Chamounix Mansion & Carriage House — Local services in Philadelphia

As others have noted, this is not a downtown location - which is reflected in the price. That said, it is removed from a lot of noise and offers a secure place to sleep.||The staff is friendly enough, once they are sure you aren't going to bite them. (Ie., you reap what you sow.) ||If you are a HI member it is $22 a night, or the cost of a campground in NYS ($25 without membership). So with that in mind, the bathroom is reasonably clean and the water is hot, there is a full kitchen available and a couple of living spaces. And the rooms are heated/cooled without the need to pack a wet tent up in the morning. So I think the value is fine.||I did notice, after a few nights, that whatever room has guests, they will continue to fill. Even when it is the smaller room and the larger room has no one in it. It is a hostel and it could be argued that getting to know others is part of the deal. Also very likely they try to keep the cleaning to a minimum, and let's face it, some people are really piggy. But as I was there just to finish my last days at a local college and study/sleep were my top priorities, having more undisturbed sleep was my goal - to which end I actually asked for a spot in the unused room on my last night - and left no mess, thank you!!!||There is plenty of room to roam the park. Grocery would be at Target within a couple of miles. Not sure about downtown transportation as I drove. Parking is free, good luck finding that downtown.||Wifi is a bit spotty.||Make sure you get instructions on leaving the building before 8am if you actually have a schedule, as I did.||Oh yes, and the reports about unhappy mattresses are also true. Probably better for younger people. If you may get achy, I'd suggest a personal mattress topper. Sheets are supplied, but I added my own to keep theirs from slipping off the tiny plastic covered mattress.||I would use this facility again if I needed to be in town for another night or two. It is likely very good for a group of young people who just want to check out the area or for parents with children checking out local colleges. There is at least one...

I have been coming here for about 7 years. There are events nearby that I enjoy, but I come by myself, and while there are nearby hotels, they are quite expensive. The setting is really pretty and restful. I have always found the staff to be friendly. There are budget tours and high schools who come here on a regular basis. It is a Hosteling International affiliate, and they usually have a lock out in the middle of the day. I come here because I am alone on these trips, and I want a clean, respectable, safe place to sleep. ||Personally, if I had no car, I would not come. That is a long walk, there are stores at the bus stop, such as they are, but this mansion, which is what it is, is surrounded by the park. Also, the mattresses are new, and one tends to bottom out on the plywood of the bunk bed. I also am not thrilled by the blanket, so I bring a self inflating mattress and my own blanket. Are these enough for Chamounix to lose a star? No, because the rest so far outweighs these minor inconveniences. There is wifi, clean bathrooms, security. the main floor has antique furniture and original albeit non working fireplaces in two of the rooms, couches and a large screen TV. I meet all sorts of interesting people in the kitchen while I am making my morning coffee, from senior citizens on their way to an art exhibit, to high school kids from the midwest on an excursion. I can bring my own food, as you can refrigerate your things. However, be warned, if you are at the carriage house, the annex, there is no way to heat up food, and no refrigerators. The main building opens at 8, and then you can get to the kitchen, but I need my coffee at 6. There is a Starbucks 5...

It is a 20 minute walk from the closest bus stop so if you can't drive, I wouldn't recommend it. The hostel, however, is situated in a very peaceful part of Philly as there is literally nothing but trees and forest surrounding the it. If you can love tennis, there are many tennis courts about a 2 min drive from the hostel. As for cleanliness, there were a lot of hair on the blankets they provided and ants running atop kitchen tables. I understand this is an old building but the couches and eating area smelled. Regarding management and staff, everybody in the building was rudely woken up at 1am by one of the staff members who was on shift that night to figure out who parked their car outside of the designated parking spaces. A new friend I made there was called out and when she went to check her space, she realized it wasn't her car. Not only was she wrongly and rudely accused, the person who parked in the unassigned spot was sitting outside on the porch steps, (the staff walked right by him) and the staff woke everybody up to find that out. Moreover, they should have asked if their customers drove upon check-in and let us know the rules and terms clearly. Furthermore, the staff only gave a flippant "sorry" for her mistake. Since everyone was already up at 1am, we could hear the room doors slamming shut. It is an old building and you can hear everything. They should put up a sign telling us to handle the doors with care or something. Due to that unsettling disturbance, it was nearly impossible to...