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Arlington House Hostel: Traveler Reviews


616 W. Arlington Place, Chicago, IL 60614
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Reviews you can trust

68% Do not recommend
2.5 of 5 stars 35 reviews
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I can't complain, it was cheap!

Arlington House Hostel

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3 of 5 stars
Jamie_UKStaffs   8 contributions
Staffs
Mar 1, 2009 | Trip type: Friends getaway
1/1 found this review helpful

To be honest when I was told that I would be staying in a private room in a hostel I was a bit concerned. I'd never stayed in one before, but actually this place wasn't that bad. My friend and I came over from England on vacation and stayed for over a week last summer.

I asked to see the room first and the member of staff obliged. The room we got was large with three beds, a private bathroom, no air con as such, only a ceiling fan - but an additional fan was provided free of charge on request. There was a cupboard to hang clothes and some drawers too. The door was secure and we were never bothered, an iron was also available. There wasn't a TV in your room so make sure you take your laptop or something if you like to watch something while you go to sleep (maybe this is just me).

I bought my own sheets to put over the top of theirs as I had read about the bed bugs! But in reality the room was pretty clean and decent for the most part. There was a lift, a laundry, a sort of kitchen area, and Wi-fi was available in the main reception (at a small cost). There was a spot of live music it the day and it was a bit noisy a couple of nights, but we weren't bothered by it. In terms of other amenities there was a TV room; however that was really dirty and smelt positively putrid.

In terms of location it is well positioned in the Lincoln Park area with nice cafes and speciality shops all around. There are good links to the whole city via the 'El' train system, the station is within a quarter of a mile, and there are busses too. It's also pretty near Boystown and the universities as well as the zoo. The area seemed pretty safe to me even walking around in the early hours after clubbing. Chicago is a great place to visit and the Arlington can help you save money while still enjoying all that this great city has to offer.

  • My ratings for this hotel
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 2 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 2 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 2 of 5 stars Service
  • Date of stay September 2008
  • Visit was for Leisure
  • Traveled with With Friends
  • Member since August 25, 2008
  • Would you recommend this hotel to a friend? Yes
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Management response from Lori Postma, Owner
(Management representative)
Jun 3, 2009
Hi Jamie. Thanks so much for your feedback. I'm glad you had such a good time in Chicago. It sounds like you really took advantage of the great neighborhood and the city. I just wanted to let you know that we're making some terrific changes to our hostel. Renovations and upgrades are underway and we would love to have you stay with us again, the next time you're heading to Chicago. Take care and have safe journeys.
Lori
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Average price*: $27 (year-round)
Significantly improved

Arlington House Hostel

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4 of 5 stars
JohnTravels   50 contributions
Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin
Feb 5, 2009

I've stayed at this hostel before, sometimes it's been fine, sometimes not. But Recently when I stayed there, I think they've undergone some improvements. New desk clerks were helpful and friendly, and the dorm rooms and bathrooms were super-clean. There were no signs of bugs at all, and there were many cleaning staff people keeping the place spotless. No hesitation to stay again. Plus it's in a great location near DePaul University, the train, and many restaurants.

  • Date of stay January 2009
  • Visit was for Other
  • Member since March 08, 2005
  • Would you recommend this hotel to a friend? Yes
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Average price*: $27 (year-round)
OK- would be reluctant to stay again

Arlington House Hostel

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2 of 5 stars
ysarah   11 contributions
devon
Jan 8, 2009

i saw no bed bugs but was a little bit disappointed. My first room had a broken lock and i couldn't get in, i was then given a new room but the lock was still a bit dodgy. The hostel is ok for the price and it has a certain charm but it was shabby and the rooms were very hot.
The hostel is in a nice neighborhood and close to the train line.

  • My ratings for this hotel
    • 2 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 2 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 3 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 3 of 5 stars Service
    • 3 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)
  • Date of stay July 2008
  • Visit was for Hobbies / interest / culture
  • Member since March 28, 2008
  • Would you recommend this hotel to a friend? No
  • I recommend this hotel for Young singles
  • I do not recommend this hotel for An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, People with disabilities, Older travelers, Great pool scene, Pet owners, Families with young children, Families with teenagers, Tourists
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Average price*: $27 (year-round)
Pleasant surprise

Arlington House Hostel

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4 of 5 stars
Roserobins   6 contributions
Cape Town. South Africa
Dec 8, 2008 | Trip type: Couples

Having read about the bedbugs we purchased bug spray before our arrival. The double room en suite was clean and most comfortable. We sprayed the beds as a precaution but we hadn't seen any evidence of bugs. The 24 hour coffee was fantastic. I sympathise with the owners/managers in that despite the kitchen being thoroughly cleaned every morning, most of the guests left the place in the most ghastly state. Many did not even put their trash into the bins provided. Would without doubt stay there again as the price and location is so good.

  • Liked — Comfortable and clean room
  • Disliked — Other inconsiderate, dirty guests
  • My ratings for this hotel
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 3 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 3 of 5 stars Service
    • 4 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)
  • Date of stay October 2008
  • Traveled with Spouse / significant other
  • Age group 50-64
  • Member since May 16, 2006
  • I recommend this hotel for Young singles, Older travelers, Tourists
  • I do not recommend this hotel for An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, People with disabilities, Older travelers, Great pool scene, Pet owners, Families with young children, Families with teenagers, Tourists
  • I selected this hotel as a top choice for Museums / Cultural / Historical sites
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Average price*: $27 (year-round)
This is a good *hostel*

Arlington House Hostel

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5 of 5 stars
evelian   1 contribution
Michigan
Dec 5, 2008 | Trip type: Business, Friends getaway

This place is a hostel, not a hotel. With that in mind, we had a great experience. We had a private bed and bath for 3 nights at a reasonable price. The location is very convenient to get to Lincoln Park, Uptown, over to Logan Sqaure/Wicker Park, or downtown. The bathroom looked very clean, there were no bed bugs (looks like they're using plastic sheets on the mattresses just in case). Free computer use and printing, cheap wireless (though it doesn't work above the first floor). If you understand that you're not getting the amenities of a hotel, but getting a place to stay the night, this should suit your needs just fine. I would definitely return.

  • Liked — clean bathroom, comfy bed
  • Disliked — waft of urine in elevator
  • My ratings for this hotel
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
    • 4 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)
  • Date of stay December 2008
  • Visit was for Business
  • Traveled with Friends
  • Age group 25-34
  • Member since December 05, 2008
  • Would you recommend this hotel to a friend? Yes
  • I recommend this hotel for Young singles, Girlfriend getaway, Tourists
  • I do not recommend this hotel for An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, People with disabilities, Pet owners, Families with young children, Families with teenagers
  • I selected this hotel as a top choice for Other
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Average price*: $27 (year-round)
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Arlington House Hostel Address

616 W. Arlington Place, Chicago, IL 60614