The DC Traveler

Besides price 5-star luxury hotels like the Ritz or the Willard,  Washington, DC has accommodations for the budget traveler as well.

If all you need is a safe and comfortable bed, and you’re on a student’s budget or have limited funds to pay for accommodations, why not try a hostel?

Most Washington, DC hostels offer dormitory-style rooms, with 4 to 10 beds per room, utilizing 2 or 3-level bunk beds. Private rooms use a similar layout, but may have only 2 or 4 twin beds, and generally cost more.

I checked the prices at six of the more popular Washington, DC hostels for a Friday night stay several weeks in advance and found rates ranging from $22.00 to $45.00; about 15% of the typical DC hotel rate.

Virtually all hostels offer a 24-hour front desk service, with no curfew or lock-out times. Most also have required quite hours overnight, as well as strict drug-free, smoke-free and alcohol-free policies. You will also be required to present a valid credit card and a government issued ID at check in.

Rooms usually include A/C and heat, in-room locker facilities, linens and towels. Some will offer a basic breakfast – such as coffee, tea, toast & jam.

Amenities may include shared baths, common room with TV and Internet access or PC stations, self-service kitchen or BBQ facilities, (you clean up afterwards), coin-op laundry facilities or laundry service, luggage storage for larger items, iron & ironing boards and hair dryers. some have big screen TVs, free DVD movie collections, bike rentals, fee-based auto or bicycle parking and more.  So make sure you check the amenities list, before you book.

Some hostels also offer food and/or beverage service.

Here’s a list of the more popular hostels, ranging from just a few blocks from the Capitol Building, to several miles from the National Mall or in the heart of Adams-Morgan.  All prices quoted were for a single bed in a shared dorm-style room.

• City Hostel
  2411 Benning Road, NE
  Sample cost – $29.00 for a bed in a 6 or 9 bed dorm
• William Penn House 
  515 East Capitol Street, SE
  Sample cost – $45 for a bed in a 4-bed same-sex dorm, $40 in a 10-bed room, included breakfast
• Hilltop Hostel
  300 Carroll Street, NW
  Sample cost – $22.00 for a 6 bed mixed dorm
• Washington International Student Center
  2451 18th Street, NW
  Sample cost – $29.00 for a 6 or 9 person mixed dorm, included A/C and security locker.
• Alexandria Guest House
  1700 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria 22306 VA
  Sample cost – $29.00 for a 6 or 9 person mixed dorm – Reservations required – no walk-ins. Includes breakfast.
• Hostelling International
  1009 11th Street, NW

Sample cost – $29.00 for a 10 bed dorm, $33 for a 4 bed

A couple hostel booking sites include HostelWorld and Hostels.com, but check the same hotel at multiple booking sites, as the prices I found ranged by as much as $10 per night. 

Image – bunk beds, 

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