Since we're talking about hostiles --and I should mention that I've stayed in a few myself and have had positive experiences-- I'd like to post about one of my friends' experiences. She went to DC (from Japan) on my recommendation and stayed at two hostiles, the Ogden House and another one on the east side of downtown (F St. iirc) and was sexually assaulted at both (by other foreign travelers if that makes a difference). I wouldn't report this if I didn't believe she was telling the truth.

Although I have nothing but sympathy for your friend, may I be so blunt as to ask why you are telling us this?

Sexual assaults also occur in hotels. If you are telling us to avoid staying in "hostiles" because your friend was assaulted in one, should we also refrain from staying in hotels because people have been sexually assaulted in those as well?

If your goal was to get people to avoid staying at the Ogden House and another hostel on the east side of downtown DC, that would probably be more appropriate for a hostel review site.

Posts like this and the "make sure that you do not get the bed bugs from such places" are the reasons why many people will never consider staying in a hostel. I was one of those people for a long time until I finally tried it -- it wasn't unsafe, it wasn't unsanitary, and not one of the several dozen hostels I've since visited on multiple continents has ever made me question its security or cleanliness.

Personally, the cost differential is certainly nice but it's hardly the primary reason why I'd rather stay in a hostel when vacationing alone. The idea of finding other like-minded travelers who enjoy visiting new places (gee, sounds like FlyerTalk!) is much more appealing than locking myself behind the door of a hotel room in solitude.

But who wants to hear about the benefits when we can feast on negative hearsay instead?

I also understand that a "good" way to transport them is to put your luggage on the bed as you are packing or unpacking. Ick.

In general, I think hostels are pretty safe places in respect to sexual assaults. If you are in a dorm with eight other people or so, most offenders will be deterred. But many women, including me, will likely feel better being in an all-female dorm, just for privacy reasons as much as anything. I regret what happened to your friend, but there's not enough information to condemn hostels in general based on that.

I'd feel less secure in a private room with no phone and dodgy locks, than I would in a hostel dorm.

I'm a guy but I agree with your post.. safety in numbers.

OP, I am an avid hostel goer and have stayed at hostels throughout the countries of Belgium, Luxembourg and Denmark (I worked for a travel guide in these locales), as well as hostels in Amsterdam, Dublin, Stockholm, Beijing, Shanghai, and others.

Pvt message me and I can give you a recs on any of those places listed. Also, I highly recommend a travel guide when hostel-going (Let's Go is by far my favorite, although Lonely Planet is another great resource) since guides pay people to check out the hostels every year (in the case of Let's Go) or every other year (LP) to ensure their security, comfort, and value. For the ~$20 you will spend on a guide, you will save much more in time, hassle, and even 'hidden' discounts

For a young, adventurious traveller, quite frankly, there is no other place to stay than in a hostel. Even if it costs as much as a hotel, I would pick a hostel every time because you can't beat the social and communal atmospheres of a hostel over a sterlie, lonely hotel

AND, to the person that mentioned bed bugs, thankfully such closed-minded people stay away from hostels in the first place