HI Chicago, The J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Hostel — Hotel in Chicago

This was my first stay in a hostel. The hostel was very welcoming.

Very accessible location via train. I caught the train here from Midway via the orange line. I used public transit during my whole stay.

The building has an elevator, there are also stairs to each level.

I stayed in the 6 male bunk room. I was on the bottom bunk. You can request a top or bottom bunk.

A blanket, sheet and 2 pillows were provided. I stayed for a week and some nights the room was full, other nights I got the room to myself. My room was right above the L train line which runs 24/7. I slept fine, but others might not. A sleep eye mask and ear plugs are a must if you're a light sleeper. also bring a lock to lock up your things in the room. you can also buy one at the hostel.

The sink had soap and the showers had shampoo, body wash and conditioner that you can use. The shower and toilet are in separate rooms (at least in the 6 bunk), and then you have the sink area. I think the 10 bunk rooms had the shower in the hallway in a separate room.

Each bed has a reading light and its own set of 2 outlets and 2 USB chargers.

there is housekeeping that comes in everyday, but they take out the trash, sweep and mop the floors, and get the beds ready for new people. they don't make the beds for you like they do at a regular hotel. I don't consider this a con, it's just something to be aware of from people who might expect a "traditional hotel" experience.

The free breakfast included fruit, oatmeal, breads including bagels, boiled eggs, cheese, cereal and milk. I included pictures. Breakfast is from 7-10.

They have vending machines. They have stores and restaurants pretty close: Aldi and Target are within walking distance if you need any food or household goods. There are also paid washers and dryers that you can use if needed. There is a restaurant by the main entrance, called Cafecito. it is very good. I had the Cuban sandwich.

The hostel has a communal kitchen, so you can cook your own meals. they have salt and pepper available, but bring your own extra spices if you want them. there is also a communal fridge on each floor, including the second floor where the kitchen is. Other floors have kitchens too, but they keep the pots and pans on the second floor. They also have plates and utensils for you to use. There is an ice machine in the kitchen and a place where you can refill your reusable water bottle.

You have to label your food in the communal fridges. To reduce food waste, you can leave food for someone else to take using the green labels.

They also have a pantry in the back of the kitchen where you can leave non-perishable food.

There is also free coffee throughout the day

The second floor is the main floor where the kitchen, dining room, and the main hangout room is. There is a ping pong table, 2 pool tables and a TV in the main hang out room. There are also a variety of board games.

There is a small library also with books. a lot of them are about Chicago.

The is free wi-fi and the speeds were good.

They also hold the events in the main hang out room. The hostel holds several events throughout the week, including walking tours and trivia nights. The volunteer coordinator gave some very good recommendations for neighborhoods and things to do.

Overall the hostel was very friendly to people of all ages: I saw young people, and I also saw a few families with children.

The location is good, just be aware that the hostel is in the business district, so don't be surprised if you see restaurants close early or there isn't much night life close by.

There are many different nationalities of people. it was a very diverse place.

Overall I would stay again

Tip: the outlets have metal protective covers, so you have to do a horizontal shake to get your plug into the socket.

cons:

the main room can be kind of noisy at times with all the people playing ping pong

there is no freezer available to guests. even a small one would be good. then you could have ice cream or freeze your food to...

Really wanted to rate a bit higher. I don't have too much experience in hostels and I consider myself as a person that does not need lavish accommodations when traveling, however there are a few things that others should be aware before booking. I'll start with the positives.

1. Location- You're situated in the Loop district, within walking distance to many CTA lines. Minutes away from Millennium Park, Art Institute, Michigan Ave, etc. However, right outside the hostel is a budding shanty town. Now the majority of the homeless are harmless, but this is something to be aware of. No joke, like 10-12 homeless people as soon as you walk out the door. I realize that this is not entirely the hostel's fault and one of the issues with any big city, but I wouldn't be surprised if the situation gets worse in the future. When I walked by other hotels, they did not seem to have this problem. I will say I think its great that they require keycard access for 2 doors before you can enter the hostel, and the front desk is always staffed.

2. Price- given the location, the price is a bit cheaper especially if you go dorm style. I still prefer a bit of privacy, so I opted for single room in a shared suite. Most of the other options in the area for hotels are about $75-200 more expensive.

Now for the negatives

1. Housekeeping- I went my first 2 days without seeing one cleaning person. Granted, I didn't stay in the hostel for most of the day, and I just needed a fresh set of towels (the bath towels they provide are very skimpy and small btw), but I had to wait a few days for some. When I was finally able to talk with one, she was very pleasant, so I'm sure I could've been more proactive and just asked for towels from someone from the front desk, but I thought it was weird not seeing a single housekeeper for the beginning part of my stay.

2. No breakfast service- Again, I hate nitpicking but this should've been stated more clearly, as the hostel used to offer this but does not anymore. On the second floor/community kitchen, there's an outreach program that providers breakfast to their volunteers/workers, but it is not for guests. I was lucky to receive coffee on some of the days I was there.

3)Overall state of facility- Lastly, there was a big leak from the roof of the hallway that lasted the whole time I was there and just added to an older college dorm vibe. They finally somewhat fixed it on my last day, but up until that point, they just put a laundry cart right underneath it that just accumulated a bunch of stinky water. The showers are incredibly bare bones, not sure again how often the suites are cleaned, but the hot water works well enough which I was very grateful for and they provide soap and shampoo. For the suite I was in, if there was someone staying in each room, that would be about 5 people for one shower which seems like it would get pretty busy. Even though I had a room in a suite, it was incredibly hot and stuffy, and you can't open your window. You do not have any control over the thermostat. The AC for the main part of the building and common rooms work great, but in regards to my room, it was a bit uncomfortable with how hot Chicago summers are.

Lastly, I can't speak too much about the social aspect of the hostel, as I didn't really prioritize that part of it, but the second floor seemed to always have groups of people talking/hanging out, so if thats your vibe, I dont think it would be too difficult to strike up a convo. .

I apologize for long winded review. Given everything, I still don't necessarily believe it's a bad choice. If you are a solo traveler that is just looking for a bed to sleep in for the night and pretty much no extra services, then I think you could justify staying here. If you are coming with a group of friends, I would honestly shell out a bit more $$ for some nicer accommodations. If they lowered price a bit or brought back breakfast service, I'd feel more inclined to stay here again...

HIUSA Chicago is the best of the four hostels I've stayed at--and the other three were nice too.

I stayed two nights, June 18-20, 2022 in a ten-bed dorm room.

Hostelling International Chicago is conveniently located near major tourist attractions, mass transit, and restaurants. I walked to and from many places. But I also took multiple bus trips, an elevated ("L") train trip, and a subway ride.

My room included a large locker that accommodated my carry-on bag, my backpack, and several smaller items. I brought my own lock, but I think the hostel sells them.

Bed sheets, pillowcases, and two towels were furnished. My upper bunk included a lamp, two electrical outlets, and a dark privacy curtain that functioned well.

The top of the lockers served well as a shelf to store things like eyeglasses and alarm clocks for persons on top bunks. Lower bunk persons could store items on the floor under the bed or near the bed. The room featured two chairs in addition to the ten bunks.

The room temperature was comfortable. I'm not sure if it could be adjusted, but adjustment wasn't necessary while I was there.

A shared bathroom, as well as a shared kitchen, a shared lounge, and a shared laundry were down the hall. The bathroom was clean with soap, shampoo, and paper towels furnished. The kitchen and lounge were reasonably clean as well. I did not use the laundry.

My roommates were all nice, and I got the opportunity to meet persons from Argentina, Columbia, and Mexico.

After checking out, I was able to store my luggage for free in a locker in the lobby until my departure time, which was convenient, since my Greyhound bus didn't leave until evening.

The area seemed safe during daylight hours. There are long hours of daylight in June, and I stayed inside the hostel at night. But my guess is that nearby parts of State Street (which is ½ block away) are reasonably safe in evenings too.

For Greyhound travelers, the most direct route to the Greyhound bus station is normally to go west ½ block to State Street, south one block on State Street to Harrison Avenue, then turn right on Harrison and go several blocks west to the bus station on Harrison Avenue. But a bridge on Harrison Avenue apparently under construction in June 2022, prevents the most direct route to the Greyhound Station. I walked west ½ block to State Street, north up State Street to Jackson, then left (west) past Union Station to Clinton, then south on Clinton to Harrison, and right on Harrison about 1 1/2 blocks to the Greyhound station. The area was safe during daylight hours, but my guess is that Clinton and Harrison might be a bit dangerous at night. Even in daylight hours relatively few people were walking on Clinton. I didn't mind the walk, but buses offer an alternative.

The Cafecito restaurant inside the hostel offers tasty food. I enjoyed a Sabo Impossible burger there after checking out Monday. It was delicious with a generous amount of spinach, tomato, onion, and their own special sauce.

A CVS pharmacy and a Blaze Pizza are about one block away on South State Street. Several other businesses are nearby. City buses run regularly nearby too, but many attractions are within walking distance.

Windows in my fourth floor room overlooked some Chicago elevated train tracks. I loved the view, seeing the trains. Despite the proximity of the trains, the room was relatively quiet.

Vending machines near the elevators on the fourth floor contained snacks and drinks.

The hostel's free breakfast remains unavailable due to COVID-19 (as well as probably finding it difficult to obtain the extra staff to facilitate it). But the front desk was staffed at all times by friendly, efficient persons. Toni (misspelled?) who was working the front desk my two evenings there seemed especially nice.

Overall, I highly recommend this clean, well staffed, conveniently located, reasonably priced facility that offers...