The New York Loft Hostel

One of my best hostel experiences ever!
Rooms are clean and convenient! Lots of (healthy) food to choose from for breakfast and in the summers the garden is a nice place to hang out and have some drinks and meet other travelers. Also: free food on Thursdays! The location is awesome as well: although it may look a little rough, it’s a cool place with some nice stores around and a good subway connection to Manhattan. My room was spacious and didn’t have bunk beds, which I personally like.
The staff is friendly and they have a really good service. I (a girl) planned on staying in the hostel for a week, and I was sharing my 4 persons room with two guys. They were pretty annoying: arriving late in the night singing and putting music on or they were fighting with each other. One night they were even making phone calls in the room at 4am… After three nights of arguing with these guys, I went to the reception and asked if they could help me out. They told me I could move to another room within the same day. When I had to leave the hostel earlier than I paid for, I even got some of my money back :)
I would say this is a great place if you’re travelling and want to meet other people while staying in a cool area of New York.

All in all, a nice hostel in a pretty cool neighborhood. The building is a bit old, but they maintain the interior as best they can, given the situation. The front staff is nice and gives good advice.
The surrounding area is gritty, and not in a charming way. That said, I really like it. It’s got some hipster elements, and good cafes and eating places within only a few blocks. Also, if you like graffiti art and street art, this neighborhood (Bushwick) is a great place to see it, and the Bushwick Collective is within reasonable walking distance. There’s a hipster-​ish grocery store a block away, an awesome sushi place, and Roberta’s, which is a great place to have a drink or eat some pizza.
The hostel has an intimate, small, downstairs bar that has some interesting events, like open mic night, with amateur singer/​songwriters, comedians, and poetry slam people. Great way to get to know your fellow travelers and has an international crowd because of the hostel.
Bathrooms: My room had an ensuite bathroom, which was great. Everything generally worked. Wish there was a bit more counter space but it’s about average for hostels. Clean and functional.

Clutch hostel but won’t be returning. They fired their best worker and coolest staff member they had

This was our second time staying here and I was even more impressed this time around. We stayed here for a week in July, which we were told was during their «busy» season. Our reservation was for a 3 bed mixed room. (Be advised, this does not ensure you all stay in the same room.) Upon our arrival we were told because we hadn’t specified us as a group a head of time, that we would be split up (even though we were all on the same bill). After explaining our situation to our roommate’s, they were happy to change rooms (this probably wouldn’t be the case 100% of the time). Don’t let the other reviews fool you, this place is the amazing. Just don’t expect a 5 star hotel, this is a hostel after all. What they provide is a clean bed with safe living quarters, a staff that’s willing to go out of their way to give you great service and amenities that will make you feel at home in no time. We made some great new friends from all corners of the globe just by hanging out in the common area. I will definitely be coming back here during the next stay in NYC.
The reason for ⁴⁄₅ stars? A suggestion to the staff: I understand that you want to monitor alcohol consumption, which was the reason for the new basement bar and for the rules against bringing in outside alcohol. However, your courtyard patio area is one of the best amenities you have in the summertime and social responsible drinking should not be so strongly discouraged.

More like 3.5 stars.
The cons:
–The staff: C’mon!!! Staff at hostels are supposed to be upbeat, excited, international, friendly, partiers, etc. The staff here left much to be desired. they are just local Brooklyn folk, and don’t seem to have a passion for travel and travelers. That is really a bummer in a hostel where your first point of contact is when you check in. (Not to mention the check in process took us 30 minutes!!!) Also, hire people knowledgeable about the area. If I ask the guy at the front desk where to get some dinner, he should be able to tell me without saying uhhhh before consulting google.
–Wifi: In the rooms, it is nonexistent. In the main area (not really a lobby) it is OK.
–The price: $ 60 a bed is a bit steep, $ 45 seems appropriate especially for the area.
–Breakfast: bagels, cereal, carbs and not a bit of fruit. Kinda crappy, but hey, free is free. Would rather have a $ 5 cheaper room and grab a smoothie.
–Culture: people seem to be really cliqued up, nothing promoting meeting people. Seems more like a place to stay over a place to meet fellow travelers. Even with a great common area, it doesn’t lend much to socialization.
–No BYOB. Hostels are supposed to be a great spot to pre-​game with other travelers. I get that there is a bar downstairs, but at least before 10pm people should be able to drink what they choose if they want to bring it from outside.
Pros:
–This hostel is BEAUTIFUL, clean, and well maintained.
–The location is steps away from Morgan St station.
–Looks to be the best/​cheapest option in NYC area.
–amenities include luggage storage, towel rental etc.
–EXTRA points for the map detailing where your fellow travelers are staying.
–Basement bar is cozy and fun!

The décor of the hostel is very fun and the rooms are very comfortable. I slept very well during my three nights in Brooklyn. Every bed comes with its own cabinet, lamp, and hooks, which were very nice touches. The hostel is in a great location, and the staff were friendly. The loft setting provides great indoor and outdoor space to hang out and meet other travelers. The our door area is very relaxing and the hostel provides good social activities for meeting others.
My only complaints are that the hostel had terrible WiFi. The WiFi worked well my first day and then was nonexistent for the rest of my stay. The hostel also charges for very small things like towels, public computers, and printing. I have stayed at other hostels, which provided these services for free so it seemed greedy and unnecessary to charge for these minor services. Additionally, the breakfast was not very good (it was really just cereal and bread) compared to other hostels I have stayed in. Despite these complaints, the hostel was comfortable and very affordable fro Brooklyn. I would recommend this hostel to anyone staying in the area.

I’ve stayed in over 5 hostels in New York City and in many around the world and this has been one of my least favorite. The staff is super cold except for a French american girl, bartender, and the security guard who were super cool and always smiling. The bathrooms weren’t cleaned all the time, I would get a headache knowing I had to go shower or even pee in those bathrooms. And the beds were the worse so far. And oh I stayed in at least three different rooms.
It felt more like about the business and less about the backpacking culture. They charge you money every chance they get, printing, holding luggage, etc. A lot of hostels do this but at least they are comfortable places so I wouldn’t feel completely scammed. Thankfully I met some cool people and only because of them did I have a good time.
However it’s also filled with too many stuck up wanna be hipsters from around the world. I guess they figured Bushwick was the place to go but the local people in Bushwick are actually super cool and relaxed. There are other hostels in bushwick if you still want to have the bushwick experience that are less stuck up and less expensive.
The common areas and backyard are impressive, they even have a hammock. They have a basement bar downstairs and free bbqs on Thursday. If you are willing to give up your comfort for those things then go for it.

I was here for a weekend volunteer trip from school and I have to said the hostel was phenomenal. I think everyone here who review it already said what I was going to write, but I do agree that this is place is very trendy/​hipster vibe. So if that is not your cup of tea, then I suggest a different place to stay. That being said, the vibrant color and abstract interior walls made the hostel very fun and festive to reside in. The rooms and beds are clean, you need to put the bed covers and pillow to the dispenser for the staff to clean when you finish your residency. Also, there is a backyard where it is very relaxing if you want to get out of you room to move around and stretch your legs. The kitchen is spacious for many hostels it shared among all the visitors. My experience overall was a wonderful experience, my group had met so many people from different lands with stories to share with everybody who is willingly to listen.

Hey, don’t worry: I won’t be writing a novel like these other clowns before me.
In short, this place has style – even ‘tude sometimes (front desk).
The design is great and the location is close to all those great bars and eateries you’ve read about here on Unilocal.
Sure there were certain things that irked me (having to change rooms, for example – but I wasn’t alone in that matter), but I’m forcing myself to overlook certain things.
I still had fun, though, and will most likely stay here when I want to take another bite of the apple.

NY loft hostel is a big trendy business in big trendy industrial bushwick. No trees but old warehouses and a poor Hispanic training ground is sprouting grungey hip pubs and the bearded boys that love them who might not be able to afford the $ 14 burgers or $ 2000 1 bedroom apartment rents.
NY Loft hostel shrewdly capitalizes on it’s locale while running a tight ship. Like bushwick — it looks cool but can be a bit cold and cut throat.
For $ 60 a night, the cheapest room in NYC area, you get a clean secure space that has that «college dorm room» ambiance, including a diverse group of people ranging from the preoccupied to the more social, annoyingly always wet from constant use co-​ed shower floors, and a distant unfriendly staff.
Room temps can be either too hot or too cold, towels cost a $ 2 rental fee per use and all communal areas, including the kitchen, internet room and living space are closed between midnight and seven am, as I was tersely informed when I woke up early at 5am one day. (I was told to go back to bed or visit the 24 hour coffee shop.)
On the plus side — bread, peanut butter, apples and weak coffee are free for breakfast, although I preferred getting a $ 3 egg on a roll down the street. They have free BBQs with a DJ on some nights however the burgers reportedly «tasted just like what you’d expect for free.»
The L train commute into the city isn’t particularly awesome (20 minutes), but if you want to explore Brooklyn — you’ve come to a workable spot that has a bunch of bars.
The area is mostly cash only, so pulse out some cash while in the city.
Digs: 3 stars
Blunt cold Staff: –1 star
Bushwick: 4 stars
Value: 2 – 3 stars
If you aren’t an experienced hostler this isn’t a such bad start — but it wont wow you.

BEST HOSTEL I EVER STAYED AT!!!
Perfect location in a safe hipster neighborhood, great outdoor area, they have a kitchen, an upstairs area with a TV, dope art on the walls, a ping pong table & tanning chairs on deck, washer & dryers, a bar downstairs, happy hour and a funny french guy on the grill outside… LOVED him! The employees are real hipster, and not too enthusiastic nor exciting at all. Security guard Raphael was handsome, and nice, w/​muscles. The people that I met that stayed at the hostel were sooooo awesome. If you stay here make sure you hit up these bars… TuTus, Pine Box, and Alaska!

I stayed in a 3 bed female dorm for 9 nights — 3 of those nights I had the room to myself! Rooms are neat and tidy, comfy beds and air-​con which came in handy as it got quite hot.
Breakfast is great too! Juice, tea, coffee, cereal, toast, fruit — you can really fill up before a big day of sightseeing.
The wifi is really fast. There is a garden and free BBQ every Wednesday. A big flat screen TV and couches. There is also a bar, although I never went, so I can vouch on how good it is.
The only down side is that its a little out of the way from the action of Williamsburg. The subway (Morgan ave) is really close, so I would just jump on and head to Bedford Ave and there is so much to do around there. Otherwise, you can just keep heading towards Manhattan!

Awesome staff there for you ²⁴⁄₇. Great location
(safe, close to the subway and very easy to find things to do.) Free breakfast, beautiful backyard, HUGE tv with Netflix! I love this place. Only issue I had was dirty sheets but the young man at the desk was more than happy to give me a clean set. That would be a big deal to some people but honestly I’d rather change the sheets myself and know they are clean and at least this place doesn’t have bed bugs!!!
This was my second stay and I would stay again and again.

Staying at this hostel was such a delightful experience!
PROS: Extremely clean, funky fresh design, friendly staff, FREE BBQ on Friday night after a long day of traveling for my friend and I!!, breakfast, and a pretty good amount of local bars within walking distance!
One minor con: I think on the website they should include directions from Newark and LaGuardia airport. I called and the attendant happily gave them to me… but if they would take a little bit of time and add that to their website I think it would be incredibly helpful. I’m not from a city with subway service but I did live abroad for a short time and understand the metro system relatively well. Had I not I probably would’ve been in tough shape.
Also, my friend and I stayed in a room with a stranger and he was very nice! Just another traveler :-) Altogether, incredibly pleased with my stay here!

A nice, unique hostel that’s well maintained and really has it’s own New York-​Brooklyn character.
Location: Well placed by the L line on the Metro but around $ 40 from Union Station if you’re getting a taxi so I definitely recommend taking public transport. The only think I would note is that it can be a little bit of a walk to find a store that sells good value food and beverages.
Rooms: My room was spacious and well heated which was a big plus given the sub-​zero temperatures in New York in March.
Toilets: There are plenty of bathrooms and I never had any trouble getting hot water for a shower even in the later morning after (I imagine) the rush.
Amenities: The kitchen is well stocked with utensils (and there’s a free breakfast before 9am if you can get up). There’s also an awesome widescreen TV that a number of us watched the 2014 Oscars on seating on comfy chairs. There’s also wi-​fi free though it was being repaired for most of my stay.
Hygiene: This hostel is one of the cleanest and best kept I have ever been in. No complaints on this front.

The place it’s ideal for who wants to meet the city and needs a practical place for a accessible price. There is free breakfast every morning, the place is clean, the staff it’s nice, it’s close to subway and you can «rent» a cellphone or a IPad while you’re there.
I stayed for two nights in a double private room. It’s small and simple, but it was great.

Excellent modern affordable
Meet people from around the world!
Accessible from subway
Friendly staff
Book now!
I’ll definitely be back

I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t enjoy my stay here…
* Free Breakfast every morning if you can manage to get up early enough before it all disappears
*Free Burgers and Salad, and they also serve grilled chicken. twice a week which was awesome because I saved a lot of money, and if you are a broke bohemian like myself ‚. you know the importance of free food :)
* The neighborhood is well… Williamsburg which is self-​explanatory
I also made a few friends from Germany and one from Holland, I guess that is what’s expected at a Hostel, but anyway… my only one complaint is the lack of hot water in some of the showers, but other than that I had a blast ~
I’ll definitely stay here again

Did I enjoy my stay? Yes (stayed for a few days in April 2013)
Could it have been better? Yes
Would I come back again/​Recommend this place? Yes
The location: Despite not being in Manhattan, the location was awesome! It’s a quick walk to the Morgan L stop which can take you to Union Square in under 20 mins (and from there walk/​transfer to other places). The actual neighborhood of the hostel is not much (though not qualified to say that since I didn’t get a chance to walk around) but it did have the bare necessities: a liquor/​wine store, a pizza place, bars within walking distance and a grocery store. One night, we decided on pizza take out, bought wine, and then swung by the grocery store for some snacks then brought it all back to the hostel. The other nights were spent at Tutu’s (across the street) and at Alaska (within a 5 – 10 min walk… we kept walking past it since there was no sign on the door).
The hostel: The rooms were huge… some rooms were better than others but I’m not bitter since I only went to my room to sleep. The hostel was very clean — which is really all I can hope for in a hostel. Free breakfast was on point. I don’t remember any other specifics since I only really slept at the hostel. But overall a positive/​unremarkable experience in terms of cleanliness, other guests, staff, and security.
The bad: We weren’t allowed to drink in the kitchen after 10pm or midnight (can’t remember). We tried to bribe – in vain– the guy who kicked us out with beer/​liquor for a half hour more so we could finish our game of kings/​circle of death. No ifs, ands, and buts for him. Mirrors were scarce/​full length mirrors were nonexistent (the girls bitched about this every day at breakfast and for the first few minutes prior to going out). The other girl in my room paid $ 65/​night for her bed while I paid $ 35/​night and when she tried to talk to the front desk about it, they were dismissive and did not give her an explanation regarding the discrepancy :/​
Aight off to plan my next NYC trip…

Je né suis resté que 3 nuit dans cette hostel. Les dortoirs sont énormes, on trouve un petit jardin et une cuisine américaine. Le déjeuner est gargantuesque (céréales, pancake, fruit …) Le perso est sympa, il y a un storage room pour laisser ses affaires. Le quartier par contre est vraiment moche, pour faire quelques choses (a part la tournée des bars) il faut bouger. Il est a 20min de times square en métro. Je le trouve par contre un peu cher (65usd pour le dortor)

You simply get what you pay for. The hostel is decorated really nicely and has a trendy vibe with all the rooms having a single theme related to the big apple. My first impressions of the hostel was somewhat lacking because my cab driver thought I was giving him the wrong directions to the place I was going to stay. He said this place was shady in his korean accent, and he was pretty defiant that I would be staying near a dump in Bushwick.
My girlfriend and I got a private bunk bed room with a small bathroom. It was ridiculous, you can barely expand your arms and the piping of the bathroom was ridiculous, it looked like they barely invested any money to do it properly. The shower pipes were leaking and the mattresses were firms and uncomfortable to sleep on.
The first night, a couple next door to us were fighting till the wee hours, «WHY DID YOU FUCKING CHEAT ON ME, I’M GOING TO LEAVE YOU…, YOU FUCKIN SON OF A BITCH…» of the night and I could barely sleep, thank god for the ear plugs I bought in lieu of these situations. Then I woke up to some loud banging AND MOANING!!! Good for the couple for making up and having some early time sex … beats my iphone alarm waking me up… i mean. .the guy only lasted 10 minutes… pooor dude, now I know why the gf might have cheated on him.
Its a good place for international young kids to meet. The living room area and kitchen were filled with folks from france, england, and australia, reminds me of college or studying abroad. It was fun while it lasted, but thank god my friend and I had plans to go to boston so we didn’t have to stay another night there!