderful place.

    An amazing afternoon on Monhegan Island! We are not seafood eaters, so the Fish House wasn't for…read moreus. Stumbled upon this incredible little gem! Emma had a "toast" with smoked salmon and capers. Mom and I had spicy peanut noodles, and we all got a medley of fresh drinks. Plus some cookies to go. What an awesome place! Every morsel of food was exceptional!! Plus the view was to diiieeee for!!!

    Photos
    The Trailing Yew - Smoothie

    Smoothie

    The Trailing Yew - Ordering and porch dining area

    Ordering and porch dining area

    The Trailing Yew - Emma and toast

    See all

    Emma and toast

    The Notch Hostel - Front porch

    The Notch Hostel

    4.7(16 reviews)
    76.8 mi

    Trish was nice and the Vermont soap was a real treat…read more Now for the bad! The Crawford room is more like a little torture chamber... the wood stove smell is intensely acrid, overpowering and just not healthy to be breathing those fumes! There were over 50 ladybugs flying around in my bathroom and in the bed room... also on each window was a clear bug sticky pad... each was completely covered with dead hornets, wasps, gnats etc... like some Natural history insect display. The ceiling in that room is so poor that you can hear every step above you when all the hikers are moving around. It is awful! It's an annoying crunchy sound and it feels like someone is going to fall through the ceiling at any time! I DARE that owner to sleep in that room for an entire week! Also to add insult to injury... 2 new male hiking guests arrived during my stay and they smelled sooo bad that I ran into my room for cover. Their BO, dirty clothing, socks ,shorts, pants, feet etc smelled up the entire kitchen area and the common living room as well. I have been a nurse for over 40 years... this was one of the most disgusting odors that I have smelled in a very long time! They should have paid me to stay there... I was happy to leave. The toilet rocked, the lighting was poor and no cable TV... so much for my $250.00 worth. I would like to suggest that they open a mud room... or perhaps a decontamination area for incoming hikers who need an immediate shower and a laundry area next to that to start on their clothing. Dont expose other paying guests to this filth! These men also put their shoes on the porch with a fan running all night long to dry their smelly foot wear... so much for sitting out on the front porch! Those shoes smelled bad too! I would NEVER return and if you are a retiree who wants a little quiet down time.... do NOT stop here... keep on going.. find a real hotel!

    I'm sad that I missed Earth Day yesterday. To make up for it, enjoy this overdue review of one of…read morethe most special places I've ever been to. The Notch hosts one of my fave racial justice orgs - Summits in Solidarity - and that commitment is felt in everything The Notch does. I stayed here in June for their annual Solidarity Night fundraiser and it was magical. I was assigned to one of the bunk rooms on the third floor which contained single beds arranged around a large room with views to the road and lush backyard. There is a large shared kitchen on the middle level, a gorgeous living and dining room, private suites downstairs, and other smaller bunkrooms on the third floor as well. There is also a huge backyard with space for tent camping. Except in private suites, bathrooms are shared. There is also laundry onsite. The Notch is both a backpacker's Eden and an affordable base camp for tourists or day hikers. Read on for what I loved: --AFFIRMING IN ALL THE WAYS. I was just as fat, and Black, and queer as I wanted to be. --Great intro to broader backpacking culture. Yes I backpack with my lil group of queer fat hikers. It was great to get exposure to AT thruhikers and people who set and achieve massive goals. Seriously inspirational! --Super clean and respectful space. I'm always dismayed when travelers of a certain age say they're "too old" to stay at a "rowdy, grungy hostel." Well friends this is anyplace but. The place was spotless from the bathrooms to the kitchen to the bunkrooms. And folks were respectful of quiet hours and day sleepers just catching some Zzzs after a big hike. --Everyone from the staff to guests were super nice. I felt very welcomed and cared for. A woman I was bunking with even asked if I wanted to join her for a trip to Lost River. --Location location location!! Right around the corner about a mile away is North Woodstock, down the highway is Littleton and you are smack dab in the middle of Franconia Notch which AS YOU KNOW is my fave place in NH. I can't think of a better situated place with just the right amount of peace and proximity. I shudder to think of all the summers I spent in the area at AirBnBs, scared to take a chance. So glad I did last June and I hope to join them again for this year's Solidarity Night. Shout to Trish and Serena for making my visit extra special!

    Photos
    The Notch Hostel - Facts.

    Facts.

    The Notch Hostel - Living room

    Living room

    The Notch Hostel - Check in here

    See all

    Check in here

    Black Elephant Hostel - hostels - Updated September 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...