I'm sad that I missed Earth Day yesterday. To make up for it, enjoy this overdue review of one of the most special places I've ever been to. The Notch hosts one of my fave racial justice orgs - Summits in Solidarity - and that commitment is felt in everything The Notch does. I stayed here in June for their annual Solidarity Night fundraiser and it was magical. I was assigned to one of the bunk rooms on the third floor which contained single beds arranged around a large room with views to the road and lush backyard. There is a large shared kitchen on the middle level, a gorgeous living and dining room, private suites downstairs, and other smaller bunkrooms on the third floor as well. There is also a huge backyard with space for tent camping. Except in private suites, bathrooms are shared. There is also laundry onsite. The Notch is both a backpacker's Eden and an affordable base camp for tourists or day hikers. Read on for what I loved: --AFFIRMING IN ALL THE WAYS. I was just as fat, and Black, and queer as I wanted to be. --Great intro to broader backpacking culture. Yes I backpack with my lil group of queer fat hikers. It was great to get exposure to AT thruhikers and people who set and achieve massive goals. Seriously inspirational! --Super clean and respectful space. I'm always dismayed when travelers of a certain age say they're "too old" to stay at a "rowdy, grungy hostel." Well friends this is anyplace but. The place was spotless from the bathrooms to the kitchen to the bunkrooms. And folks were respectful of quiet hours and day sleepers just catching some Zzzs after a big hike. --Everyone from the staff to guests were super nice. I felt very welcomed and cared for. A woman I was bunking with even asked if I wanted to join her for a trip to Lost River. --Location location location!! Right around the corner about a mile away is North Woodstock, down the highway is Littleton and you are smack dab in the middle of Franconia Notch which AS YOU KNOW is my fave place in NH. I can't think of a better situated place with just the right amount of peace and proximity. I shudder to think of all the summers I spent in the area at AirBnBs, scared to take a chance. So glad I did last June and I hope to join them again for this year's Solidarity Night. Shout to Trish and Serena for making my visit extra special! read more

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Trish was nice and the Vermont soap was a real treat. Now for the bad! The Crawford room is more like a little torture chamber... the wood stove smell is intensely acrid, overpowering and just not healthy to be breathing those fumes! There were over 50 ladybugs flying around in my bathroom and in the bed room... also on each window was a clear bug sticky pad... each was completely covered with dead hornets, wasps, gnats etc... like some Natural history insect display. The ceiling in that room is so poor that you can hear every step above you when all the hikers are moving around. It is awful! It's an annoying crunchy sound and it feels like someone is going to fall through the ceiling at any time! I DARE that owner to sleep in that room for an entire week! Also to add insult to injury... 2 new male hiking guests arrived during my stay and they smelled sooo bad that I ran into my room for cover. Their BO, dirty clothing, socks ,shorts, pants, feet etc smelled up the entire kitchen area and the common living room as well. I have been a nurse for over 40 years... this was one of the most disgusting odors that I have smelled in a very long time! They should have paid me to stay there... I was happy to leave. The toilet rocked, the lighting was poor and no cable TV... so much for my $250.00 worth. I would like to suggest that they open a mud room... or perhaps a decontamination area for incoming hikers who need an immediate shower and a laundry area next to that to start on their clothing. Dont expose other paying guests to this filth! These men also put their shoes on the porch with a fan running all night long to dry their smelly foot wear... so much for sitting out on the front porch! Those shoes smelled bad too! I would NEVER return and if you are a retiree who wants a little quiet down time.... do NOT stop here... keep on going.. find a real hotel! read more

I absolutely love staying at The Notch Hostel and always look forward to using it as my launch-pad before a big hike in the White Mountains. The staff is always super friendly & welcoming, the facilities are clean and cozy. Multiple bathrooms & showers, many different room-options to choose from (bunk-room, private, tenting, etc), affordable prices. I've always felt safe, even as a solo female traveler. Seriously, no complaints at all - it is a must for anyone looking for a place to sleep and meet other hikers/bikers/etc. The guest demographic is all over the place - (though now that I think about it, I've never seen any children during my 4-5 stays over the years), but everyone is very respectful. ((I do wish they sold more food/snacks in their little "store" though.)) read more

The Notch Hostel was a fantastic location to set up for an evening before several days of backpacking in the surrounding mountain ranges. My whole experience, from booking to check-out, was smooth and enjoyable. The hostel is very easy to find, plenty of parking on-site. Check-in was a breeze. Everyone was most welcoming... This was my first visit and I immediately felt I was amongst friends. I stayed in the Mahoosuc room (a 3rd floor, shared room that sleeps 7 people). There are two other shared rooms on the 3rd floor (the Franconia and Kinsman Rooms). There are additional bunk rooms downstairs as well as private room options. My bunk was very comfortable with provided sheets that felt and smelled very fresh and clean. Plenty of linen available for the showers that were sprinkled throughout the large house. The shared living areas were spacious, bright, and well organized. Lots of seating in the living room, a well-stocked camp store with food, supplies, and clothing. The kitchen was a welcome asset. $30 for a bunk is more than reasonable for the plethora of amenities at this location. Dog-friendly rooms on-site. Wi-Fi available! I can't wait until I am back in the area for another hike! I will definitely be back! read more

I stayed there 3 nights, July 3-5, 2020. Due to COVID I had the Franconia room to myself for 2 nights, followed by the Carter room. Both rooms were super clean and kept up. The staff was very friendly and attentive. The kitchen area was very clean and everything was well labeled. Declan suggested a nice hiking route up Mt. Washington and back down according to my skill level. He hit the head on the nail and I LOVED it! As You don't get service like this very often. As a bonus, the skies were clear (mostly sunny) all 3 days. Yay! - LightWalker, Central CT read more

An amazing place, weather a thru hiker or just visiting the area. One of the nicest hostels I've ever stayed at!! I highly recommend this place any season!! Serena at notch goes out of her way to make you feel at home!! read more

I was lucky enough to stay at The Notch for two nights back in February of 2018. The staff there are very friendly, and incredibly informed on the surrounding area. My girlfriend and I wanted to do some intermediate hikes in the area and the staff provided detailed descriptions of the hikes and directions to the trail heads. I met some really great thru-hikers during my stay and they absolutely inspired me to start my own hike (I am almost looking forward more to my second stay at The Notch than my actual hike :P ) The owners, as well as the staff, are very welcoming. I will absolutely be coming back! read more

I had a great weekend stay at the Notch for a Saturday trip up Mt. Adams. There were four of us and we were all in the Kinsman Room on the 3rd floor, except for one of our friends who was across the hall. Rooms were pretty typical for other hostels in the area I've stayed at. The bunk room I stayed in had two bunk beds and a single bed, so held about 5 occupants. They also have single and family rooms and a room specifically for dogs owners (they allow two dog "guests" per night for the whole hostel). The place itself was pretty clean and there were several bathrooms, some with showers and some with out, scattered through out the building. There was a wait to shower in the evening, but I didn't mind. The showers have soap and shampoo/conditioner provided, along with towels. Linen was also provided and you just have to strip your bed the morning you leave and put towels and sheets in the provided laundry baskets. There was also coin op laundry machines you could use if needed. It was a cute hostel and much needed in the Franconia Notch area. It's a far drive from Conway to that Lincoln if you are staying at the other closest hostel that is open in Winter. For 30$/night/pp for a bunk, it's cheaper than a budget motel. Staff were super friendly and check in was smooth and easy. I will definitely be back next Winter as I camp as much as I can in the other three seasons. read more

Stay: October 13-14, 2015 My friend and I stayed in the Carter room. The hosts were very nice and I liked the menu items you can purchased. Although we didn't get to enjoy a lot of the amenities because we left pretty early, it was a wonderful place to stay. Some backpackers were around, a guru bowl guy, and some other peeps I didn't talk to. I recommend the place none the less. We paid like $65 for one night in off season! :) read more

Great hostel in a very convenient location for skiing and hiking! The young couple who own this place are really nice. The prices for dorm and single rooms are the best around. Plenty of parking and only a mile from downtown Woodstock (I was able to just walk there on the shoulder of the road to have a few drinks at the brewery). The rooms were clean and warm. The common areas were very nice. And it had a nice group of hikers staying there, many of whom appeared to be repeat visitors which is always a good sign. read more

Come to this hidden gem located in the heart of the white mountains for a premium experience. Serena was attentive, friendly and helpful not only to accommodate a work situation but was also very understanding about a miscommunication. The place is clean, warm, friendly and cozy environment attracted like minded people. My friend and I had a memorable first time stay during a much needed getaway and look forward to coming back. Thank you so much Serena for having us! read more

My boyfriend and I stayed at the Notch at the end of May 2019 and it was awesome! We stayed in the Jefferson Flat for 4 nights while doing a few day hikes around the area. It was a private room with a kitchen and bathroom but we still had the ability to go right outside and socialize with the other hikers lodging there! The staff has great recommendations on places to eat and hike. After that we took a few days to hike the Pemi Loop and then came back to the hostel for two more nights. This time we stayed in the Crawford room which had a full bath, sitting area and a porch! Overall we loved our stay at the Notch, got some awesome hikes in and will definitely be back again! read more

This is not your average hostel. Yes, the Notch Hostel still holds true to the original mission of hostels to provide an inexpensive bed to stay in a communal environment. But the Notch is your refined "grown up" version with clean, comfortable private rooms as well as shared bunks. Relaxed social environment where fellow hikers can share the day's war stories or swap tips. Rare in this day and age where there's an environment that strangers actually talk to each other. Serena and Justin are terrific hosts. read more

Great place, great n friendly management, definitely worth staying for a night or weekend if you are in White Mountains. Highly recommended

Can't really say enough good things about these guys. Former thru-hikers, they KNOW what hikers want and they deliver. Friendly, CLEAN and a white noise machine in every room. I love this place. read more

My group stayed at the hostel for a night before hiking in the Whites. I was expecting things to be a little bumpy, since they've just opened, but that was not the case. The owners have created a wonderfully warm and relaxing environment. The beds were comfortable, and in the morning there was coffee and pancake mix. The place was pretty full up, and I expect that will continue to be the case. read more