A nice older building built when "townhouses" were where the well off lived. High ceilings, nice facilities including a nice large kitchen. If you like hostels, this is a good one!

The building is impressive, the hostel is well equipped and the service was outstanding. No matter what the query or who was on duty our many requests for information or assistance were all dealt with competently and cheerfully.

Having stayed in hostels many years ago, I wasn't completely naive as to what to expect, but the closet (yes, closet!) I was given to sleep in was billed as a "private room" and I paid the best part of $100 for the privilege. The closet was right next to the men's communal bathroom and shower area -- not the choicest of rooms for a female traveling alone. Why I was put here, I have no idea. The hostel was not full. And, I had to traipse to the other side of the house to get to the bathroom -- that was absolutely devoid of any comforts (soap, anyone?) at all. Add to this, as an earlier reviewer noted, the hostel staff were indeed like "androids": I could not get a smile out of any of them. There was supposed to be wifi, but I couldn't get it to connect (and forget trying to get any assistance from the stone-faced hotel personnel). Parking was good, but that's about the only good thing I have to say about the experience. I will never return.

I spent two nights at the Hosteling International hostel in Sacramento and was impressed on several levels. First off, the grandeur of the building and the care that went into its restoration is immediately evident. Unlike many hostels, this one doesn't have a "party" feel to it, but instead is a very comfortable place to stay when exploring Sacramento. In the evening, the sitting rooms lend themselves to conversations and enjoyable interactions between the guests. The hostel's manager clearly works hard to make sure the facilities are pleasant for the guests.