HI Boston Hostel

Great location, close to Chinatown and Boston Common. We booked a private room for two and it was spotless. The only small downside was the bathroom, which was a bit tight, but everything else was excellent. The kitchen and dining area really stand out: spacious, well equipped and perfect for cooking whatever you want. Overall, a fantastic place to stay. We would definitely come back.

Stayed for 1 night in a private room. Excellent location, short walk from the Chinatown stop and South Station (very easy to get to). Don't know if all private rooms are ADA but it was extremely spacious and the bed was comfortable. Basic amenities were sufficient. Can't speak to the shared/common areas as I didn't use them but had a solid vibe to it. Luggage storage before check-in was much appreciated. Folks that worked the morning shift during my stay were really pleasant but the two ladies working the check-in/evening shift were off-putting; didn't make any type of eye contact while speaking. All in all I'd definitely stay here again.

Great hostel with a hotel-like feel. The rooms are nice, beds are comfortable, and the bathrooms are clean with hot water and fresh towels. The staff is friendly and helpful. The common sitting and dining areas feel more like a hotel than a typical hostel. There are plenty of food options right outside, and Boston Common is nearby, which is great for events and exploring the city. I also liked the thoughtful extras—bike storage, water fountains, and even a small shop selling useful items like detergent, brushes, and snacks. The showers are modern and show usage time with color indicators (blue, green, red). They also organize activities throughout the week, which is a nice touch. Overall, a very comfortable and well-managed stay.

I stayed at HI Boston Hostel in Chinatown for 4 nights during Thanksgiving week and paid a decent total, which is a great deal for Boston. This is definitely one of the more budget-friendly options in the city. Location: The hostel is in Chinatown, which honestly isn’t the cleanest area. A lot of restaurants leave food waste outside, and the surroundings can feel a bit unpleasant. However, the connectivity is excellent — you’re close to SL4 & SL1 bus lines, Boylston (Green Line), and Chinatown (Orange Line) stations. It’s also a short walk to Boston Common and the Freedom Trail entrance. Common Areas & Facilities: This is where the hostel really shines. • There’s a large common lounge with plenty of couches for people to relax. • During Thanksgiving week, they even offered free apple pie and beer, which was a nice festive gesture. • There’s a billiards room, though unfortunately there were no balls available to actually play. • The kitchen area is huge — multiple refrigerators, induction cooktops, utensils, silverware, plates, and everything you need to cook. Guests can easily make their own meals. • Plenty of seating, almost like a canteen-style dining area. • They also have staff who handle dishwashing and keep the shared areas clean. The downside is that breakfast is not included, which many hostels usually offer. Rooms: I stayed in a six-bed bunk room, and it was surprisingly quiet. My roommates were good, and I slept comfortably. But one issue was that the cleaning staff does not clean the rooms daily. One of the roommates kept littering repeatedly, and even after complaining twice, the staff did not clean the room. That was disappointing. Washrooms: The washrooms were very clean, well-maintained, and had hot water consistently. This was a major plus. Extras: Coffee is not free — it’s about $2 for regular hot water-based coffee and $5 for brewed options, which felt slightly overpriced. But free hot water is available, which was helpful in winter. Staff: The staff was overall friendly, helpful, and supportive throughout my stay. ⸻ Overall: For the price you pay, this hostel offers great value — excellent facilities, big common areas, a full kitchen, clean washrooms, and a supportive staff. The main downsides are the Chinatown neighborhood, no free breakfast, and room cleaning not being done despite complaints. But for budget travelers, it’s still a solid choice in Boston.

There is no breakfast and social options compare to hi Chicago hostel. The rooms are clean and tidy. The location is amazing close to everywhere, particularly metro. Staff helps you very well and they explain the city if you ask their recommendations.

I really enjoyed my stay at this hostel! The staff were super friendly and helpful from the moment I arrived. I booked an all-female dorm and, since I’m a bit older, asked for a bottom bunk — they happily made it happen. There’s a secure spot to store your luggage before check-in or after check-out, which was really convenient. The elevators worked fine during my stay, unlike what another reviewer mentioned. The showers were clean, though I’d still suggest bringing shower shoes just to be safe. My roommates were all young, quiet Asian women who went to bed early, which was perfect since I had an early flight. If you forget a lock, you can buy one at the front desk. Overall, I had a great experience and would definitely stay here again!

Stayed in a mixed gender dorm. Great location and the beds are standard dor beds on a rigid outer spring. Each headboard had a light, charger, and space for a phone. The rooms was extremely narrow; there wasn't space to easily walk past each other. Locks for the lockers were not provided. We brought our own, but they were available at the desk for $8. There seems to be one restroom/shower per dorm room, but they are located in the hall. Clean and decently maintained. No extra pillows were available, but all linens were provided including towels and I got an extra blanket to serve as a pillow. I liked the beanbag room.

I stayed 5 nights in this wonderful hostel. People working here are so nice and fellow guests are also nice to each other. Great culture it has! Highly recommended for the affordable stay in Boston. It will take 20 min to Downtown (Back Bay area) on foot. You may warm up yourself a little bit at night because your room will be cold at night.

Amazing! We're not fuzzy but they delivered The staffs are friendly , accommodating and helpful. They have washer and dryer, in coins or apps. Free breakfast. Lots of choices for your breakfast. Highly recommended!!!

Stayed here for 4 nights in Boston. The hostel is really clean, offers breakfast every morning. Free tea and coffee all day long. Washing facilities are very easy to use. Easy access via Subway stops, very close to bars and restaurants. Would recommend looking into their activities for night time entertainment. We did a boat tour and it was excellent and we got it at a cheaper rate!

Considering the prices of hotels in Boston, staying at the HI/Boston was the best decision of my trip. Great location. (A block or so from Tremont St, the park, the gardens and plenty of other attractions) CLEAN and comfy rooms, decent enough free breakfast and most of all, I felt safe there. Would definitely stay there again and recommend that you do, too.

My first hostel experience and I am a fan! This hostel is in the heart of Boston and we had our own personal room with a Queen size bed. The price was reasonable and we felt safe and comfortable. They served a very simple continental breakfast from 7-10. They pick everything up promptly at 10 on the button so get your cup of Joe by 9:45! This place is a must!

-Breakfast was very basic & lacked variety. They had 3 cereals to choose from, seems to be an off brand version. They also had some bread, butter, jam, apple juice, orange juice, milk, the basics. Aside from that, they provide cookware and appliances to cook your own food as well as storing your food which was nice. Downstairs, they have coffee, tea, chips, monster energy, etc to choose from which some of that you have to pay for. -My first morning trying the free breakfast (8-10am everyday), I ate my knock off fruit loops with milk and 2 slices of toasted bread with butter on top. Not the worst meal but could be better. -For food and drinks, you are allowed to bring your own but here, you have to clean up after yourself if you're cooking something and use utensils, kitchenware, etc. And label your food/drinks so nobody takes it or thinks its free game. -In comparison to HI NYC Hostel, this particular location seemed more cliquey and people went out with one another in their own groups/pairs. And some people seemed a little standoff ish. Not the most social location in my opinion based on my stay. -There was a fair amount of places to lounge and play games here. But a lack of games provided to play with other people. And, in order to play pool, you have to reserve the pool table with $20 then you receive the equipment but you get your money back. -In terms of living quarters, I was assigned to a 6-Women Dorm on a top bunk. Upon arrival, it was me and one other girl. Then one more showed up the next day. Then another girl later that day and so on. So it fills up surprisingly quick. There was a little nook for electronics and a place to charge your devices. And a locker that fit both my luggage (score!) However, because the walls are so thin you can hear people right outside the room/in the hallway & the outside elements such as cars honking and sirens. The living quarters also provided basic bedding and a towel. One of the downsides though is lack of privacy in sleeping quarters with no curtains. The shower was pretty decent. Perfect size for the average 5'4 person & had hot running water. -I was originally supposed to stay from Feb. 17-20th 2023 but left Sunday morning between midnight-1am. Why you may ask? Let me tell you. 11:20pm comes around I'm trying to relax and get some rest but all of a sudden, a hostel staff member (African American male) comes in to assist one of the girls with their living situation- which I believe she was in the wrong bed. Not entirely sure. Not realizing this, I was like, "What the heck is going on?" -And I basically kept saying I need to get some rest, why/what is happening, etc. the staff member says please be courteous and patient with us at this time as we try and figure out what's going on. I was not having it. So the Italian girl in question is moving her stuff still at this point & im fed up. I turn off the lights and she had the audacity to turn them back on? What? It's literally past quiet hours and I'm trying to go to sleep. Note: Quiet hours is from 11pm - about 7am. -Anyway, more people move in (1-2 people I believe? Not entirely sure. People come and go as I previously mentioned, which happens with staying at a hostel). I was over it at this point and decided to start packing my things at about 11pm-1am and check out a day early to look for a different place to stay at for the night. I end up getting a partial refund because I decided to leave a day early. -I probably won't be coming back here ever again. Or, I'll give it another chance and see if things go differently for me.

Room was cold for 8 nights, except for a few exceptions, staff was even colder. Some never looked up at me let alone smiled when I approached the front desk. Strange.

Pros - location is excellent, nice lounge areas and plenty of seating, private bathrooms, night lights and lockers for each bed, option to do a women-only dorm room, felt safe Cons - bathrooms were always dirty, sheets were old and ripped, breakfast was so limited it wasn't worth it, lots of dirty cups and dishes in the cafeteria, and worst of all, the entire building is extremely hot!! I couldn't sleep for the entire week because I was sweating so much. It was hotter inside the building than outside. Everyone in the lounges was complaining about how hot it was. Staying in a hostel is not a luxury hotel experience, I get it. I can look past the messy bathrooms, sharing a room with someone who snores and kept everyone up all week, dealing with dorm-mates turning on the lights in the middle of the night, hearing the doors slamming at all hours of the day because the walls are so thin, etc, etc. BUT i just can't justify staying here again with the heat -- i felt like i was trying to sleep in a sauna. Absolutely unbearable!!

I stayed here for four nights the first week in August. Honestly not the lodging I had in mind when taking my 85-year-old mother out of town but Amtrak let us down on our plans to Montreal and had to do plan B and this was all that was available in my price range. Check in was super easy. Location is pretty convenient, a little under a half mile from the red line, a couple blocks to the public gardens and the commons. Some decent restaurants nearby mostly Asian since it is in chinatown. Not too far from the live alive organic Cafe, but that's another review :-) There's also some dive restaurants. Some of the side streets nearby look pretty crummy but coming from Seattle it seemed a hundred times safer than anywhere I've been in downtown Seattle recently. The room itself was okay. There are no carpets on the floors, which are some sort of concrete so that they can keep it clean and avoid critters. Even if clean it kind of looks dirty, a dark patina on it. That said I kept finding hair in the bathroom that wasn't ours. I guess they didn't really clean the floors and I was tracking it in from the rest of the room? There was a little mat next to the bed that really looked dirty and old and if I was staying any longer I probably would have went to the local discount store to find something else. I kept my flip-flops on all the time except when I was in the shower. The bathroom sink is a joke, the water comes out at a trickle. It was blocked up on the first day and I had to ask for a plunger and plunge it out myself, well maybe I didn't need to but I really didn't want anyone in the room and thought easier to do myself. About the water pressure, I guess they're trying to save water but I ended up using the shower to wash my face and brush my teeth because I got so frustrated with the sink that it probably ended up using more water. The shower had amazing water pressure and it was hot every time I used it. They have a little LED light timer on the shower, if I recall it starts out green then turns blue and then yellow or red when you get to 5 minutes. I don't think it shuts off, it's just a reminder. But then again I take pretty short showers so I don't know. When we got in the room there were two washcloths two hand towels and two bath towels. The second day I asked for two more washcloth, cuz when I shower I wash everything. I don't want to use the same washcloth the next day. They gave me two more washcloths. When I asked the next day the desk person snottily said "we don't do that, we don't give out washcloths everyday". So then I just stole them off the maid's cart. I mean really, with bath towels and sheets I get it but you're supposed to use the same washcloth for 4 days? The noise at night was ridiculous. The doors slamming over and over and over again. Maybe it's some sort of fire door regulation that they have to slam shut if you don't close them manually but they could at least put a sign up asking people to consider closing the doors gently. I know most hotels are like this because I'm pretty sensitive to noise but this seemed a little over the top. I'm thinking it's partly because the floors are not carpeted and so there's nothing to buffer the sound but the younger clientele might be a factor too. The included breakfast is really bare bones. Mostly cold cereal, packages of Quaker oatmeal, there was always a bowl of the most unripe Granny Smith apples I ever had. One day they put out a plate of bananas that disappeared pretty quickly. I got one but somebody stole it off my plate when I turned away for 5 seconds. They had coffee which I could only drink one day and the other days it was terrible. Some pretty crummy tea. Bagels I'm told were decent, I couldn't eat them. Bread, peanut butter (not the kind I'd ever eat) and jelly. They also have big refrigerators and bins that you can put your own stuff in you just have to mark it and date it. I didn't have anyone steal any of my refrigerator items but I could see how that could happen. Kitchen seemed pretty well equipped with toasters and stove, you can ask for some sharper knives etc. Everyone was pretty nice and you just sit at big long tables family style. For four nights in a private room with a queen bed it was about $1,250. That seemed higher than what I was quoted but I didn't do a good job of screenshotting when I booked so there's nothing I can do about it. I heard someone else say something similar so do keep records of what you're supposed to pay and what you actually pay. Maybe it's the taxes that push it up like that. I suppose that's the going rate for that level of quality and location but I think I would have been able to do better with an Airbnb or a VRBO had it not been for Amtrak canceling my other trip and then waiting two weeks before departure to tell me about it.

They were great. I complained that someone ate my sandwich and they gave me a 10% discount on my entire stay. I stayed here in late September 2021 in an all female 6-bed dorm room. You did not need to wear your mask in your rooms but they only had 3 girls in the room to allow for social distancing. If you need to take a COVID test for traveling, just ask them and they'll refer you to the Tufts Medical Center across the street for COVID testing. It was free and I got my results back within 24 hours. I went right when they opened and the line went super fast. If you need toiletries or essentials there is a CVS nearby that sells food and one-gallon sized water. All the public transportation was very convenient from here. Also, I liked that each of the beds had a nightlight.

Pros and Cons of HI Boston Hostel Initially it seemed good; friendly atmosphere, includes breakfast although it was a free for all due to one huge group swarming around the food. And no coffee cream, just the powdered stuff. The room is very plain, somewhat clean and staff is very friendly. No remote for the TV which they said would be "around" so I gave up on that. Beforehand I had booked a private room and was quoted something in the low $200 range. All good; it was cheaper than any hotel and a good location (right near Chinatown, lots of restaurant and businesses around although a nearby ER means there are lots of sirens). When I checked in I almost had a stroke when they charged me over $350 dollars for one night! At that point I had no alternative but, c'mon, really? I realize this is not a collective dorm-type room but this is crazy. Think it was actually a bait and switch. Get the price locked in before you go and get it in writing.

This was a nice hostel, with nice facilities that could use some customer service work and a little extra cleaning. I arrived around 8-9pm on 10/02/21; tired from my flight. Security is well set up as you need a key card, or someone needs to "buzz" you in, to get into the bldg. Then a staff member needs to buzz you into the dorm and other common areas. You are provided a key card that gets you into the room after check in. This hostel is located in Boston's China Town which may be a bit of an adjustment at first, especially when you arrive at night and are unfamiliar with the area. However, once you have had a chance to walk around, you will love it and the food! But as with ANY PLACE, always keep your guard when walking around, especially alone. When I walked around at night, and early morning, there were always others walking around as well so I never felt terribly uncomfortable. Plus the hostel location is also great as it is near other parts of Boston worth visiting (walking-distance). When I arrived, there were (2) two team members that "greeted" me at check-in. However, Ashley I believe her name was, was sadly unkind and made me feel unwelcomed. Even asking simple questions made me feel as if I inconvenienced her, and other staff as well. The only "saving grace" were a few staff that was nice enough to provide me with suggestions on where to eat and where I could find a good place to eat. I wish I would have remembered THEIR names! Unfortunately, the less than pleasant staff's name is the one that seems to resonate with me most. The hostel has a very chic vibe compared to some other hostels I have stayed at. Less welcoming than some other hostels I have stayed at, but had some VERY nice travelers staying there as well. But that is what I love about hostels, the sense of community with the other travelers. Having such terrible, unwelcoming staff, however, can overshadow that. Fortunately, the one nice staff and the handful of great travelers I met did not overshadow that. I stayed in an all female dorm with (4) four beds. It was very nice with large lockers to fit large bag or backpack. They provide you with linens, a pillow and a towel. GREAT personal cubby hole by your bunk with charging station and lamp; hooks to hang your stuff and a nice view from the window. The only thing it was missing was a privacy curtain. I had to make-shift my own. The bathrooms are shared but segregated to singular toilet with shower and there are PLENTY OF THEM! They have bathmats, paper towels and bodywash/shampoo in each. They also have blow-dryers which is a nice bonus. I didn't use much of the common areas but they were nice. The kitchen needs some TLC as the current travelers were a little messy and I could never find paper towels and hand soap. Overall, facilities are nice and female dorms are nice. Location is great if visiting Boston for the first time, a drive from the Airport and a quick Lyft or walk to the Amtrak station. If only the staff were a little nicer I would stay here when I return. Unfortunately, I think I will stay in a hotel next time.

Enjoyed my stay at this location. Staff was friendly, and accommodating when I had to leave early to get to start line for marathon. They even provided banana and some nutrition bars to runners. It was too hot in room, and it seem that the room mates either turned it higher and didn't know how to fix it. Definitely coming back next year. Just wish they had one night available, three nights is too much if your only coming up for a race.

No real complaints. Stayed here for a few nights. Front desk staff are super nice. They let me check into my room early. It's in a good area near the subway with lots of good restaurants around the area and also some decent bars. The rooms are spacious with big lockers as well. Only downside is there's no table in the rooms. Bathrooms are single occupant communal and clean. They have a pretty strict guest policy. If you don't stay at the hostel, the guests can hang around in the lobby but you can't take them to your room. Good for safety I guess.

so the website says $29 a night right up until you book it. Then the price jumps up to $74, $85, the last night it was $99! That's more than a hotel?!?! Why pay hotel prices to share a room with strangers? My god it was just so overpriced and they know it because of how they lie on the website. Also it'll say, "only 1 bed left! Hurry!" My room had 4 empty beds in it until the last night. Everything about the hostel was good except their scam prices. That hostel really broke me. And it's just an average hostel? I wasn't seeing any special $99 per night stuff? The breakfast was just toast, bagels (no cream cheese) and cereal? I've had nicer meals at the green tortoise and stayed for cheaper? I just can't wrap my head around how they're overcharging people

Edit: went down to customer service to ask about my food being thrown away, again front desk was useless and the woman I spoke to was rude. This was my first time staying in a hostel so I don't have much to compare it to, but if this is the way hostels normally function then I'll be sticking to Airbnb. Here are my complaints: The room I stayed in was extremely hot. I reported to front desk to check on it, which was never fixed to my knowing and they couldn't move me to a different room bc of capacity. I left a full bottle of water and a delicious pastry I was excited to eat after my day of touring, come to my room and both are missing. I go down to the front desk and she says housekeeping probably threw it out thinking it was someone who left, even though it was clearly in my section where I had clothes on my bed etc. Lastly, bathrooms were dirty. All morning/day which is pretty gross to wake up to. I felt dirty in the bathroom so I opted to not shower during my stay. The front desk seems pretty inadequate to handle any real concerns you have besides just checking you in for your stay. They basically couldn't help with anything I inquired about. I won't be staying at this brand of hostel moving forward.

Clean spacious safe great for Students and folks on a budget Like the helpful staff

It's just OK. The lighting is dim and the hallways are kind of eerie. Most rooms are quads, for 6 or 8. Rooms are very "hard" looking with little fabric to soften the look. I find the guests to be on the snotty side when they really have no reason to be. Management/check in is cold and stand offish. Breakfasts are mostly carbs. It's an OK but nothing exciting. In an expensive city like Boston, you get what you pay for.

Crazy expensive for a hostel. I've stayed in much cheaper places in Tokyo, Hong Kong, NYC. Not sure why Boston HI is so bloody expensive, but anyway. I stayed in a 4-bed female dorm. It was clean, people were friendly, and the building had a nice sociable vibe with plenty of free group activities to help you meet people. Bed was as comfy as you can expect a hostel bunk to be. Staff when I checked in was super surly and rude, but luckily the lovely receptionist the next morning made up for that with an awesome friendly attitude. Really nice girl. Our room also had a problem where the heating unit was blowing crazy hot air onto the top bunks. There was like a 5-degree difference in temperature between top bunk and bottom bunk, lol. I finally went down to the front desk and told them and he was OK about it but kind of acted like we were making a bit deal about nothing. He couldn't fix it so I just moved to the bottom bunk but it seems crazy anyone should be so hot in a hostel in Boston in winter! The next morning some crazy chick was screaming in Spanish down the hallway for 30 minutes, waking us all up. Could happen in any hostel (and does) but it kind of just finished off my not-so-great impression of this hostel. On the plus side, the location is great. Right in Chinatown, a 10-15 minute walk from Boston Common, Boston Public Garden, and the transit center with the Silver line bus to the airport.

I dropped my friend off here as she had an early morning flight the next morning, and the staff were super nice and informative. I feel like for a hostel it was a bit over priced, but it was incredibly clean and looks very safe. The bathrooms are individualized with showers inside them which is really nice for privacy. I've stayed in hostels in Europe and I wish they'd been as nice as this one.

This was my first time staying at a hostel and honestly it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I traveled with two of my friends and we booked the 4-bedroom female dorm for our weekend in town. The first night was fine, we spent most of our time out exploring so we pretty much arrived to sleep and shower. We had originally planned to attend an event that was listed on the website's calendar but upon arrival we found out that there was no such event. I didn't book the room but I do remember my friend having issues when we checked in with our reservation. It obviously was something minor as we were able to stay, however, it wasn't as seamless as we would have liked. Our second night we attended the Patriots game with our fourth dorm room member who turned out to be a gentleman. Now, frankly we didn't care that we were sharing our dorm with a guy on our last night in town. Especially since he was going to the same game, so we all painted the town red. The issue is we were booked for a 4-bed female dorm. Obviously it was another hiccup in our less than stellar visit. While we did make a great friend out of our unexpected roommate the rest of the stay wasn't anything to write home about. Will I try other hostels? Probably. Will I stay here again if in Boston? Not a chance. The location was great but everything else had enough hiccups to leave me looking elsewhere when I inevitably return which was a tad disappointing.

Hello everyone, The name is Keiki (cake-key) but please do request me as Panda. Now I am going to tell you my experience here at this Hi USA hostel Boston It's a community space for everyone, but when there is a problem, there are some hostels that fall apart under the pressure, and some stand their ground as professionals when it comes to the communities and their employees. As a member for about 9-10 now off and on for the last 13 years, using the membership and visiting my top 10 hostels, this is my first time here in Boston and first time at this hostel. Now I just came from the NYC hostel and you may have read that review and please do take it with a grain of salt. TO GUEST: please do not change the temperature in the room, what you don't realize that you also change the ambient and the temperature in the next rooms. The room should be between 20.5-22c ambient. Not a freezing 15C 'LOL" we had some people that can't take the heat, LOL So, the staff helps me which my room after hearing other complaints about the temperature from other guests. Now the staff at this location hostel in Boston have been so professional and there is always someone at the desk at all times. Just last night, my card stop working and I was in my underwear and a towel "LOL" and there was someone there to quickly help me. Thanks, guys. But the Manager here had to take some distasteful abuse and bad choice of words from a woman of color of a black American, and I am a man of color myself, what she said even left me in a detestation state. He stood his ground and defended the policy at the hostel by protecting the community and the employees of the hostel by showing her the most righteous respect and she continues to still use foul language towards him. "OUCH" From my experience, she's been an issue on the fourth floor and again, This time, she started with the outburst in the lobby " Oh my panda" It stops me from eating and working at the large table and I had on headphones. Yes, she was damn loud and had no right to disrespect the manager here or any employee of the HI USA. From my experience dealing with mental health, she understands well from her response and there is some competence of communication that I took notice of. As a man of color, this is not how to control your mental health. I, myself suffer from mental health, and the month before this, I lost someone name, Ee Lee. So I know how to control my outburst and keep it under control but I also need allies to help me on my way to recovery. She doesn't understand why we, as a community are here to only reason and help. I share my own experience because I'd share it all on more than one platform too. "LIVE" As you should expect, this hostel itself is clean and there will be a second guest check in order to enter the main building from the lobby. Now, each room has its own bathroom, therefore no need for others to have some excuse to use anyone else or your bathroom. Note, a good idea to help with the Covid and keep it 6-feet from others at this time. but it makes so much sense. The Library has a nice view and the TV made be such at the time a troublesome if you are reading in the library and guest up the volume up. Do take into account here, it's a mid-sized hostel please do understanding. You are going to have guests here that will not are currently not following rules. Some refused to wear their mask inside after seeing them cough and wipe their germs on the TV remote and other things eww. So wash your hands all the time. Who am I, just a guy that travels more than you do, "LOL" but visits hostels and giving a fair experience in real-time with these reviews, gives me a connection to travelers that understand where to travel and what HI USA hostels are and have been around for years? But this has been the best experience at a hostel on the east coast so far. I want to say thank Boston, Hostel Staff, and Housekeeping and Maintenance teams for the awesome experience. We might now have a kitchen, but we have a Chinatown with some awesome food and ramen. Go to Waki Waku.

As yha member, it is great that there are so many nice hostels around the globe. Stayed in thia hostel and really liked it. What i liked: - they promote travellers to interact. On thanks giving a free meal was organised for all guests. I joined some irish travellers. - clean - central location - breakfast included - short term luggage storage provided at reasonable price. Will definitely return.

The athmosphere is welcoming and the front desk staff are very nice. There are some social areas that are nice to meet new travelers and roomates, if you book a 6 bed dorm, are safe and kind. The cleanliness was also impressive. You'll love it here.

Stayed here for a couple of nights in September with family. This was my first time in a hostel and I enjoyed it a lot. We had our own queen room with a bath/shower, and did our cooking/dining in a common kitchen on the 2nd floor. There was also a game room, pool table, etc. for folks to hang out and socialize in. The place appeared to host a mix of students, travelers, business folks, etc. from all over the world. I loved listening to the chatter of different accents and languages at mealtime. Had some nice chats with a variety of folks. It cost about two-thirds the price of an average Boston hotel. I may not make it back to this hostel, but will definitely try another one on my next vacation.

Stayed in November 2016. My bus from NY arrived early and I didn't expect to be checked-in before 6am. Fortunately a bed was available and I was promptly given a tour of the facility. Dorms include free Wi-Fi, linens and lockers, along with shared bathrooms. Restrooms were clean, beds were comfy, and personal storage was plenty for my items. Perks include continental breakfast and daily tours. I personally enjoyed the tour of Cambridge and Harvard. Hostel is a short walk from Boston Common and local hotspots. Highly recommend for anyone new to Hostelling for the first time or looking for a nice, budget friendly place to stay in Boston.

Only thing I'd say missing was a computer station. Front desk will print for you but they're busy so just adding to their work load.

I booked via Hotels.com for 4 days (Su-Th). I called the day before to let them know I was coming the day after my booking (Monday instead of Sunday). My flight landed Monday morning, and I promptly went to the hotel to check in. They told me they couldn't check me in because I didn't check in on the day of booking. Then they told me the room would be ready at 4PM and to check in then. I asked to get a refund for the first day in that case, they told me to ask when I came back because that's when the manager would be in. I came back later in the day to find out that they cancelled my reservation fully as a no-show. I told them I called and they said "Well you didn't talk to me!" (As if that was a justification saying that I didn't call). Then they said "You should have called Expedia per the booking! (I didn't book through Expedia, I booked through Hotels.com!). So anyway, I am out of a room now and have to find different accommodations. On top of this, I am trying to get a refund from Hotels.com but HI hotel is not answering the phone, they are hindering the refund process. Please stay away from this place.

HI Boston is a great option overall. It's clean and the beds are comfortable. There were only three downsides to it: 1. It was very cold inside during my stay in the winter. 2. The cover/blanket provided for the bed was rather thin (see #1 above!). 3. The water pressure was very low in the shower. That said, it was still quite clean and had comfortable beds. The staff were also friendly, and free breakfast was included. It's probably the best hostel in Boston.

I don't have any complaints against this hostel. I stayed at HI Boston. Cheapest hotels that I could find in the downtown area started at $300 and up. I paid $69 per night here and even got free breakfast. I've been hosteling for 35 years and it's allowed me to see a lot of the world. This particular hostel has been updated and is quite modernized, clean and attractive. Staff work hard to keep it looking clean and fresh. I appreciate that. They were also incredibly helpful and friendly. I went to a tour of Beacon Hill and Back Bay. Wonderful and free. U must check this place out if ur headed to Boston.

Great location! The doors were incredibly loud and slammed shut, making it hard for light sleepers to sleep through the night. The amenities were nice, and the staff was pleasant.

Nice hostel. They have a lot of different activities and it's right in the heart of Boston's Chinatown.

This is honestly one of the best hostels in America in my opinion. I have stayed in hostels all across Europe and Asia and love the culture of a well run hostel. Unfortunately the hostels in America in general are quite lackluster-Hi totally upends that assumption. Hi has 24 hr front desk staff, lots of sitting room, a full kitchen and tons of tours. The day I was there they were doing a free tour of the Boston Art Museum and a Harvard Tour. They also have pub crawls, brewery tours and other site seeing opportunities. The rooms are clean and have locked cabinets for your stuff. The linens were clean and had a nice comforter. All this being said, if you book here looks for a cheap hotel that's not what you are going to get. This is a hostel in the truest sense so know what you are signing up for.

I had a wonderful 3 days here! I had the female dorm, which held 6 beds. Even though you are rooming with 5 other girls, it was honestly not bad at all. Everyone seemed to mind their own business. As a matter of fact, I think I probably was the most disturbing, as I kept walking in and out of the doors, due to restlessness. I kept in touch with all my roommates via Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat - I would hate to lose contact with the wonderful people I meet! I was amazed at how many internationals stayed in this hostel! I was the only one who resided in the United States (Texas). My roommates were from Germany, Australia and China. I took advantage of the free tours and met even more people - some from France, Spain, Sweden. I am not making this up. I guess I could probably name random countries, but it wouldn't be hard to find someone in the hostel from any country named. A few things to note: Around the hours between 7AM-9AM, good luck trying to find a vacant bathroom. Bathrooms are scattered outside the rooms, and along the halls. I literally had to go all the way across the other end just to use one because everyone is trying to get cleaned up at the same time. No surprise there. Nighttime bathroom usage is not an issue at all. Free breakfast 7AM-10am The doors are extremely heavy. Too heavy. I actually almost hurt myself because I nearly had a door squash me to pieces going from one partition to the other - the main entrance, the bathroom door, the door to your room - all the doors slam shut at you. Just be careful! Take advantage of the free tours! They are listed on the calendar. It is a great way to explore the city, and better yet, meet several other travelers. If you love to travel, especially as a solo traveler, like myself, I highly recommend hostels. I've stayed in hostels elsewhere, but they all pale in comparison to Hostelling International. I think since Hostelling International caters to the "international" travelers, you are bound to come across someone from a foreign country. That is so awesome! I am glad to have discovered this brand of hostels. No doubt will I use Hostelling International again when I travel elsewhere, especially to a foreign country - now that time I would be the "cool" person from another country.

Location, Location, Location! This is the second HI hostel I have stayed at and I was pretty pleased with my experience. This hostel is very clean, the staff are friendly and helpful, they have a full kitchen and it is walking distance to multiple T stops, the Boston Commons, Chinatown and so many restaurants and coffee shops. I stayed in an all female room and had no complaints with my roommates. You can barely hear people in the rooms next to you and most of the time people are out and about and are only in their rooms to sleep. The lounge is super comfortable, has a fireplace, lots of seating and lots of outlets for charging devices. While I was there they were showing Halloween movies late in the evening and also made chili for anyone staying at the hostel. It is perfect way to meet people from all over, but you can also keep to yourself if you prefer. They also offer a number of tours and events throughout the week for free! It is a wonderful deal for the price and it feels great to support an organization with a great cause.

Many people may wince when they hear someone mention staying at a hostel. But let me tell you that the Boston Hostel is a great place to lodge. About eight years ago, this hostel relocated to this Downtown spot around the corner from Chinatown, the theater district, and Boston Commons. Harvard Medical Center is kitty corner. Hopefully, you won't need it. It's within walking distance to the Waterfront District, the New England Aquarium, Boston Convention and Exhibitions Center, and, one of my favorite buildings, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. The hostel is in a great location. Anything further way, you can catch the train. This hostel really stands out the others in Boston, and around the US, in that it is still relatively new, the architects did an excellent job making it a fun space to socialize in when you want to stay indoors, and a welcome space away from home. The entire place is clean, and they make security their priority to help you feel comfortable. The kitchen and dining area is open and bright with ample room for many to prepare a meal. If you're looking for a quiet space to hang out but don't want to spend it in your dorm room, there are quiet cubby-hole spaces to chill out and read, take a nap in a cozy chair, or surf the next. They have a small conference room that can be reserved. If you need ideas for exploring the city, they offer up daily activities you can do alone or with a group. If you're lucky enough to stay there when their free tour of Harvard is, don't miss this opportunity. The guy giving the tour is amazing and makes it informative and fun. You'll get your steps in for the day. There are so many perks to staying here, if I listed all of them, this review would be much longer than it already is.

I love staying at hostels since it's always located in a pretty convenient place, for a fraction of the cost a hotel in that area would be. My flight got in at 4:30am, and although check in was at 4PM, I decided to see if they had any beds open. They didn't but the person working the desk was really kind. They let me hang out in the lobby (wifi & outlets) and they told me I could shower & store my luggage if I wanted to. Since they didn't have a bed for me, I got bumped up for the premium dorms (4 people) for free so that's nice! 1. Clean, modern looking - think college dorms. 2nd floor was the kitchen/common areas where you can hang out 2. Showers, each suite (3-4 rooms) had a few showers - single. They provide you with a towel and had some soap in the shower, but bring your own if you can. 3. Beds - clean sheets, blankets, and two pillows. They have a good sized locker, easily fit my backpack. Just bring your own lock! 4. Free tours! I didn't get to participate in any, but they have a calendar of events 5. LOCATION! right by Chinatown and walking distance from Boston Commons Overall, it's a great price and since I never really stay in the hotel room when I travel anyway, this wasn't that big of a deal. It does get a little noisy in the morning, but that's just what happens when you don't have your own room. I would recommend this place if you're looking to save money and still stay at a clean place.

My mom and I stayed in a private room for 5 nights and it was a very good experience. My mom is also a very picky person when it comes to hotels and she was impressed upon walking in. The room was huge and had a bathroom with a walk in shower. The bed looked like a futon at first and I was worried it would be uncomfortable, but it was perfect for me and the pillows were also soft. The bed worked for me, who likes softness and my mom who likes firm. The streaming services were spotty - it was difficult to have a movie playing without it stopping. So I guess the wifi was having trouble. We are from Florida so we had to learn the hard way, if you want to cool down the room, don't turn on "cool" because there's no ac unit for winter months. Basically we kept heat on. I picked a hostel because I knew it would be walking distance from transportation and such, this one is located in Chinatown of Boston. Perfect for finding a bite to eat and very close to the T. It was fun staying here. Will do it again!

Very clean and the staff is friendly. Steps from Orange and Green T stops. Lots of good, cheap food within a block. Multiple coffee shops within a short walk, too. I was impressed, and our gang of church teenagers liked it, too. Breakfast is included but it's pretty spare- toast, cereal, yogurt, some tired apples, instant oatmeal, milk, coffee and OJ. Lacking good fruit and protein, though not wholly lacking, see list. It's fine for free, but don't expect much.

I give a lot of thanks to Aaron for taking time to go over with me all the sites to see in Boston. He was really helpful and friendly and i really appreciated him taking the time to talk with me on Thursday morning. On a separate note, Im not sure what the issue is with distributing towels but i had been told at 4am that i couldn't have a towel. I would have requested one at 9pm but the line to talk to a staff was ten people long for over a half hour so i figured it wasnt that big of a deal and I would just try in the morning. Ok that was really my only issue. Every thing here was really nice and I appreciated all of the hospitality

Excellent spot. 1) If you want to enjoy your stay in Boston and are here solo. This hostel is right for you. 2) The lounge is fantastic. Great place to relax. 3) Just bring a lock, they provide the locker, but not the lock.

I was really satisfied with my stay at HI. It was cheap (60$ a night), and the place is centered in a very vibrant location. It's a couple steps away from China town (which was what my cousins and I wanted) and the whole place is clean. I didn't stay in a room with strangers, I stayed in a 4 persons room (3 of my cousins and I) so I was super comfortable. Inside of HI there are plenty of activities to do, there's several study rooms and a kitchen with utilities that you could use. There's a TV lounge and a computer room and a pool table. There's a cafe in the lobby and more TVs for movie nights. They offer a lot of activities for you to do and they're all free. They offer things like tours and movie showings, and etc. The staff were all friendly and there were a lot of people around my age group making it easy to meet tons of new people. There's about 2-3 bathrooms in each hall I believe and each floor has its own unique decals. I was on floor 5 and it was a lime green themed floor with decals of cows. I thought that was really nice. Stepping out of HI, you are only minutes away from restaurants, markets, food trucks, and boutiques. You'll never get bored. There's about 2 parking garages a couple of minutes away that you could use (which is what we did). I would recommend HI if you're on a budget and want a nice and clean friendly hostel and if you're willing to share rooms with strangers. This place is great :-) Thanks for a wonderful weekend HI.

You guys, this place is amazing. I couldn't go to Boston unless I could do it on the cheap, and this hostel made it possible. Here's the thing, though: not only is it cheap, but it's REALLY NICE! It's new, it's clean, it's quiet, and it's in a great location with easy access to transit. I'm so glad I stayed here. I especially loved the comfy and beautiful lobby, the free wifi and free breakfast, and the plentiful private bathrooms. I stayed in a 6-person room with 5 strangers, and the only downside is the fact that the beds are really creaky. Make sure you use the restroom before you settle in for the night, because whenever anyone came or went out of the room, beds would creak as people woke up and shifted in bed. Bringing earplugs and an eye mask definitely helps. It's so awesome that each bed has its own plug (for charging your tech) and desk lamp (for when everyone else has gone to sleep but you need to read). Worried about being the only person over 30 there? Most of the hostellers were twentysomethings, but I managed to find some fellow 30+ folks to chat with, including a 58-year-old marathon runner from Amsterdam. Very awesome. I appreciated that there was an HI staffer in the lunch room each morning to answer people's questions about things to do and how to get around. I believe his name was Aaron, and he helped me figure out how to get to Allston on the T, and showed me on a map where the Freedom Trail went. I went on the Beacon Hill and Back Bay walking tour that he led on Sunday morning, and really enjoyed it! That tour was definitely worth going on; he shared a lot of great information. He also gave us a pro tip that the winter rates at the hostel are much less than what we paid in summer, so I really hope to be back soon.

Expensive for a hostel (50-60/night in 6 person shared room). But that's central Boston. Very very clean. Included towel and soap/shampoo. Nice that showers and bathrooms we're individual rooms although shared. Also doors tended to slam so was kind of loud. Could hear above people walking around. Free breakfast and free events or low cost tours.

Just checked out from this hostel 2 hrs ago. I wanted to stay in a hotel, but my friend wanted to save her money... I didn't expect anything before I came..., seriously... I believe we get what we paid for .. After two night staying here.. I don't know what to complain! Clean, modern, new and organized ... Staffs are very nice and helpful ... Even cleaning ladies ,, they are really polite and friendly. Free wifi, free bf... They provide towels and lockers in every rooms ... So you don't have to worry leaving your stuff in the room with 5 strangers ... They also have lockers that you have to pay 3 $ if u wanna use it after you check out (for 24 hrs.).. They also have a nice lobby and a pool table ..also some activities. I will definitely stay here again..

Dining partner and I shipped off to Boston for the weekend to explore the historical sites and eat our faces off. After looking at the hotel rates we decided to "rough it" in a private room at Hostelling International in Chinatown. This was my first experience in a hostel, though with a private room, it was not the traditional hostel experience. We were both impressed by the facilities, they appeared new and clean. The only thing different from a hotel was an additional "s" and little shampoos. The floors are hard concrete which felt a lot cleaner than hotel carpeting. Our room was spacious and clean (for the most part...details later). Check-in Thursday night and Check-out Sunday morning was a breeze. The room had a cable TV, iHome docking station, ironing board, iron, and a bunk bed with a double bed on bottom twin bed on top. Free WiFi was available throughout the building. Our favorite part about our bathroom was the Boston T map shower curtain. We only took advantage of the free breakfast 7-10am one morning. It was a limited breakfast of hard-boiled eggs, cereal, waffles (Sunday special), fruit, and bagels. We slept in the bottom double bed, but the top bunk twin bed had several hairs on the sheets. I also found quite a few long black hairs in the fresh towels, which can happen anywhere, but was disturbing and gross just the same. Yicky! Dining partner and I didn't spend much time in the hostel socializing, as we were busy exploring, but it looked like many people congregated in the common areas. The hostel had events planned every day for those looking to take advantage. This was a great location and for under $200 a night, it really can't be beat. We've already began looking up other locations of HI to plan our next adventure.

First time staying in a hostel, so I have nothing to compare it to but there wasn't anything that would deter Hostelling International Boston from getting the 5-star fantabulous rating, it so totally deserves! Arrived in the evening and there was plenty of staff on hand and was able to be checked-in within a couple of minutes. The room was clean, spacious and had quite comfortable beds and blankets. There are little cubby hole areas next to your bed that you can plug in technology accessories... each person gets 4 outlets to themselves, so need to worry about not having enough outlets. Every morning from 7am-10am, there is FREE Breakfast including: toast, peanut butter, jelly, bagels, cereal, yogurt, fruit, orange juice, milk and coffee. Also, every Wednesday is FREE dinner night: Spaghetti! The hostel itself is located close to everything: the parks, the freedom trail, the subway, the Royale (nightclub, concert venue), Chinatown restaurants, the theater district, 7-11, Bank of America, California Pizza Kitchen, Starbucks and more. Important to note that the pictures currently on here for HI Boston are outdated. Wish I would have taken pictures of the room, just expect a more modern-updated room than what you see in the pictures. Hopefully someone reads this review and takes some pictures during their next stay! Will most definitely be back in the future, when I decide to take another road trip to good ol' Boston. PS. If you really want to try out something awesome - go to the Park and bring a bag of peanuts with you. The squirrels are super "tamed" and friendly, they will literally take the peanuts out of your hand. One of locals was feeding the squirrels and we got to join in on the fun. Simply weird... only in Boston right? :)

This is by far my favorite hostel! I rave about it pretty much any chance I get. Rooms and facilities are very clean. I love the retro chic lobby area, too. Not to mention, I always get to meet the friendliest folks here. Staff is knowledgeable and friendly. I've since been living in Boston but I would come back to stay here in a heartbeat!

This is an update I write with a heavy heart because HI Boston is really a great place to stay. The update to my review has more to do with the staff's apathy for the security of my things than the overall stay. I arrived in Boston early on a Saturday morning and was able to check in my duffel bag for free in the back store room. I needed my backpack for other items and instead of asking the staff to check that bag, I decided to just pay the $3 to lock that bag in one of the automated lockers. When I returned around 2PM, the locker had an "Out of Service" sign on it. I asked the front desk staff person why the sign was there and without much confidence tells me everything is fine. When I went to open the locker my backpack was missing! I returned to the front desk where again the same associate told me that "PROBABLY" a staff person saw the locker didn't close and took my backpack out. This is absolutely unacceptable. For 5 very long minutes I tried to not have a panic attack about my stolen backpack and the absolute lack of concern from the staff. Finally another associate took my backpack out of their store room and said my locker hadn't closed and the staff it took it out earlier. No sign, no note, and no apology. I felt like a total idiot as the staff treated me like I was making a big deal out of NOT BEING TOLD MY BACKPACK WAS TAKEN OUT AND POSSIBLY STOLEN. I question the decisions and choices made by this staff. I normally don't place too high of a value on items but the lack of response was jarring. And it made me think twice about the safety of my belongings and my overall safety. When I was ready to finally check out, I asked the staff if I could store my bags for free in their luggage room as I no longer felt comfortable leaving my stuff in lockers that don't close. The woman declined and said I could pay her $3 and she could store my things in their back room. Total nonsense. Again, no apology and no acknowledgement about what happened. What is supposed to happen the day several lockers don't close properly and several guests find their stuff missing? Is the staff just going to shrug it off? Absolutely do not recommend staying in a place where the staff has no concern about customer service or the safety of guests' belongings.

I'm from California and it was my first time staying at a Hostel of any kind and I had a very pleasant experience. I was traveling on a budget to Boston for the very first time and Hostel International seemed to be the best bang for my buck. All The facilities worked and were clean. The room I stood in was a 6 bed male dorm. I had no issues with my bed or the other guys in the room. If your planing to take advantage of the free breakfast my advice is to either get there just before 7 am or after 8. The chaos that's involved with a free breakfast is nothing you want to get in the middle of. I would stay in another HI property when traveling alone no problem. I would avoid it if you are traveling with a significant other that requires the privacy and luxuries that would come with a standard hotel room. -Cheers.

Many firsts! First time staying at a hostel, visiting Boston and traveling alone. I would do it again in a heartbeat! I stayed in a 6-bed all girls room for 2 nights on the 4th floor. I participated in the group events, the first one with Aaron. Aaron is obviously well traveled and loves his job, I received so much useful info from him on our Fenway tour. I met so many people from all over the world also traveling alone, and it was a breeze connecting with people and instantly making new friends. The location is perfect, you are walking distance to pretty much anything, including public transportation. Staff has been great, bathrooms are clean, kitchen has all you need to cook your own meals and store refrigerated and dry good items. No curfew either, just make sure you have your key. I would say the only downside is hearing people in the hallways. Bring ear plugs if you're a light sleeper. They give you one towel upon check in, but you can request more at the desk. I did not use Wi-Fi but didn't hear great things from fellow bunkmates, but you're a block away from Panera and McD's should you need more options. Kids room with adults here too but it hasn't impacted my stay. All in all amazing time and would love to visit other H.I. Hostel locations!