Washington D.C. Hilltop Hostel - Takoma Park, MD
N 38° 58.494 W 077° 00.983
18S E 325328 N 4315924
Washington D.C. Hilltop Hostel is located in Takoma Park, Maryland, USA, just 50 meters from the Takoma Subway Metro Station.
Waymark Code: WM56ZP
Location: Maryland, United States
Date Posted: 11/21/2008
Views: 27
The building itself is a converted Victorian Hotel, which according to the hostel's website is listed on the National Register of Historic Places [apparently as a contributing structure in the Takoma Park Historic District as we couldn't find a reference to an individual listing]. The hostel lists its address as Washington, D.C.; however, it is actually located in Takoma Park (Montgomery County), Maryland.
Some information about this hostel is available on the digihitch website:
The hostel attracts an interesting and well-traveled crowd - backpackers, law students, protesters, artists. There is also a very open, international set of people. Australia, Denmark, Argentina and Russia - you'll find travelers who have been around and enjoy the easy atmosphere created at Hilltop Hostel.
The real draw of this 3-story hostel, though, is the people it attracts. Even the managers and cleaners that come to live and work here for long stops between travels are cooler than one has the right to expect.
In part, it's the location that keeps people around. Just 5 miles from downtown Washington, the neighborhood of Takoma Park is self-contained and calm enough to allow mellow recuperation after a day of intense sight-seeing or rallying. With a store across the street and liquor around the corner, one can easily get sucked in to porch sitting with a beer and fellow travelers.
Built on a grassy rise, the hostel looks out on trees, a park, and the metro station across the street. That's right, trains pass within a few hundred feet of the windows, which are rarely shut once the weather warms, so very light sleepers should stay elsewhere.
Things also get pretty sticky in the summer without air conditioning. It brings out a laziness in everyone that makes for a lot of backyard chill-out parties. There's a bbq, hammock and picnic area.
Nice perks include satellite TV with plenty of movie and sports channels, free internet, a library of books/games and a lot more.
Come expecting good times, open vibes, and great company, but if you're overly concerned about the down sides, it may be best for everyone involved if you stay downtown.