Disclaimer: This review reflects my personal experience. I'm being fully transparent and honest…read moreabout my stays at this hostel, which I visit once a year for both personal and business reasons. I've been coming to this hostel since 2017, and while I've had a mix of experiences--some good and some not--most of them have been positive. I'm bilingual and tend to understand travelers better than most. I usually book through Hostelworld, which I recommend for anyone looking for a fair price and reliable booking. One of the highlights is the people you meet here. I've connected with travelers from Chile, Germany, France, Canada, and Japan, and shared great moments watching FIFA games--yes, including watching Salt Bae embarrass himself on national television. As a photographer and documentarian, it's my job to assess and evaluate conditions at establishments like this. Some people may not like the location, but I personally do. The hostel is only 5-10 minutes from Manhattan's East Village, with a nearby subway stop at Morgan Ave. The surrounding area is made up of warehouses and lofts and is frequently used as a filming location for movies and TV shows. There are also excellent food spots nearby, including a great bar and pizza place just down the block. When checking in, make sure to lock up your belongings. If you have larger items, you can ask the front desk to store them for you. The hostel does offer handicap accessibility and an elevator, which is not common in many hostels. This is a good option for large groups, families, or group travelers, as long as you book in advance. Rooms are cleaned daily, so please allow housekeeping the opportunity to clean both rooms and bathrooms. I recommend staying here because the layout is comfortable, and beds are first come, first serve, allowing some flexibility. The showers are excellent, and there is free coffee and tea available. There is no breakfast, but there are nearby cafés, or you can buy food and cook in the large shared kitchen. Please label your food properly, and if you're leaving and have leftovers, relabel them as free so nothing goes to waste. Another disclaimer: I received no compensation for this review. Yelp has previously accused me of solicitation, and I want to make it clear that this is an independent review. I am a professional traveler, licensed journalist, and documentarian--it's my responsibility to inform others about the conditions and well-being of businesses operating in New York City. There is no laundromat inside the hostel, but there is one just around the corner with affordable pricing. There's also a game room located in the lower basement, on the same floor as the kitchen--great for socializing and downtime. My name is Panda, and this is my official review of the hostel as of 2023. If you need assistance during your stay, I highly recommend speaking with Nico or Jonathan. They are the longest-serving staff members, knowledgeable, attentive, and genuinely helpful.

I stayed in a shared room with 5 beds for two weeks while looking for housing in the city. The NY…read moreMoore is an easy recommendation for me for other people in the same situation. I'm a regular hostel user whenever I travel and something I didn't anticipate here was having my own standalone bed (i.e., not a bunk bed) as well as the room having plenty of space. Bathroom was a nice size and was cleaned daily. The amenities in the basement were solid. I didn't cook much but I did take full advantage of the fridges/freezers. Luggage storage came in handy when I moved!

THE BATHROOMS ARE GROSS. Please bring sandals in. Also, they don't change towels everyday?!…read more Also, you gotta walk up the stairs with all your luggage, fyi. Other than that, eh, not bad.

The local is still my go to when in town. Rooms are always clean, it's affordable, and they have…read moreevents happening some nights. Staff was amazing, especially Erika. The only con is the actual rooms don't have hooks, so during the colder months there's nowhere to hang a coat or jacket.

My first time traveling alone through New York and I came here. Clean, felt safe, and quiet…read more I had breakfast in the kitchen with some other travelers. They provided some fruit and other options. I like this location in the city. There is a Whole Foods near with a hot bar & a great place to sit upstairs. The flatiron building is close by, Ralph's coffee, Eataly, and La Pecora Bianca (Italian). And, plenty more to do in walking distance

Fantastic accommodations for the price and great location!…read moreFriendly staff and private rooms are available. Comfortable beds and pillows. And they do provide towels and a delicious and fantastic breakfast which helps you save some money while staying in NYC. There is a full kitchen available to use and a refrigerator so you can save and reheat leftovers from eating out, or make a meal yourself if you wanted to (there are dishes and all of that available). The common area are nice and clean, and the area where this is located felt very accessible and safe. I really enjoyed the flatiron district and this is very close to the flatiron building and Madison square park which was beautiful. Citi bikes and subway was also a short walk away and there was a CVS right around the corner in case you forgot anything for your stay. I would definitely stay here again!

I loved this place, mostly because it's in such a GREAT location. Half a block from Central Park on…read moreone side and lots of great restaurants and shopping on the other. 2-minute walk to subway. The staff were very friendly and the other people staying there were nice too. Note I don't usually stay in hostels because I'm old and bougie, but my family was visiting from far away and they booked it - it worked perfectly because the private room sleeps 6 so we could all stay together with a double bed plus 2 bunks and a private bath. I'm only giving 4 stars because of a couple of things -#1 the double bed in the room was too soft and soooo squeaky, any movement was amplified 1000x. #2 The lightweight comforters on the beds are not washed. That really grossed me out when we gathered all our sheets at the end of our stay and were told to leave the blankets as they are not washed between guests. YUCK. If I had known in advance I would have gone out and bought a fresh blanket. Ugh the thought of it now still churns my stomach. Otherwise a great stay, very accomodating lovely place, and the price is right.

Really liked it here, everything worked out fine. It is just…read morea hostel and so should be your expectations. Do not set them to high. The area of the hostel is one of the best I have ever been in NYC.

HI Hostel NYC was clean, convenient and easy to find. I frequently use hostels or rentals with…read morecommunal spaces. The bathrooms here were clean and functional. Staff was friendly and made check in a breeze! In addition to a communal kitchen they had a cafe downstairs with grab and go options, a hot menu and coffees. Easy location to the subway and Central Park. We loved staying in a mostly chill area of the city. Easy to walk to restaurants all around.

I had stayed at HI's three different locations in California and they never disappoint. they are…read moregive you what you need and it's amazing. staying 4 days here in NYC location before moving back to California. I asked for a lower bunkbed and they were very kind to arrange it for me. the best part is the cafe in downstairs who sells affordable priced food and drinks from 8 am to 11pm. so if you wanna avoid cooking in hostel with strangers you can still manage to eat decent meals. also it's huge. probably the biggest HI hostel i had seen so far. such beautiful vibes and friendly staffs.

Day 1 Close to the J train. So far, the staff is friendly…read more The single rooms are tiny; 5.5' x 7.5' would be my guess. Bring your lock, but I'm dot sure if a 15" laptop will fit in the locker but a 13" will at an angle.

Do you like being able to hear people clipping their nails,breathing, what song they are listening…read moreto via their headphones? Do you find unhelpful receptionists charming? Is the idea of terrible showers where everyone can see you naked appeal to you? Does the sound of a metro that is so loud it makes the whole building shake excite you? Congratulations you have found the perfect place to stay. They may have changed name to international student residence but worry not because for the low prices of 50 dollars per night you get all of the above plus people's alarms going of 8 times at 6 am, phone conversations on speaker at 11 in the evening and no windows. If I could give less stars I would. You are also not allowed water in your room.

Decent, cheap place to stay for the night. It's a couple blocks from the subway stop and close to…read moreProspect Park. You're given the code to the front door when you check-in. It's basically a converted house with bunk beds. I stayed in a room which was suppose to be a kitchen since there was a counter, and I believe a stove. In the morning, I had bad timing as a large group were using the restrooms at the same time so I had to wait. I really wish I could've been around the hostel more and meet others but I was busy the one night I was in NYC and had to catch the Megabus to Philly the next morning.

My room is decent size for 1 traveler. You have a closet and a window by the street .. bathroom…read moreand shower on the each floor, the kitchen area is downstairs in da main office building. And 2 fridges to store food '

Clean quiet hostel right in the middle of the city…read more Location: in Chelsea which is one of the best neighborhoods in nyc. Restaurants and subway station are only a couple minutes walk, an a 15 min train ride from Times Square. Located right next to a police station, which makes it feel very safe, however can be noisy at night w sirens. Atmosphere: a very quiet hostel, not socializing. If you're looking for a social hostel I would recommend HI NYC. My friend stayed there and had no problems making friends and there was even a group chat filled with group events Cleanliness: room was very clean and the cleaning lady came once a day to clean out the trash as well as clean the shared bathrooms and shower. There is a shared bathroom and shower for every 4 rooms, which means there is never a line to use. I wish there was soap provided to wash our hands as we had to go out and buy some. Luckily they do have air conditioning and a heater for the winter!

Just like title says a good value for the money. From what I know this seems to be the nicer part…read moreof Brooklyn. I however did not opt to go exploring due to being unfamiliar with the area and not knowing the exact route to the subway. The host was more than accommodating, there was however some confusion in regards to check in time. If you have never stayed in a hostel or are expecting a upscale hotel, you might want to reconsider the word. There is a large flat screen tv, multiple gaming consoles, & adequate cooking space. Sleeping quarters where cramped, but it's what I was expecting for being what it is. David will also for a fee, shuttle you to Port Authority, the airport ETC. Absolutely zero complaints and would love to stay here again in the future!