Great place to stay if you just need a room to sleep and shower. I looked for hotels all around charleston but most of them were charging close to $700 for 4 nights!!! My gf and i decided to stay at the not so hostel bukowski private room for only $300! If you decide to stay here you need to check In at the main location AT 5 PM then walk a couple blocks to the annex location. It was kind of strange that they charged us all 4 nights on my Visa the first day we came and not just a deposit just incase we didn't like it. We were located only a block from King street which u can walk to the market about 1.3 miles. During the walk there are so many stores and good shops you'll be full before arriving to market street. If you don't like to walk We used uber for most of our transportation. If you sign up your first 5 trips are free!!! Environment here is very homie. There's a living room and kitchen with 1 tv. 2 shared bathrooms at the annex location (only private rooms). Rooms are pretty small but manageable and saving $400 we didn't really care. We bought a Lysol to go spray to disinfect the sheets which made them smell super nice. They do wash the sheets because u have to turn in your sheets into the laundry basket checking out. We wore our slippers in the showers due to the shower stalls and bathrooms not being very clean. Check out here is at 10 and they let you keep your bags here if your flight back is at a later time. I would recommend staying here to save you hundreds of dollars. read more

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Our experience here was just lovely. The whole property is very cute and unique. We stayed in the India room. It was quiet. The hostel seemed very clean. I forgot to bring shower shoes, and I didn't even contract any foot disease from the shower! The beds were just fine, and I happen to be quite picky about beds It's not in the heart of the tourist area, but it's in a cool neighborhood and there is free transit to the more visited parts of the city. I'd highly recommend it as a budget option in Charleston. read more

When I travel I usually stay in hostels because I often feel lonely when I stay in hotels (I often travel alone). Generally the cities I visit have several hostels to choose from. Not Charleston. Due to the lack of options, I really was not expecting much from the Not So Hostel. About a week before my trip I lost my credit card and I immediately contacted my credit card company and asked them to expedite a new card. I waited and waited and when I called them about my card, the person I had spoken to about sending a replacement, didn't and there was not enough time for me to get a new card before my trip. I began to panic. Although I had cash, it is important for me to carry a credit card in case of an emergency. I was going to be in Charleston for a week after all. There were several options available to me, and I chose to contact the hostel for permission to have the card sent to them. The manager Victoria was absolutely amazing about the whole matter and gave me permission to have the card sent to the hostel. What a relief! Check-in at the hostel is 5pm, which is quite late for a hostel, though they did provide you with the WiFi password in advance and are given permission to chill at the hostel. Check-in was not a problem for me because my flight was delayed and I did not reach the hostel until 5:30pm. The hostel itself was quite charming. I stayed in the Cyprus room which is supposed to be the quietest of the bunch. Since beds are not assigned to you, but instead it is first come first serve, I was able to choose my own bed since I had arrived before all the other guests that were staying in the room with me (I prefer to sleep on bottom bunks). I did notice in my stay that people were having some problems getting up and down the top bunks because of the fans and awkward stairs. But overall all the guests seemed content. There is a kitchen that you share and this kitchen is equipped with everything you need to cook (cutlery, pans, pots, microwave, stove, etc). Every morning starting at about 8:30am there is a "buffet-style" breakfast with bagels, English muffins, coffee and tea. There are also an array of spreads to choose from such as cream cheese and Nutella. Transportation is available near and around the hostel, though as I have mentioned in other posts, public transit in Charleston is unreliable since they hardly ever show up on time. There is plenty of parking at the hostel, so many people either drove to the hostel or rented a car during their stay in Charleston. I felt crippled because I don't drive and it seems that driving is almost necessary in Charleston. So if you are going to be using the public transit system, be warned that you will need a lot of patience. I recommend this hostel because the rooms were good (specially liked the fan on each bed. Awesome!), the kitchens were great, the staff was friendly and professional, and it was usually filled with guests, so meeting people was not a problem. I see what other guests mean by the plastic on the beds being annoying, etc. But hey, you are paying under $30 a night. I have stayed in over 40 hostels during my travels, and these concerns were not a deal breaker. One thing that really frustrated me though was the weak WiFi signal that I got at the Cyprus room, though the internet in the main building was strong. read more

Expectations met reality. I stayed in the annex in the Bukowski room and I would book it again in a heart beat. The room was clean, the kitchen well stocked, the bathroom well tended to and the atmosphere was great. I loved being just 2 blocks from King street and free transportation down into the middle of it all. I am older and not interested in staying in dorm style rooms anymore, but I love the hostel experience because I often travel alone. This was a great place to stay. read more

Lovely accommodations! House and rooms are very clean. Provided with clean sheets, blanket and pillowcase upon arrival. Towels also available. Bathrooms are great. Staff are awesome! Perfect place to stay for a traveller on a budget! read more

This place was great! Very close to everything in Peninsular Charleston. Within walking distance to a few coffee shops and the up and coming area off of the Northern part of King Street which seems to be booming with new restaurants, vibrant bars, and lot of energy from young and older people gathering. Emily was running the show when we checked in and throughout the weekend. she was great: super informative and extremely accommodating. She also happened to love New Orleans so we had a lot to discuss. We had a private room at the Annex which was about 5 blocks from the main house - very easy walk. The Annex was very quiet, clean, and comfortable. The only bad thing I could say about this place was that their pillows are old and uncomfortable. Bring your own pillow and shower products. I've been to some sketch/not accommodating hostels - These guys are running a great place here. It's safe and comfortable at a reasonable rate. read more

The name says it all NotSoHostel, it's a cute little cozy welcoming home. It is a hostel and cheaper which is the best part. Friendly ladies work here. Breakfast is great with different taste of bagels, English muffin, cream cheese, peanut butter jelly, chocolate spread, coffee and tea. It's ready 8.30 in morning. Clean after yourself por favor :-) Ps. Towel rental is 1$ or being your own. They also rent out bikes which is great to explore the city biking. Location is perfect if you like to walk. It's 30-40 min walk to downtown, walk to King str then down to Downtown, pretty easy. Charleston is a beautiful city, you see lots of hole in wall with walking. I enjoy walking so I didn't mind. If not take the free trolley one street down. I didn't have any bad experience here since my main point was to explore Charleston. Depends on what you want out of your stay. Charleston was breathtaking, I will definitely be back here again for more stay :-) Just a note: since there are no staff overnight or off work hours, my main concern is emergencies, things can happen anytime. Another issue was some do not respect the quiet time after 10pm, it says clearly in the kitchen on the wall. However some make loud laughs and talks in the kitchen. Since there are no staff in the hostel off working hours obviously people take advantage of this freedom and disrespect others. read more

We were in town for a wedding, and were blown away by the hotel prices in the downtown area. 160 a night? No thank you. Enter Notso Hostel... I'd originally found the Notso Hostel Annex on Airbnb but learned the room that was available online wasn't actually available, but was directed to book a room at the main Notso location on Spring Street. The thing is, Notso is fantastic if you know what you're getting into. It is a hostel, not a low-budget hotel. I often felt as if I were back in summercamp on many levels. We stayed in one of their private rooms upstairs, which was quaint. The linens provided with the room included two rough looking pillows, a fitted and top sheet. The mattress was thin (read: super uncomfortable) and covered with plastic casing. Why the pillows were not covered in some sort of bedbug proof casing as well is beyond me. There was no blanket or AC, but there was a fan which proved to be a godsend. Towels were available for rent for a buck a piece. A simple bagel breakfast was provided in the mornings which we never partook in. The bathroom situation is what really irked me. I was under the impression we'd be sharing a bathroom with a few private rooms like mine...not the entire building. That being said, there were two bathrooms on the first floor in the main house, and a throng of folks staying in the dorm-style rooms throughout. The bathrooms were never very clean nor available during the morning/evening hours (when we were in the house), and I kept thinking to myself, I'm too old to have to be wearing flip-flops and waiting in line to use the loo! Additionally, there was a dank hand towel located in one of the bathrooms that looked as if it hadn't been replaced in ages. Notso is a very eco-conscious establishment, so I get they don't offer paper towels, but wouldn't an air-powered hand dryer make sense? Would I stay here again? Probably not. Would I recommend this spot to my fiancés travel-happy little sister, yes. read more

I was supposed to stay two nights, but I couldn't bring my self to sleep on a heavy vinyl rock hard mattress and shower in a filthy shower again. You need REALLY LOW standards to enjoy this place. I'd rather sleep in a tent at a campground than stay here again. Staff was pretentious and indignant about the fact my dogs slept in a crate at night. I had to park my truck off site to avoid confrontation with them. Don't mistake your hostel in Europe with this place. read more

While looking for a place to stay in Charletson, we were absolutely floored by how expensive it was to find a room near Downtown Charleston. Enter Not So Hostel! It is within walking distance of lots of restaurants and bars, but it is a bit of a hike. It is in a little oasis of a busy street in a couple of converted southern houses. It was $60 a night for a private room with a shared bathroom. The room was pretty large with a dresser and another table to put all our junk on. The staff was very helpful, although the office is only open from 5-10 pm, so it is a bit difficult to talk with them if necessary. The hostel has a complimentary breakfast with coffee, bagels and spreads from 9-10 am. There are also lots of traditional hostel rooms with tons of bunk beds crammed inside if you are traveling in a large group or want to save a bit more money. It's probably a little over a mile plus to the first big grouping of restaurants on north King Street. One word of caution, and keep this in mind if you are trying for a more romantic trip: the two individual rooms that abut the balcony and boast of lots of windows are actually a bad idea. They are right next to the balcony where all the drunk revelers go to smoke and laugh from 1am - 5:30 am in the morning! I found this out the hard way for sure. The windows are very thin. If you want a quieter room, be sure not to pick one of those. However, we only had problems on Friday and Saturday night, so if you are there during the week, it may be fine. Despite a couple sleepless nights, I would still come back here. It is a nice place and a great deal for Charleston. You can spend all your extra money on seafood! read more

We stayed at NotSo Hostel's annex for one night. It was nicer, cleaner, and newer (and thus more expensive) than the main house. The Hemingway room was small, and was mostly occupied by the full-size bed. There's a large desk chair in the room that's kinda annoying and doesn't really need to be there. A/C was raging above the bed so we kept the vent closed. Kitchen and bathrooms were clean too. The only problem was parking. Way more cars than could fit in the tiny lot so we ended up double parking that night. He couldn't sleep because he was worried about the car all night. You have to jump the curb to get your car up too, kinda annoying. Also, the walls are paper thin & you can hear every word in the room next door. Pricey for what you get ($78, shared bathroom), but still a cheaper alternative in downtown Charleston. I'd definitely recommend. PS. It's close to WIldflour! read more

5 Stars for the Hostel's Service and Atmosphere. Location is within walking distance of attractions, but will take you a solid 20 min to get anywhere interesting. It is in a somewhat run-down section of town. A little sketch at night, but seems fine during the day. They only have 2 bathrooms (each including a shower) for the people in the dorms. Bathrooms were reasonably clean, but too few so there can be a line in the morning. Free bagels and coffee in the AM. They only have a toasting capacity of 4 halves at a time, but the line gave everyone a good opportunity to socialize. We all had a good time talking and chatting with the other people. Plentiful cream cheese and Nutella are just a couple of the possible toppings for the bagels, a big plus++! Booking a room is a little bit complex, especially if you are traveling with more than one person. Their byzantine system requires you to pick from single spaces in all of their rooms in an amalgamated list. We almost picked 2 in an all-female dorm on accident (one M, one F). Then we got 2 in the co-ed, but when we arrived they said we booked some other one. It was OK, since they put us in the 4 person all male dorm which ended up shared by two co-ed couples. A revision to this system would really be helpful. I'll definitely stay here again next time I visit the amazing city of Charleston, SC. read more

You know, it's a hostel! Best part is that it's cheap. Much more character than a chain hotel, we really enjoyed eating the free breakfast on the verandah of our room. Worst part is that you can't check in until evening. We were able to leave our bags in the office, but everyone who knows the code can get in there, so I couldn't leave my laptop there and had to carry it around all day. A locker would have been nice. Something to consider if you know you'll be arriving in the morning and won't have a car. We also ended up using our towels as makeshift curtains (the curtains in the room didn't block outside light well.) No wifi, or at least it didn't work in the Kenya room. I wouldn't send my mother here, but I'd consider coming back on a road trip with friends so I could spend all my money eating and drinking instead! read more

This place is nice, clean and friendly, and in terms of rates, you won't find much close to these prices in Charleston, $23 for dorm bed, $60 for a private. Helpful staff, generally clean, linens provided, parking included if you have a car, free wifi and breakfast. All good. The one majorly bad bad thing is that there is no air conditioning in the upstairs of the main building which is where I stayed. I do realize that this isn't the ritz but as far as I'm concerned, no A/C in the deep south during the summer is like not having heat in a New England winter. There was a fan, but it was just way too muggy and hot and uncomfortable. So be warned about that. Also, the location was only ok, having a vehicle is a huge help if you're staying at this hostel. You could walk to upper King Street, but to the southern peninsula it's a little bit of a hike. read more

Our private room was clean and didn't have any odd smells or anything. They provided a bowl of ear plugs which was nice and I did use them, the bed was very uncomfortable and made of a strange material. There were drunk people making lots of noise all night, the people above us were walking around their room and up and down the stairs all night. At one point around 5am a girl walked into our private room giving us quite a fright. It's not the worst Hostel I have ever stayed in but it was not a great experience. Breakfast was a platter of oatmeal packets. The price for the location is the only thing that would make this place desirable for me to stay at again. read more

My only complaint in hindsight was that the hostel male dorm room was cold and I did not sleep well. I informed the hostel manager in the morning and said she would look into it. Since i was there for 1 night I have no idea if this was resolved. Also, this place has bike rentals for $14 a day (no 1/2 day rental). I will definitely be stopping by at this hostel again to do some biking in this old charm southern city. You can also pitch a tent in the backyard if that is your thing. Also, Harris Teeter is a 24 hour grocery store that is not to far away if you need any last minute items. read more

I totally enjoyed my stay at Not So Hostel (main location) both times I stayed there!! The staff was kind, rooms were clean, and amenities were great. My first night there I stayed in an all female dorm called the Victoria Room and the second night there I stayed in a private room called the Carissa Room. I preferred the Carissa Room mostly due to the privacy and the larger, already made bed. The dorms featured bunk beds which you made yourself (not a problem). Both rooms had fans, ear plugs, and white noise makers that you could adjust to your preference. Two kitchens and three bathrooms, a beautiful balcony. I would definitely stay here again! read more

My boyfriend and I stayed at the NotSo Hostel over Valentines Day weekend to escape the cold weather up north. We stayed in the Bukowski room at the Annex, which was an awesome location. It was just a short walk to a lot of good bars and restaurants on King Street. The staff was kind and accommodating. Free parking was also a huge plus! My only complaint was that the room was pretty dusty, and my allergies were acting up while sleeping in the room. Other than that, everything was awesome and it was a great hostel! I already recommended it to a close friend back home, so definitely check it out! read more

NotSo Hostel - Annex Location main room - Hostels Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Decent place to stay but missed the mark. I stayed with my friend in a twin bed room in the second/ middle house. T he biggest issue is that the heating seems to turn off at night. We told an employee , who seemed genuinely concerned and promised that it would be fixed, but the same thing happened the following two nights. After the second night they kindly refunded the third night and offered us to stay in the main house. There were some other minor issues, but they were things that I expected considering the price. The rooms were very clean and the staff was nice, but I was disappointed with the overall experience. read more

I loved my experience here. The staff (Bailey) was so sweet and genuinely cared about guests. Breakfast was free and delicious with coffee and bagels. There's a bonfire pit we took full advantage of. You can camp here too for $10 a night! The place also has a great location; everywhere is a walk away. read more

NotSo Hostel - Hostels Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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I've worked at the not-so a few years back. Every time I'm in town, I stay there rather than with friends: this is where I feel home. Has got everything you'd need: camp site, dorm beds or private rooms, desktops and wifi, nearby park to watch the sunset over the river, super cute staff, beach cruisers, a few kitchens to share meals in, close by nightlife, hammocks, even nutella for breakfast... the works. read more

Had a great time staying at the Not So Hostel! It was in an amazing location- literally two blocks from King Street, which is one of the main streets with HEAPS of delicious places to eat and shopping. It was so easy to get out and about without having to use public transport. The hostel was clean and comfortable and the hosts were really friendly and welcoming. Please note the rooms and beds are very small so its not very ideal if you are carrying heaps of luggage. Also it is quite loud in there but they give out free earplugs so its not too much of a worry :) But the hosts were great, friendly and had heaps of tips on where to go! Everyone in Charleston in general were really nice, would love to go back there ! read more

This will be short and sweet just like my stay at the Not So Hostel... My stay here was terrible. There is no such thing as "quiet hours" here. Guest across the hall from me (who I'm assuming were freshly 21) were up all night screams and chanting. I would have went to the front desk to state my complaint, however, there's no staff on duty at night. It was without question one of the worst nights sleep I've ever had. I was actually booked for two nights but went to a hotel 30 minutes away the following night. I paid for TWO nights at NSH and obviously they wouldn't refund my pre-paid second night. Not to mention they have a super late check in time. Hate to sound dramatic but the not so hostel is a joke. I wouldn't stay here again under any circumstances. read more

Bring your ear plugs, the 10pm "quiet" concept does not apply here. The dorm beds have thick vinyl covers over them which makes you sweaty and maybe chilly depending upon the season. Fans were scattered about the room, so peak summertime sleeping must be horrible. The breakfast provided sounded decent. Ample kitchen space and nice outdoor street view porches for a beer and watching the world go by. My morning shower was warm and no where close to hot. Overall it was a $27 experience. Budget minded folk will be ok but not impressed. read more

Coolest little Hostel I've been to great ambiance, and staff. It's tucked back off the road in it own little world. read more

NotSo Hostel - Hostels Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Dear Victoria, I can't seem to reply to your comment so I guess my only option is to leave my reply in another review. I think it should be obvious to you that I lied about us enjoying our stay in my first email to you; I left out the parts about the uncomfortable beds, infrequent staffing, etc. because I wanted to be positive in the hopes that you would help us out. Note the fact that the only things I said we "loved" were the location and the nice people; the location remains excellent of course but your staff's and your treatment of us after the fact negated any pleasant encounters we had had with the staff during our stay. I think my request (that you send the item ahead and we pay you for shipping immediately) was pretty reasonable, especially given the fact that we were traveling and had a short stay at our next destination before my friend returned to Europe. But you did not wish to help, and your subsequent emails were not clear or helpful. I would appreciate if you would take my email to you out of your comment, as it includes personal information that I do not wish to have online. Thank you. read more

NotSo Hostel is a wonderful place, they've done a great job creating a lovely and welcoming atmosphere. I met people from all over, Europe, Canada and all throughout the Americas. Awesome staff and comfy beds. I'd definitely stay there again! read more

Very clean (especially important during Covid) very nice people, great location, beautiful balcony. Will definitely stay there again.

We had a terrible experience in Notso Hostel. They ruin our weekend in Charleston. They have problems with late check in. Only take people properly from 5-10pm. Very difficult to get help from people working there. No emergency telephon#. THE PLACE IS VERY DIRTY and SMELLY! Better places in Charleston. No great location, far away from downtown. Transportation only until 8:30. Not recommendable. read more

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My experience was very pleasant and welcoming. Vikki is a phenomenal hostess and her staff are obviously held to high standards of hospitality as well. The hostel is clean, charming and fully of friendly, welcoming people to share in the experience with. I would choose staying in this hostel over any other accommodation Charleston has to offer. I lived in Charleston for most of my life until two years ago and this hostel, in my opinion, is a crown jewel of hospitality for those seeking a more personal experience while adventuring in Charleston, SC. read more

I stayed in the Cyprus room, a private single. I wanted to stay in a hostel because I find it's a great way to meet new people while traveling rather than stay in a private hotel. However I was disappointed with not so hostel. For the same price as a 3 star hotel there were half to no amenities except for the basic kitchen. No tv, private bathroom, cheap bed and no desk. There is a Frat house next door so raucous partying all afternoon and evening. The earplugs and sound machine helped with that, but I thought it was so odd the checkout email requested I strip the bed before I leave- which I didn't! It's basically a way overpriced room to sleep in. I live for hostels but this really felt overpriced at $115. read more

If you care about staying in a room with a proper non-creaking bed, clean bed sheets/pillows, clean floor with no hairs and used bandaids from previous guests, a bathroom without fungi, a non-smelly fridge with no traces of stale food, corridors without dirty plastic cups and wine glasses, and some silence at nighttime, just go somewhere else. NotSo is the worst hostel I have ever stayed in my life. read more

I've just experienced my first stay in a hostel. I spent four nights at Not-So-Hostel's main house. I must admit I was a little apprehensive when my cab pulled up to the house. I'm glad it wasn't at night, because it has the appearance of a haunted house. However, my stay there was great. The staff was very friendly and accommodating and the guests with which I shared the dormitory room were absolutely the best. I couldn't have done any better if I had hand picked them myself.I met some really nice people. I will stay there again. It was the best bang for the buck. read more

Hii!!! I just want to thank everybody in the NotSo hostel, it was my best trip ever! The hostel has a wonderful hospitality, an great environment, always open to receive different people form different cultures and stories to be told, it is always clean, everybody respect each other and the hostel is engaged about recycling trash and using organic products! Everybody in the hostel is friendly, nice, are always willing to help you! I don't have words to describe how wonderful to describe my days in the hostel, for sure is the best! Thank Vicc, Faloon and balley! You girls are the best! Hope to see you in July! read more

The owner, Vikki, is always striving to make the hostel the best it can be. I love the quaint styles of the rooms. It makes a big difference in comparison to the other hostels I've stayed at that felt more sterile or uninviting. And what a beautiful historic house!!! read more

Great place, lovely staff and perfect location. I stayed here in November when visiting Charleston for the first time and couldn't have picked a better place. It was between an AirBnb all alone, or a hostel right near downtown and I went with the Hostel! Great communal vibe, clean rooms, and friendly staff. Check in is at 5 which I didn't realize at first, but just make sure you read their email as everything is detailed and laid out for your stay. Couldn't recommend a place more. read more

please know that i know i WILL be returning to Not So Hostel- but here are the pros & cons: Cons: 1. A bit of a walk from the Airport Bus Stop 2. Plastic around the mattresses- which make tons of sounds when you are trying to sleep..but...i'll revisit this in the pro section 3. I found it weird that they reused the blankets & pillows and didn't wash them along with the sheets ( next time i'm bringing my own) 4. Def no AC- a few nights got chilly and i didn't ask about heat but my room didn't look like it had any baseboard heating options 5. Breakfast- all the information says that breakfast is served at 8:30am but it's actually at 9am and is not the best. The coffee is solid but they only had soymilk. I wish there was cheese, or some eggs....or even oatmeal options. 6. Cleanliness- my 1st night there was tons of hair and grossness in the community shower. they used 1 cloth hand towel the whole week- that's a bit gross considering the number of people that are coming in and out of the hostel using the same towel. Kitchen- found baby roaches in the drawers (but this is pretty normal in old houses in the south) but what bothered me was that the dish sponges were super old and stinky. Last but not least- there is a layer of dirt where people touch - like the door handles, door sides, light switches etc 7. no lockers PROS: 1. The price is great 2. The location is really great too. It's about a 5 to 10min walk to downtown Charleston. It's pretty quiet at night, the only thing is that b/c it's an old house you can hear people talk throughout the house and hear & feel the door slam- but that's no biggie for most people (i'm a light sleeper) 3. The mattress have plastic around them- so no bed bugs & when the crazy lady on the bunk bed above me didn't realize her water bottle was leaking onto my bed at 2:30am my bed wasn't wet for the whole night. 4. The workers are super nice. 5. They have WiFi & a computer (no printer) 6. The shower is awesome- brand new, spacious, and the hot water never runs out- which is pretty crucial when you have tons of people using it at the same time in the morning. 7. And I don't know if this was a coincidence or if they profile- but man every person (minus that crazy lady, who seriously had issues) that was staying there were so polite and friendly. everyone was very mindful of their space and cleaned up after themselves. great energy, no loud music- everyone observed the quiet hours of the house (but not the crazy lady) 8. there are 2 kitchens 9. they let you keep your own food in the fridge 10. free parking if you have a car 11. safe neighborhood 12. safety code lock on main door & key for your own room Hope this helps and maybe i'll see you there on my next trip! read more

An example of strong marketing sensibilities, Not So Hostel is many great things and a few not-so. At the end of the day, it would be nice if NSH were more explicit in identifying its amenities. That said, in general, NSH is a smart idea placed well into the thick of downtown Charleston; that is, it's where you want to be (in the event that you want to be in downtown Charleston and not paying $250-plus per night). I can only speak to the private rooms in the annex location (Cannon St.), so do not take this information to speak to the conditions in the main house (Spring St.). My wife and I reserved the Kendall room, which the NSH website describes as "a small studio apartment [with] its own private bathroom and kitchenette ... ideal for one person." I am on the taller side at 6'1", so I was expecting to feel cramped in the space; somehow, I felt perfectly comfortable. With two people in the room, as long as no one tries to make a quick move in the small walkable area, all seemed well. Best yet, the bathroom was attached to our room, and it was clean and very modern. I don't know that I've ever had a showerhead high enough up that I don't bump my head on it in the shower. The bathroom is small, mind you, but not in a claustrophobia-inducing way. On the first floor and attached to the kitchen and public space, the Kendall room was well situated, clean, and mostly comfortable. After we unpacked our bags and made the bed with the sheets provided by NSH, we made for downtown, and it was a quick walk. Two blocks and you were on King St. Restaurants and shops everywhere you looked. However, when we returned home later in the evening around 10:30pm and got into bed, we started to notice a few issues: 1. The bed was an odd size. I've never had so much of my leg hang off a bed; even while somewhat curled up, I could barely keep my body all the way on the mattress; I couldn't tell you if it was a full or not. 2. The bed was made of a plastic material that doesn't let your body dissipate its heat (think vinyl/urine-proof plastic mattress for children); instead, you seem to hold your heat, a condition that makes getting comfortable practically impossible; 3. The sheets provided by NSH were also a heat-insulating plastic-like material that felt slick on your skin and made me wish I had packed my sleeping bag to lay out on top of it all; 4. The air conditioning wasn't working correctly in our room, either; our neighbor (J_____, who lives in the next-door unit) remarked that it was also very muggy in his room but that the thermostat was in a place that we couldn't access (sounded like it was in one of the other guestrooms); he suggested that we crack our first-floor sliding glass door to let in the fresh, cooler air from outside. However, we weren't comfortable with opening our door to the outside world and whoever could walk right into our already tight space. We ended up trying to lie on top of the sheets and beside an oscillating countertop fan that did little more than dry out your nose. So, after two hours of tossing and turning, we called NSH and were only able to leave a voicemail. After waiting for about 30 minutes, we contacted another hotel off the peninsula who gladly provided us boarding at 2:30am and even went so far as to let us have a late checkout at 2:00pm. All that said, I have passed nights in hostels before, and I grew up in Europe with smaller accommodations as a facet of everyday life, yet I've never had such a problem until NSH. We had a three-night stay planned with NSH and paid for the three nights at check-in. NSH has offered to reimburse the final night, which isn't really satisfactory and has forced us to ask AmEx to mediate a dispute claim for two remaining nights. We'll pay for the first night, as our stay made it impossible for anyone else to stay there; but, in the same way, we can't fathom paying for the space for two nights we could not use the space. Incredibly enough, rather than attempt to work with us to resolve our issues and perhaps get us to stay the remaining two nights (arguably a herculean task after the first night), NSH immediately jumped to offering us a partial refund. This action makes me think that they have a procedure in place for such recurring issues. Calling yourself a hostel, though, doesn't excuse your obligations to provide your guests with satisfactory amenities nor earnestly aiming to work with guests to help make their visits memorable in a positive way. Would I suggest Not So Hostel to friends or anyone else visiting the area? Yes, with a few caveats, but still yes. If you want to be downtown and not worry about driving, then NSH is a fair bet. Definitely get the private room; definitely bring your own sheets; and definitely find out about the working conditions of the A/C-heating (season-depending) within the 5:00pm-10:00pm check-in window so you can talk to a real, live NSH employee (i.e. not voicemail) read more

My girlfriend and I booked a pleasant little Spring break trip here a few years ago and had a great time. Rates were a bit lower then, but still less than nearby chain hotel/motel options. We got a private room and had a great time. Admittedly, we're not the type to sit around the room when on vacation so we were only ever in at night but it was still a nice time. Expect a few "personalities" which is true of any hostel. Sometimes the type to stay in them can be quirky. We mostly kept to ourselves and ate out, although residents often cook dinner here and offer plates for small donation. Breakfast fixings are also provided free of charge. As for the neighborhood, I really didn't see any problem. The area can be a bit run down but I never encountered anyone seedy or threatening. We walked everywhere we went (or else we would have gained 10 pounds on that trip) and were never fearful for our possessions or safety for even a moment. Bed springs were a bit unceremoniously loud though. read more

I stayed here last weekend and had a pleasant overall experience. I was nervous before I arrived because of so many negative reviews (but was traveling on a budget so I hoped for the best) and truly, a lot of the negative reviews seem ridiculous and misguided. If you go in knowing that this is a hostel (and not a private hotel room) and recognizing that you're paying probably $100 less here than any other hotel or airbnb per night, then you'll likely be very satisfied. I stayed in the Brazil (private) room at the spring street location. Parts of the neighborhood look a little rough, but it didn't feel unsafe in the least. If anything, the area seems up and coming, and it's certainly quieter than king street. Plus you're just a couple blocks from hominy grill, which means you can walk over there early enough to not wait in line for breakfast or deal with the parking hassle. Parking at the hostel was a bit tricky. There are lots of spaces, but the lot is narrow so backing out of your spot can be a process. Plus each spot is separated from the others by a 2x4, which helps identify the spot clearly but does limit your movement. We were always able to find a spot in the hostel lot, but it looked like others weren't always as fortunate, so walking and biking are recommended so you don't lose your spot! The staff / service was fine for my stay. The woman at the desk when we checked in was very patient. My friends and I made the payment complicated by deciding we wanted to split the cost three ways after we already ran the whole cost on one credit card, but the woman didn't seem annoyed and helped us get all the payments split on the appropriate cards. Other than that, we didn't interact with the staff because we had everything we needed and check out was very simple. My biggest complaint was that the room my friends and I selected had been advertised as fitting three people - this wasn't the case at all. It only had a queen size bed ( and no futon). Luckily I brought my air mattress, but we had to rearrange the furniture to make enough floor space to fit the air mattress (which took up every last inch of floor space - it got reeeeally cramped). We made it work, but I wouldn't recommend it! A lot of people on here complain that the space is dirty. I didn't find this to be true at all - it's just old. And it's a hostel. So obviously it isn't going to be pristine like someone's private home, but it certainly didn't feel filthy. I consider myself to be a very clean, tidy person, and this place was fine. Again, the buildings are old, but it looked like everything actually stayed pretty clean. We did find a stray sock under a chair, but that was just funny. We never had issues waiting for the bathroom. We stayed Thursday through Sunday (which is presumably busier than week nights), and the most I had to wait was maybe 5 minutes, max. I was waking up around 7:30 or 8 am so maybe I avoided lines that way, but it never looked like there was a line of people waiting. Shared bathrooms can feel a little gross, but just bring your own towels and some flip flops for the shower and you should be fine. Wifi worked great. Never had the breakfast so can't comment on that. Also never saw somebody renting out bikes, which I would have liked to do. I felt secure here - each room has its own lock, plus the whole building requires a code to enter. Ceiling fans kept the room feeling nice and cool. I thought the bed was comfortable (the mattress didn't seem thin to me) and the plastic casing really wasn't that bad or noisy. Would I stay here again? Definitely. Would I recommend it? Again, definitely. I wouldn't bring my parents here, nor would I likely come here for a romantic getaway, but if I am traveling with friends again or flying solo on a budget, I would absolutely stay here! The price was great, and it had everything I needed for a fun, comfortable stay. Go in with reasonable expectations and you should be fine! read more