The Cleveland Hostel

Not quite low-​brow hosteling.
Having only previously hosteled in Europe (sheets, towels, and two condoms), wasn’t sure what to expect of a hostel in the middle of Cleveland, not quite the most international of cities in the US. Nevertheless, overall had an excellent experience.
Checked in on a Tuesday, when the place was nearly deserted — apparently they get more traffic on weekends. Shared room was ~$ 35 after taxes, and the bunk was clean, comfortable, and odorless. Same for the private bathroom/​showers in the hall. Free WiFi is available building-​wide, even on the spacious roof deck, which offers a nice view of Downtown Cleveland. Free parking across the street for cars, bikes downstairs.
Agree with previous reviews about a lack of presence at the front desk. Did discover that the staffer is more often than not available by phone.
No free condoms; it’s America.

First stay at a hostel. I stayed in a private room with a in suite bathroom. The room was clean. Bed reasonably comfortable, good pillows. Bathroom was clean. Cute chalkboard in room where you make your mark, messages from people all over the world. Pretty cool. Wifi is free and fast enough to stream Netflix on my iPad which is great because there is no tv. Stayed here because it was down the street from where my mom was in the hospital and super cheap ($ 90) compared to hotels in downtown Cleveland (all over $ 200 even with AAA discount).
Only gripe I have is the room does not have a individual thermostat and it got pretty hot at night. I had to kick the covers off and even then I was sweating. Ps I’m a thin female, which means I’m cold blooded, it’s rare for me to feel hot while I’m sleeping.
Another great thing is this hostel is located on the main Strip in Ohio City. Within 2 blocks of great restaurants and bars. West Side Market is almost across the street!
Also, they have a deal with a restaurant around the corner (again, close walking distance) where if you say your staying there, the basic breakfast is $ 5. Great pancakes and bacon :)

The Cleveland Hostel is the 8^th hostel I’ve stayed at in the U.S. in the last year so I think I have a pretty good idea of what makes a good hostel. I was in town to attend a conference and I much prefer to stay a hostel instead of spending $ 100-​$ 200 a night for a hotel when all I need is a place to sleep. I stayed in an 8-​person dorm room and had 1 – 4 roommates depending on the night.
Here’s what I liked about this hostel:
Only a few minutes away from the Red Line train — good for getting to the airport or downtown
Secure — need a key card to get into the building
Lots of power outlets in the room.
In Ohio City — close to lots of restaurants
Single user bathrooms — each with a shower, toilet, and sink
$ 5 breakfast deal with restaurant around the corner
The view from the roof-​top patio
Here’s why they don’t get 5 stars:
No 24-​hour staff working the desk. There is live-​in staff but it’s not obvious what you should do if you lock yourself out of your room. A ran into a guest in the lobby who locked himself out. He thought the desk would open at 7 and was surprised when I said it doesn’t open ’til 9. I called the number on the front window and was able to reach the manager for him.
The mattress was somewhat uncomfortable — I’ve stayed in hostels with memory foam mattresses.
The table in the common room was always sticky.
Breakfast not included — this didn’t bother me too much since I was in town for a conference, but it’s something I look for in a hostel.
No reading lamps for each bunk.
The in-​room lockers are like high school lockers. They’re big enough for a regular backpack but you can’t lock up all your stuff.

Clean, in a charming part of Ohio City, and spacious common area. I couldn’t believe Cleveland had a hostel like this, I am highly surprise (in a great way). $ 27 a night for dorm style sleeping, or $ 60+ for a private room, it is very affordable for the common backpacker. The rooftop deck was a great place to relax after an all day romping through the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Highly recommended!

For the location and the price, this was totally awesome. Ohio City (the surrounding area) is full of plenty of bars café’s and restaurants that are easily within walking distance. Also the west side market is very close (essentially across the street.) The hostel was clean and the people working the front desk were helpful if you had any questions. Seemed pretty knowledgeable about the surrounding area. Everything that is on their website is true (read: they aren’t trying to sell you something that they aren’t.) Parking was easy (right across the street.) There is also a cool rooftop deck with a nice view of downtown. There are tables and chairs up there so it would be a cool place to get food t go and eat up there. My only 2 things to note: 1) spring the extra $ 10 for the private bathroom (the shared ones were fine, but after a rough Saturday night for some people you may not always know what to expect), 2) remember that it is a hostel, so there are people going out and it can be a little louder in the night hours.

Ehhhhhh, I hate to be the first to give the below-​outstanding review. But I have to. First of all, I would like to start by saying I have extensive experience in staying in these type of living accommodations. So I am NOT a person offended by the idea of a hostel after staying in the ritz all my life. I lived in Europe for quite some time, and have stayed in many many hostels.
As far as a hostel goes, this place was clean, accommodating, and the space was plenty sufficient.
Positives;
I stayed in a shared room, the room only held 6 people. so that was nicer than the conventional 20 bed bay. They had lockers for each person in the room, and if you bring your own lock you can lock up your personal goods and feel plenty secure. The rooftop deck was cool. The kitchen area was very nice.
Negatives;
Ehh I hate saying to much negative about this place. But they forced my hand.
One of the big selling points of this place was customer service. I just didn’t see it. The people that worked at the desk were ok, but not the friendly travel guide type that they advertise. I was there for a couple days, the door to our room did not work properly. to the point where most the time there had to be someone in the room to let people in, regardless of the time of day. Multiple different people in the room, that had been there longer than me. said it has been going on for quite some time. Every day I was there we brought it up to the staff, the guys that had been there longer said they had brought it up over a week ago.
***And they didn’t attempt to get it fixed!
Unacceptable in my mind.
In conclusion;
I will stay here again. But only because of the cost. Can’t beat it in that regard. But they need to realize regardless of what they charge, they must live up to their customer service standards… or they will eventually just sink into nothing.

This hostel was simply amazing. Stayed here with a group of 30 cyclists biking through Cleveland for two nights. The facilities were super clean and spacious. Bathrooms were spectacular. Showers were warm and the water pressure was strong. The owner (Mark) was very accommodating as well. He let us store our bikes in the basement and even showed us a place to park our trailer.
Doors are locked and can only be accessed with a key card you receive at check in so the place feels very safe. The hostel is also within walking distance of the Farmers Market and a lot of restaurants and bars. I highly recommend staying at The Cleveland Hostel if you’re in town. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

$ 65 per night for a spacious, comfortable, private room right in the middle of Ohio City. Unbelievable!
My daughter and I stayed at The Cleveland Hostel for a 4 day/​3 night getaway, and we were within easy walking distance of all the restaurants we wanted to try, and within easy driving or public transportation distance of all the sites and activities we wanted to see and do.
If we would have stayed one night more, we would have loved to cook in the eccentrically, but well, appointed kitchen and to eat on the rooftop.
I would recommend this charming, clean, friendly hostel to anyone who wants to venture a little off the beaten path in Cleveland.

Love it. Very cute, charming and clean. Friendly great staff. We got individual private room on the third floor. The only downside is it’s a walkup.

I have stayed here twice and I’m so glad the other reviews share the same positive experience as I have. I feel this is a place that just does things right. I have only stayed in the private rooms with a queen bed and bath. It’s cheaper than a hotel and you get practically the same thing besides room service and a TV. The rooms are so clean and cute and welcoming with the chalk board paint that reads things like welcome to Cleveland and glad you’re here! One of my pet peeves is when hotels don’t give you the wifi password and you have to call around to find it. They have free wifi and the password is printed right on the paper they give you when you check in. It’s great walking distance to Ohio City bars and restaurants and the rapid transit so you can get to tower city and the casino and other places around Cleveland. And the view of the city from the roof at night is beautiful. This is a great place to stay instead of a hotel when you’re out downtown. Thanks to the owners for doing such a great job!

I didn’t stay here so my review is not exactly one to use as judgment. I stopped by for a visit and was pretty impressed by the overall quality of this hostel. Everything was new and in good condition, the staff was friendly, and the location was prime.
If I am in Cleveland in the future and need a place to stay this will be on the top of my list. Great view from the roof.

A large group of friends stayed here for a friend’s memorial in the area. It was so great for us to be able to stay in one spot and have some common space to catch up and share some laughs. The hostel is much nicer than most — very clean with good mattresses and linens. Rooms with a private bath are a nice option. We even had a few friends with young kids stay comfortably. The shared kitchen and lounge space are comfy and offer everything you need. Plus, the location is awesome — with loads to do in close walking distance!
Thank you for an awesome, memorable stay!

Price = 5
Experience = 5 (I think I must have been the only person there that night… it’ was so nice and the roof deck is a great view. Super easy walk to one of the best markets you’ll ever find… West Side Market. And many dining and brewery options.
Feels really safe too.

We stayed here just one night but there isn’t one thing I could complain about. We «splurged» on the private room with private bath and it was still cheaper than a crappy room at a normal hotel and it was much nicer. The bed was super comfortable with a nice down comforter and pillows. Everything was very clean and nicely decorated including the common space. Also, This hostel is in a great area… There are tons of great shops, bars, and restaurants. If I’m ever back in Cleveland I will be staying here.

The Cleveland Hostel was outstanding. So new and hip. I got a private hostel room at ½ the price of a cheap hotel. The hostel had a great view of the city, a full service kitchen, and offered great deals to area attractions to their patrons. (disclaimer– check with the hostel to see when the «quiet time» starts. It was 10pm for this one,

Great location, great amenities, and great service!
This was the best lodging option we could have hoped for– very affordable (even the private rooms), a mile from the concert venue (Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica), and in an awesome neighborhood. The restaurant our friend recommended happened to be a block away, along with many other highly-​rated bars, restaurants, quirky art galleries, and storefronts. West Side Market, with its dozens of food vendors is also one block away and was a great place to grab a breakfast on our way out of town.
The room and shared areas were clean, spacious, and well-​furnished. The kitchen had plentiful space for your personal food and tons of cooking supplies, including free tea, and the rooftop garden had a barbecue and tons of lounge chairs for enjoying the skyline view. The staff were also very friendly and helpful, and there are plenty of interesting resources about Cleveland available in the lobby. Next time we visit Cleveland, I will be very happy to return to The Cleveland Hostel!

It pleased me immensely to learn that Cleveland had a hostel, but it made all the better to find out that it was such a great hostel! The rooms are clean, the kitchen and eating area is great, and the roof top deck is an awesome addition. It is right in Ohio City, a wonderfully walkable neighborhood with bars, breweries, West Side Market, and easy access to downtown. The were many little things that also added many a plus for me: chalkboard paint on eating area walls, doors made into tables, and other creative touches. If I have one complaint, it is that the kitchen needs to be a little better prepared, i.e. towels and coffee filters (they do provide coffee and coffee maker). It is possible that at this point they have updated all this. Side note, sunset and sunrise from the rooftop deck are both nice experiences!

This is a great place to stay. It is in a hip neighborhood (Ohio City) that is within easy walking distance of great cocktail bars, restaurants and even a Tiki bar. So, if you are looking to do any cocktail/​Tiki tourism, as we were, you cannot beat this location.
I stayed in a private room which was really nice and no-​frills. I did check out the dorm-​style rooms and they were nice as well if you are looking to a save a little. The kitchen area was very impressive and would be great if you are looking to save on making your own food. There is an amazing city market nearby. There is a roof deck with a great skyline view and even a gas grill. There is a parking lot across the street
This is now my go to place to stay in Cleveland.

I can’t say enough about this place. Why it isn’t a model that exists everywhere I’ll never know.
We wanted a hotel in a hop neighborhood. We generally disdain chain cookie cutter stuff. This usually means we overpay for boutique stuff, and were leery of the idea of a ‘hostel’ as we’re not in our 20s anymore. Worry not, because the Cleveland Hostel is the cat’s pajamas.
Super clean, super professional, super cheap, super cute. We made good use of the rooftop deck and loved all of the bars and restaurants in a two block radius. One of my favorite places to stay ever, and everything above it costs over twice as much, so there you go.

I’ve toured the hostel twice since it has opened. It definitely has a safe, clean, and home feel to it. I love the layout and the blending of new and old architecture throughout the building. It’s definitely a new age hostel and one I would utilize if I didn’t live right in the neighborhood. Also, the rooftop deck is awesome