Washington International Student Center — Hotel in Washington

I visisted this hostel as a tourist and found it decent. The best part of it, alongside its low price, is that it is very well located - various locations walkable and others easily accessible through public transport. The surrounding area is also very lively with good restaurants, various bars and similar, I wish I had had the energy and the funds to check out a few more of the bars myself but its a good location if you're after a drink or two. I stayed in a 6 bed female dorm. The bed was comfortable enough but there were various minor issues like blinds that didn't fully close so I woke up a little early each day and limited storage space (there are no cupboards or wardrobes or anything so it's under the bed or limited floor space - fine if the room isn't full or everyone has 1 neat suitcase each but if not it becomes cramped quickly). There was an air conditioner window unit which was very much needed in the warm weather and did work. The common room was small but does the job, its not a particularly social hostel so this wasn't an issue. There are four bathrooms for all guests so you do have to wait your turn occasionally but I didn't have any particularly extended waits. The shower is good in turns of temperature and water pressure but the bathroom nearest my room had fairly extensive mould on the ceiling and I saw a number of cockroaches in there on one occasion. Unfortunately that was my biggest issue, there were several cockroaches in the kitchen as well which I saw regularly - admittedly they were small ones but that clearly needs resolving. I also saw a mouse run across the kitchen at one point. This is likely because the kitchen in general was not kept very clean. There seemed to be a certain expectation of guests/residents to take care of it which is fair enough, I agree that people should be washing their dishes, but there was still clearly a level of cleaning/hygiene oversight lacking. I didn't use the kitchen for any more than the provided breakfast each day as i was only visiting for a brief while but had I actually been intending to cook while there I'm not sure I would have been happy to once I arrived. Overall I was not unhappy with my stay but I would probably pick a different place if I...

Generally speaking this hostel is extremely excellent. I think so mainly because of its location--right located in Adams Morgan, the most intriguing district that embraces a vibrant diversity in DC! There are Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Arabic, and even Ethiopian restaurants right across the street! The most well-known music band and night clubs just several footsteps away! All kinds of grocery stores that fulfill your daily needs are in a dense cluster that can be reached in minutes!

I personally rank it as my favorite also because of the service there--people who are working in this hostel can be very nice! I am a Chinese, and sometimes they even offered me service in Chinese! :D

There is only one flaw that somebody may need to consider--the facilities there are not as fancy as I came across in a little hostel in New York City. Anyhow, those pans, cups, ovens, refrigerator and some others are already enough to satisfy all your needs for cooking, food storing, sleeping, showering, or so...Ah, they do have FREE early morning breakfast!

I am in China right now using a proxy to write this review on Google+ (a function which these days is blocked in China and needed logging in with proxy service--which means my actual IP may be an American one although I am in China...Would it be possibly understood? LOL). Now that I have got an offer from a graduate program in DC and thereby I will come back to US next summer, I am looking forward to coming back to this hostel once I land in DC again. It is always a wonderful...

I loved staying at this hostel overall. I gave it a four stars because of the owner and the black girl that was so nice to me and my friend, and used her credit card to book our bus for us after mine wouldnt work.But my friend and i got a private room and we went to smoke and one of the other guest that seemed drunk wondered into our room and thought it was his dorm.There were two creepy black guys that work there, one skinny tall was trying to flirt with us and making us feel uncomfortable, getting touchy and just so needy, while the other short guy smelled like pot seemed like it was a competition to get with any girl that walked in there. The owner wasnt around when we checked out.There was also a spanish girl who works at the world bank that works there who i saw coming out of my room when i came out the restroom while my friend was smoking outside. I thought it was nothing since she worked there, but a tall american girl was at the front desk, so i guess the spanish girl who says she works there works another day.I later discovered after we left the hostel, i was missing some money. Now i dont know if she took it, considering that the drunk boy wondered into our room 3, we called the hostel to report, but there is a good posibility i also lost it in another hostel i was at before then. Over all if you like party neighborhood and cool people, its a nice place, but make sure you lock up your valuables.The place needs organization,but the owner makes this place...