I try to go into things with low expectations but I guess my previous hostel experiences were just too good. This place is no Generator Hostel nor does it have hot water for showering (apparently some rooms have more hot water than others, mine was the one where the roommates would yelp every time they stepped in the shower). The other visitors were pretty cool but the staff I met after checking in were a bit more lackadaisical. The place is old which is to be expected in a historical part of DC, but it would be cool if they painted over all of the repair spots on the walls - judging by previous reviews they'd been there awhile. The linens you get are fine but they will be on the older side - I don't mind this but if you don't want your towels and bedding to feel used (ex. pilling, lots of fraying, bleach spots, the slight smell of not having dried properly) then good luck. Also just a heads up but even if you're from out of the area, if you have a local ID from years ago you should probably go to a motel/hotel/AirBnb instead. read more

I stayed 3 nights at this hostel (04/29-09/01). If you can help it, stay at Hostelling International down the street. The only reason I stayed here is because I needed to make this reservation at the last moment and my original choice (Hostelling International) only had private rooms available ($120/night). When I reached the hostel, I was asked to take my shoes off, which I was fine with considering that there was supposed to be a homely feeling here. However, forgetting that the slippers that they offered felt like they going to fall off at any given moment, the bin that they're kept in is enclosed, keeping the smells from other shoes within the shoe bin and creating a lovely (sarcasm) aroma every time you open it. I kept my shoes with me in my room. When I went to check in, I was told that the room that I had reserved for three nights would not be available for every night. This would be perfectly okay if it had showed that when I reserved on HostelWorld.com, but it didn't. Furthermore, when I moved out of the room to relocate after the first night, I found out that it wouldn't be ready until 3:00 or 4:00 PM; I had been told previously that I would be able to move into the new room as soon as possible. The biggest problems that I had were in the new room. Other than there were a few flies in there, someone had left a "present" in the toilet. I found out the toilet was broken (which there was evidence that it had been like that for some time). The person that was managing couldn't fix it, and told me that no one would be available until Tuesday (after I was gone). Then later that day, the power went out in half the room. I asked what happened and he told me that DC was having power outages. However, I could clearly see that there was power everywhere else in the hostel. Because of this, neither me nor my roommate could use the AC. We had to sleep in the living room, which did have AC. It wasn't the worst that could happen, but it's best to choose another place. read more

DC Lofty - Hostels Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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!!!DO NOT STAY HERE!!! The management of this hostel are crooks! I made a reservation here before the coronavirus outbreak. When my travel plans came into question, I reached out to management (Tom) to inquire about the cancelation policy. I received no reply for over a week, but in that time, read in my reservation confirmation that "Prior to checking in, cancellations and modifications are allowed up to 24 hours prior to arrival without cost." Eventually, I received an email (4 days prior to my check-in) saying that DC Lofty was canceling my reservation due to the coronavirus outbreak and moving me to a different location that I did not want to stay in. When I informed them that I didn't think I was making the journey, they canceled the new reservation and charged me the full amount for the reservation. Tom has said there is nothing he can do and refuses to honor his companies cancellation policy. read more

I've stayed here a total of two times. Once for a conference in 2016 (I didn't book the accomodations) and right now (Jun 16-27), and if there were any other options for accomodations, I would be out of here right now. I had to unfortunately extend my stay out, and, while I've been here, there have been bedbugs, a consistently leaking A/C unit, mice eating through my food, no hot water in the showers, and the occassional roach passing through to say hello. I understand you get what you pay for, but mice traps and roach spray aren't that expensive. I'm only here because this trip was highly last minute, but I would much rather sleep in my car than take my chances here again. I would avoid this property and any others associated with this management company for fear of a repeat experience. read more

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This hostel is located near the Logan Circle area of the city. It is in two row houses/brownstones. The sign for the hostel is a banner hanging from one of the buildings so keep an eye out and pay attention to the house numbers so you can find it. Might be a bit of a challenge at night. The two buildings are connected inside so you do not have to go outside to get from building to building. Like many hostels I have stayed in, it is a bit careworn but clean. There is a kitchen available for use and refrigerators to put your food in. I stayed in a four bed mixed dorm on the ground floor with a bathroom in the room. Again, the room was clean and had plenty of outlets and a power strip for charging devices. Based on other reviewers complaints about the showers, I specifically decided to test mine. I turned the hot water on first and let it run until hot, then turned on the cold water. The controls are VERY sensitive so make small adjustments to get the temperature you like. I took a twelve minunte shower and other than a couple of split second moments, I had hot water the entire time. The.main thing I would mention is that there is no air conditioning. I stayed in late May and it the full summer heat hadn't kicked in yet. We opened the windows at night and things cooled down overnight. Some may not want to do this as you will get some noise from the street, but this is what worked in my room. A fan would have made things much more bearable. All in all I would stay here again. For $35.00 or so dollars per night in DC, you won't get much cheaper. Please remember that hotel tax (of 14 %) is added to your total and IS NOT included in the stated price. This is how hotels/hostels/lodgings do it in the United States. read more

WiFi here is EXTREMELY slow and there was no hot water in the shower. It was icy cold for a second and lukewarm the next. My roommate also said it was crazy cold and crazy hot. Complained about the water the next morning. The staff makes it sound like I'm using the shower wrong. The pictures online also look a lot prettier than it actually is. Staff also came into the room and randomly grabbed a backpack. She said it's from the girl who was here last night. Turned out that was my roommate's bag. I still have no idea how they would just randomly grab a bag and claim it as someone else's. read more

You get what you pay for. A cheap hostel that has the bare minimum of necessities and walking distance to Chinatown and about half an hour from the national mall. There's two floors of dorms with one or two bathrooms on each. There's also a storage room for luggage. There was a lot of discomfort though: The rooms get really warm even with the window open, prepare for that if assigned a top bunk. The bathroom water pressure was really weak and there was no where to really hang your towels or put your clothes. It's does have a nice community feel and the living room space is a nice place to meet other people. The kitchen has also has free pancake mix of you're really looking to save money. Otherwise, I think I'd rather give Airbnb a shot. read more

Terrible place. Safety is an issue and people will eat your food. A homeless guy slept on my bed. When I talked to the staff member about it, they just told me that he comes in often and that he won't be invited anymore. I saw him again later in the week. I would just spend the extra cash to stay at another place so you won't be afraid of random people sleeping in your bed. read more

Unfriendly staff. When got there to check in, the guy checking me seemed bothered that I wanted to check in. I even paid for parking in their parking lot, only to be told the next day I wasn't allowed to park there (they forgot I had paid for parking). It seems there's no airconditioning in the dorms, so it's hot, damp and a bit smelly in the room and the heat makes it hard to sleep. The hostel is located in a nice part of the city, and has a nice kitchen and TV/computer lounge. I would recommend going to one of the other hostels in DC. read more

I decided to stay here for one night as part of my trip to DC and was really iffy about booking a room/bed here, but decided to give a try considering the convenience and location of the hostel. This hostel needs a major improvement. Upon arrival, the staff was not really performing his job in a professional manner and was acting weird. Upon checking in and paying for my stay, he gave me their copy of the credit card receipt. He then told me that "just FYI" marijuana is legal in DC and asked if I smoke that (marijuana). He did tour me the hostel though. When I entered my room, it was HOT, just as outside (in July) and the AC was not working. Someone even had to have the window opened to try to cool off the room a bit. The staff was aware of it and said they will fix it. I immediately left after leaving my stuff in the locker. When I return at night, the room was still hot, the window remained open and the AC was not fixed! I was too tired to care about it, so I went to the shower. Another thing came up- there is little to no water in the shower! I could barely even shower afterall! I then had to sleep in the HOT room and woke up with a headache. I paid $50 for one night stay at the hostel in a 4 persons room and wish I had booked other hostel instead, but I really do think they should have basic working amenities (i.e. Shower, AC). I Am glad I did not book and pay for any more days and this will not be on my list when I go to d read more

This place is great. Staff is really nice, CANNOT beat the prices. Real sense of community with the people. I've enjoyed every minute of staying here. Great job all around by everybody that works here. Love meeting the wide range of guests too. Hostelling is the way to go! Especially here. read more

So I'm on my 3rd morning in at DC lofty Washington DC and I've got mixed feelings; I was just woken up to the maid coming in opening all the blinds to see (not appreciated if you've been drinking the night before). And then a guy who works here burst in and they started chatting in Spanish loudly to each other! I don't mind guests talking in the room at any time because they have paid for a room, this was at half ten in the morning, I don't expect to be woken up and then kept up by staff!!! The hostel itself is an odd one, the room is pretty nice and is cleaned daily, however ALL the beds I have seen have stains on. The facilities are modern and accessible, the kitchen is nice but there are ALOT of flys about. The no shoes rule... I thought was a joke when I first entered is madness and means downstairs smells like feet (seriously Lofty, if you persist on your rule, invest in some air fresheners for the front doors.) Also, the AC was so bad in my room on the 2nd floor making the nights sleep ruined. On to staff: with the exception of one tall white guy they have been quite rude and ambivalent towards customers. I have seem them check people in, not give a tour just say "wander around and explore the hostel yourself, the room is up the stairs blah blah blah". Similarly I have seen staff walking around with shoes on which makes me question how serious they are about this rule... I would stay here again because it's a great location and fairly decent price. But after 2 days the smell really gets to you. read more

Crazy place. I stayed a single night in a private room. There was a lot of cleaning going on while I was there. The water in the shower went between temperature extremes. The hand basin in one of the third floor washrooms didnt work. In the morning, there was an incident that resulted in a swarthy gentleman needing a calming and medical assistance from a kitchen knifing. I didnt see what happened, but he sounded excited. A lady guest stepped in to assist him. She was already in the kitchen making pancakes for her husband. There should be a medical box with surgical gloves and finger cots on the wall of the kitchen accessible by guests (with OTC medication kept locked in the office) and a phone dedicated to house management assistance when the front office is closed. read more

As far as hostels are concerned, it's just another hostel. Nothing horrible, and nothing special. However, they overcharged my credit card by $45 and I've had 2 emails go unanswered and three phone calls to them where I'm told by staff they need to "escalate the issue" and I was promised a solution yesterday, after an entire week of getting the run around, and I have yet to receive reimbursement. I understand that people make mistakes, but this is horrible customer service and it's not a complex issue. I'm very understanding, but struggling to understand why I haven't been issued a refund 8 days after I've checked out. I'll never stay here again. read more

Pros: -Friendly staff -Relatively clean -Safe, you need a code to get in the building and a code to get get in your room -Good location -"free" breakfast aka free pancake mix and coffee/tea Cons: -Would not recommend for solo female travelers. When I went they had no female dorms available so I had to settle for a mixed dorm. To be honest I didn't see any female only dorms, I only saw men in the hostel but that could have just been timing. Be prepared to have grown men change in front of you if you go with a mixed dorm. (That's a con regarding the guests not the hostel itself) -Small lockers. I struggled to fit my tote bag in the locker and didn't feel safe leaving it on the floor. So I would suggest just putting valuables in the locker. -Small single bathrooms. There was a bathroom per floor(one small shower and one toilet and sink)very small and inconvenient considering there can be 7 people on one floor. Overall it was a decent stay for one night but I definitely wouldn't stay for more than one night. I've stayed in cheaper and more accommodating hostels however for the area it's a good price. read more

Expect the following: - A cold room (at least the ones that are downstairs). - Rude owner (I don't care if she doesn't feel cold in the room I'm going to sleep in). - 1 towell for all the time you stay there. - Nothing to dry your hands with in the bathrooms (well, except toilet paper). - Very small bathroom and shower. And pretty old too. - Location is good. - Common areas are ok. read more

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Actually, the best part of my stay in DC. The staff was friendly and the room was clean. The bathroom was small but at least it had hot showers, which was great considering that I couldn't take one in the previous hostel! The hostel is just 15 minutes walking from the White House and is in a lovely neighborhood, and you have a supermarket just 1 block far, which is very useful! read more

WORST hostel experience of my entire life. Bed bugs!!! They ate me alive!!! Management is HORRIBLE. When I first suspected it was bed bugs, I told an employee and showed him the bites all over my back; being an untrained unprofessional like the rest of them, he told me no one else in the room had complained, and made me put my own new sheets on my bed. The next morning I woke up with new bites so I tore apart the room and ended up finding a total infestation in the wood. I ran upstairs to tell the same employee & when I asked him for trash bags to isolate my clothes he told me to give him 10 minutes to smoke a cigarette. I'm beyond myself at this point because I was intending on staying for over a week (I was working for a big brand auto company at the auto show) and I had work in an hour and nowhere to go. I needed to wash my clothes immediately but they wouldn't let me use the washer or dryer. I wanted a FULL REFUND like anyone would after being bitten for four nights!!! The employee told me I could go to the nearby laundry mat & they would refund me for that too. Oh just wait, that was a LIE. I ended up having to miss three hours of work to do laundry (my boss didn't want me potentially spreading the bugs to the rest of the staff or guests). The employee told me that I had to email DC Lofty management to even initiate a refund. At this point I am out hundreds of dollars, missed three hours of work, and covered in bites. It was MISERABLE. But just wait ladies and gentlemen, it gets so much worse. I had to wait over a week for an email reply, which I didn't even receive until I called all three Capital View hostels demanding someone talk to me. The email I did get was a series of the MOST unprofessional nastiness I've ever seen from an establishment. "Tom" (a manager supposedly) wrote that I could only be refunded for the nights I hadn't stayed and that they were refusing to cover an laundry/medical supplies/cleaning fees. He also attached links to buy RAID on Amazon, and told me "it sucks but it happens". Who the fuck is Tom? He wouldn't give me his last name, or talk to me on the phone. I kept calling the hostels to get someone to talk to me or even get someone's NAME!! The employees have all been instructed to not give management names or numbers. Do not go here. I ended up getting a hold of the same employee who I dealt with while I was there and he cussed out my mom and I. I am filing a lawsuit and they're not getting away with this like they do anyone else. Nah bro. You thought. It's unsanitary, dirty, and there's no hot water on half the house (and management doesn't care). They can afford to open a new hostel but not to buy two new water heaters?? Fuck this place. Y'all will hear from the health department and my lawyer. Ahhh and I called my bank lol got some my money back! read more

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I stayed here 4 nights during the Cherry Blossom weekend. It is recently remodeled (new fixtures in kitchen, bathroom) but there's a lot of little quirks some of which have been mentioned by other reviewers: the basement bathroom/sink did not have a mirror in it or a light switch, no towel or dryer to dry off hands), unpainted patch of drywall in basement room. If you're somewhat picky, they can add up very quickly. On the plus side, my room in the basement level had plenty of outlets for charging electronics, including ones bedside, a bedside reading light and lockers (bring your own lock). The location for me was great and the highlight of the DC Lofty; just a 5-10 minute walk to the 7th Ave subway stop at the Convention Center. I only interacted with the staff twice (I spent most of my time outside the hostel) and both instances (checking-in and double-checking my reservation before I arrived) were fine and satisfactory. I had no problems with ambient temperature or the shower; it was warm water both times that I used it with the only towel that I received. I didn't use the kitchen or any of their other amenities (other than free wifi) but the hostel was generally clean and kitchen appliances looked to be new. I would recommend the place if you're looking for a hostel in the neighborhood and aren't extremely discerning with amenities. I thought it was a good deal for $39/night, taxes included, considering the other pricier options (airbnb, hotels). read more

The hostel buildings are really cute and in a great area. I was very happy staying here. The beds were comfortable enough and the showers got nice and hot. My only complaints were that there was a lot of hair on the floor in the room and the room was pretty hot at night. Overall, I enjoyed my stay and felt safe being there. Bring a lock for the lockers! read more

Given the price, this was an okay place to stay. I felt safe, the sheets were clean, and the bed was fine to sleep on. If you aren't picky, then go ahead and stay here, but if you can stay somewhere else for around the same price, I would go there instead. Some things to consider 1) I found it very loud. There didn't have quiet hours so I was woken up while I was there. There was an air vent by my head and all of the house's sounds went right into my ear. But with earplugs it was okay. 2) The shower was pretty lame. It would be hot (only when you turned on the sink faucet, I don't understand why but a sign told us to do so) for a maybe a minute then get really cold. 3) They had nice individual lights by the bed that I liked. read more

Is shithole one word, or two? This place is a complete dump, no hot water, no hand soap in the bathroom, WiFi suuuuucked and management was rude. The price was about the only thing this place has going for it read more

DO NOT COME HERE - My friends and I booked DC lofty over memorial weekend for a small girls trip. We choose this hostel because the pictures online looked very promising. Well, the pictures do not compare to the actual place. This hostel is in desperate need of renovations. I attached what they posted online versus what our room actually looked like. Second, the hostel claims that they provide basic necessities, yet our bathroom had no hand soap. The bathroom has obviously not been deep cleaned in a while and it shows. I attached pictures of how gross it actually was. On our first day here we had to go buy hand soap and flip flops because we did not feel comfortable being barefoot in the shower. Next, for some reason the third floor had no AC and being that there was a heat wave, it was next to impossible to get decent sleep. We could only open one window, but since the air doesn't get circulated, it just stays stuffy in there. Also, the only window we could open has a huge hole in the window screen.The privacy here is also non existent. Both locks have been removed from the door and only lock is the keypad which has a password anybody could guess. One locker in the room is also broken which stinks if you're in the room with strangers and need to lock your stuff up. So after all these negatives, we were feeling really defeated until we came back Saturday night and discovered that they installed AC so we thought that maybe this trip wouldn't be so bad. 2 AM rolls around and a RANDOM MAN (who I'm pretty sure was a guest there) walked into our room, ( 4 females) didn't knock or anything and just went into our bathroom. It wasn't until my friend asked him what he was doing that he actually said something. He said he was looking for a leak and quickly left. At this point we're shaking because this isn't normal. So she quickly locks the door or at least she thought did and another male comes in and tells us to unplug the AC because there was a leak. Neither of these males identified themselves and only the second one bothered to knock. It doesn't make since that the first male went into our bathroom since the AC is no where close to it?It's almost impossible to distinguish the staff from the guests. The staff was extremely unprofessional. After stripping our beds, we also saw how disgusting our mattresses were. Unfortunately, this was the last straw for us. We did not feel safe there and decided to cut our trip short a day. So do yourself a favor, and spend a few extra dollars somewhere else. read more

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I love this Place!!! Unfortunately, I wore out my welcome with Too Much Joy (alcohol was involved), but as soon as I repair that relationship, I will be a loyal customer once again!!! I got some money in my pocket, and it has DC Lofty's name on it!!! Top 3 Reasons to stay at DC Lofty: 1) Friendliest Staff in DC 2) Great Kitchen (we cook together!) and Community of Residents 3) Very clean (ignore the bed bugs rating -- if DC Lofty ever had that problem, they certainly don't have it NOW!) Love, Brotha G read more

I was in D.C. last minute and this excellent, flexible hostel was perfect. Clean, chill and well-located; Staffed by helpful pros (Danny is friendly). Highly recommended. read more

Very clean. Nice bed. Plenty of rooms. Had no problems with me making a same-day reservation (but don't count on this.) Roommates were quiet, considerate, and respectful. I will be coming back. read more

DC Lofty is a really cool hostel with some cool amenities, friendly service, and a good location just around the corner from the Convention Center. The building is actually two apartment buildings side-by-side. On the first floor of one is the common kitchen and in the other is the common living/recreation space, meaning that if you want to go from one to another, you have to go outside, down the stairs and then back up the stairs and into the other building. You'll also want to bring your slippers along for the trip. They have shoe racks for you to remove your "street shoes" as you enter the building and they supply you were a pair of basic slippers to wear outside. The living area and kitchen space did have really nice, modern appliances and computers available to use free of charge. Both the doors the hostel and to each individual suite are protected by a key code lock, which is really handy for security and not having to carry a key around, though, if you're a Neville Longbottom-type, this might be more a curse than a blessing. The suite I was in had a few random quirks. I didn't see any recycling bins, meaning I ended up carrying my empty bottle around until I went out, so I could earn my karma point. Also, in the bathroom, the hot water knob was on the right of the faucet and the cold was on the left. Admittedly, faucet knob placement is not something I tend to think a lot about, but it's always really surprising when they're off. That being said, having an in-suite bathroom only shared by the half dozen of us in the room was really nice and saved me from having to find my slippers and trudge down the hall in the middle of the night. Also, having reading lights and outlets next to every bed (top bunk and bottom bunk) was nice both for not having to hunt for an outlet as well as being able to keep my electronics in sight even when I was sleeping. read more

The conditions of this place must improve, namely the water temperature/pressure in the showers and heating of the building in colder seasons. What make this place exceptional though is the service. Lex and company were very hospitable and personable during my stay. When there were issues, they acted quickly and made my stay enjoyable. I liked that they scheduled regular events to involve everyone in the hostel with 30 guests or less. Overall, the price makes a short stay worth it. Give it a shot. read more

Very good place to stay. I would recommend staying in the 4 bed female suite. It has a HUGE ensuite bathroom. The staff kept the facilities very clean. Very international atmosphere and friendly. read more

The negatives: The place is soooo dingy inside, and I don't understand why you have to leave your shoes at the entrance. I also don't understand why the first floor is freezing cold, and my second floor room was like a sauna. They also charge u extra if you check-in after 10pm. I had a lower bunk, and the mattress above me had a massive stain that I had to stare at in the mornings. Is it really that hard to steam these things, or clean them? I felt like I needed to take a shower after setting foot in there. The positive: it's in a nice neighborhood. I give it 1 star for having 4 walls and a roof. The 2nd one is for having a bed and minimal amenities. read more

Just, yes. I've stayed in hostels in Eastern Europe and Montreal, and this is one of the best hostels I've stayed in. My walls were purple. I watched a Korean drama show with three fellow hostel-stayers, reading the subtitles, and waiting for my coffee to brew. read more

Okay, I stayed here from 10/10-10/14, so I left today. First of all, the outside looks okay. When I first arrived at 11 am they allowed me to do an early check in as far as dropping my suitcase in a room that is somewhat secured. The guy that checked me was okay. ..He didn't give me a tour or anything basically pointed in the direction of everything. When I came back at 5pm I did my official check in. A lady checked me in...she didn't give a tour either. My bed was in the basement. When I first saw it, I thought that it was going to be renovated as they claimed some upgrades. I was wrong. I had a top bunk...There were no outlets or lamps near my bed. When I requested another bed she said they were all booked. The bunks are not comfortable. First of all, if you're going to have bunk beds make sure you have either a box spring or the board so you don't feel every wire...mattresses are about 3-4 inches thin. Bathroom in the basement is hideous. A tiny toilet and sink, no mirror or paper towels or soap to wash your hands. Showers in a separate tiny room...DON'T TAKE A SHOWER IN THE EVENINGS..NO HOT WATER. I was there 4 days and did not get clean towels at least offered. The common areas were nice but when I tried to watch the premier of the Walking dead. ..the staff guy said he was watching the whole baseball game! First of all, he shouldn't be allowed to watch TV in the common areas because he Is not a paying customer...if he wanted to watch the game, he should have went to a sports bar. So I thought this was unprofessional. The basement rooms and bathroom all smell of mildew. You never put rugs in a basement. ..I hung a gain softener in the window to keep it fresh. ..they do have great wi fi, close to metro and grocery store . All in all this place was not as great compared to the Hostelling International which is right down the road on 11th...HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. This place is okay for a night or two but no more. .. read more

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This place is dingy. It's in a nice neighborhood, looks nice on the outside. But on the inside is a different story. If you're looking for somewhere to lay your head, this place might satisfy you. If you're looking for an enjoyable experience, keep looking. The biggest plus for me was that is was located near metros, buses, logan circle, etc. read more

This place was awesome, i cant stress how great this place was. The staff (D and P) were very helpful and accommodating while my friend and i stayed there. They informed us of nearby bar areas, food spots and tourist spots. I have and would recommend this hostel to all of my friends back in NY. We enjoyed the living room talks with the other hostel people and their nationalities ranged from France to Eygpt. Place was always clean with 3d tvs and fast internet to enjoy when planning the next event. I will definitely be returning before the summer ends read more

The staff are just simply amazing. The atmosphere and environment of the DC Loft is magnificent as to the clients who are also staying there. This was my first hostel and i am happy to say that it was an amazing experience! Thanks Josh, Danielle, and Tom! read more

yuck. the staff was excellent but the manager, someone from Nigeria, was so unprofessional. going to write the owner now for a refund

Basic hostel. Relatively clean with friendly staff. There were temperature issues with my room, though. There was a vent for incoming heat, but no thermostat inside the room. So once the hallways quickly warmed up, heat wouldn't be delivered to the room. The only way to stay warm was to keep our door open all day and night. Not awesome in terms of privacy and noise. Wifi speeds also brought me back to dial-up days. I couldn't do anything productive on my laptop. Overall not bad. But not ideal. read more

During my stay at d.c. Lofty i was able to rest well. I do have concerns about the management though. Before i go into that, i will say that in dc lofty's favor they have a quiet atmosphere, and the bed i stayed in was comfortable enough. I had no problems with the guests there. And most of the staff, especially the resident staff member, is nice and helpful. I felt safe and comfortable there. My only major complaint about amenities was that the showers had nonexistant water pressure so it took a long time to get clean. There were also renovations going on in the building in the kitchen, which was very cold in late november. However, my experience with the management at dc lofty is much less than satisfactory. I think the management is inconsistent with their standards, for example, i cannot hear the same answers from staff or management regarding the allowable length of time to stay. The management is also not very good at communicating their intentions and letting you know what they need, they just expect you to know somehow? And recently i was turned down from an additional stay from one of their managers, who was not polite about it and didn't seem to care at all that i wanted to give the place money for another stay there and turned me and my girlfriend away. Despite the fact that two of the staff members have told me that it was ok to stay longer. The managers are rude to their guests and to their employees, and don't seem to have things together. Duo housing, which is a block south on the same street, runs a much tighter ship. read more

AMAZING! Where to start with this review... well... We arrived on a Friday after hours and were greeted and settled in by an employee named Phil. First impressions are everything, right? Aside from being immaculately clean, Phil made our reception seamless and smooth. Got us checked in and to our room in minutes! The beds were clean and neat, the rooms as a whole were very clean and cozy, the bathrooms were clean and stocked with the basics. We had a comfortable spot. After getting settled in, we wanted to hit the town (this was a spontaneous trip with hopes to avoid most of the touristy spots and embrace the local culture) so we went back to the desk and the staff took the time to get to know us, asking all the right questions, and gave us a few great recommendations which we took advantage of. First night in DC was a major success! And without the D.C. Lofty staff that wouldn't have been possible! As the weekend progressed everyone continued to be helpful and engaged, we were able to make the most of a short trip. The supervisor, Mike, was a huge help and extremely accommodating! Told us where to explore, invited us out with him and spent time hanging out with us on the deck or inside the hostel. A very personable guy! Marcus, Phillip, and Tom are some of the other staff that really helped us make the most of the time we were there. It was so easy to make the most of the short time because of the time and effort these guys put into their guests! Would I do it again...? Yes! Actually, we enjoyed our stay so much that we rescheduled our return trip and booked another night at D.C. Lofty! Yes, I'm not joking, we actually rearranged our schedules to be able to enjoy the city with D.C. Lofty one more night. No regrets at all! It was super convenient to have a capital bike share station right out front. You could walk out the front door and pick up a bike and within minutes be anywhere in DC for dirt cheap and not have to struggle with parking. There are hundreds of bike share locations all around, so it's not inconvenient. 9 out of 10 times you can see a docking station within eye sight of the front door of your destination. And if you can't, then just look around the corner haha. The fact that this extremely convenient transportation resource is right out the front door makes everything easier. There is a supermarket 3 blocks up, an easy short walk away. With a large and well equipped kitchen, D.C. Lofty makes it easy to make quality meals on a budget. Overall, the atmosphere here is perfect. We have already decided to return in two months and without question you will find us settled in to the D.C. Lofty. Thank you to all the staff for making our stay one to remember! See you again soon! read more

It was a decent hostel. It served its purpose well. Friendly staff and it was clean. It was close to downtown DC. A short walk will get you to the Metro. Music plays fairly loud throughout the day. It also plays quietly during the night. It added atmosphere I suppose, but I would have preferred none. The bathroom had no lock. That was kind of annoying, especially when I tried taking a shower and housekeeping took down the shower curtain. No idea why that happened but I managed. Kitchen was small but provided the usual enemities. Overall I would give it a solid 6/10. I would use again. read more