We were in Philadelphia for one night and enjoyed this hostel. It was quite a good location, good food places just down the street and quite close to the public transport systems. Is down an alley way that looked a little dodgy when we first arrived but after being there for more than a few minutes you can see that it is safe. The staff were very friendly and kept our bags for us the next day while we were out shopping even though our reservation had offically ended. Only thing that was a bit disappointing was that the wi fi internet was only in the lobby downstairs and there was no way of using internet in the rooms, but that is just being picky.
Good atmosphere there and bathroom facilities are excellent. Would definitely consider going back there if I am ever in Philadelphia again

I traveled to Philadelphia with 9 high school seniors (honor students) and stayed at the Apple Hostel for one night. Did the same trip last year but stayed at the Chamounix Mansion hostel in Fairmount Park, which worked fine, but Apple Hostel worked so much better and here's why:
1. Location- right in the Olde City, extremely close to all the key historical attractions, and just a block or less away from several key subway and bus lines. We took the Megabus to Philly and it drops off/picks up right by the Independence Hall Visitor Center, less than 10 minutes from the hostel. You can store your bags for no change at the hostel before check-in and after check out (for us, since the room was vacant, they let us into the room early to drop our bags). Good amenities nearby (ie, cheap eats, grocery, etc)
2. Great facility and staff: the staff was very accommodating and attentive. The rooms are very clean and neat. The common rooms are comfortable and clean and there are binders of local information, movies available, Wii, foosball, drink and snack vending, a clean and well-equipped kitchen, free coffee/tea 24/7, free milk and cereal in the morning (Fri, Sat), free WiFi, computers available (I needed to use one for 20 minutes-$2; worked great) As other reviews mention, the door code arrangement works well (if you forget the code) there is always staff around happy to help you.

My students loved the hostel experience- meeting and interacting with other young people from around the world.

A caveat (why I didn't rate this a "5"): as others have mentioned, the hostel is across the street from a club, which you can hear music from at night and people talking loudly just outside the club (probably better for us in the winter). So, as others have said, if you can get a bed/room away from the alley/club, so much the better. The hostel makes no secret of about the club- there are signs everywhere and free earplugs available. Keep busy during the day and go to bed tired and you'll be fine :)

One other point if you are traveling with students, teenagers- the hostel offers a pub crawl Thursday nights and they offer complimentary drinks (alcohol and mixers) in the common lounge for an hour. The also have a movie night where they offer complimentary beer. The staff are attentive about making sure there no one underaged partakes, but if you are chaperoning students you should be aware (there are a number of hotels in town that offer some kind of complimentary 'happy hour' so it is not a unique situation)

Thanks Apple Hostel! We'll be back next year!!

This hostel was pretty cool. They don't do keys - just codes which is good so you don't have to lose the key - just have to remember the code! The hostel is located down a side street - feels a bit off but is pefectley safe. The hostel itself is clean and tidy with really friendly staff and comfortbale rooms. Free cereal at weekends, large rooms which do have lots of beds but lockers outside so don't distrube other room mates with clangying doors. Its located just around the corner from Market Street, 10 minutes to Liberty Bell and historical stuff and a short bus ride/longer walk to the Art Museum (Rocky) and the Eastern State Penn. Great hostel and had an excellent time here.

Two major factors influence this review...first, I'm "older" (ok..."middle" aged is a better description) and second, I traveled with my 12 year old daughter.

On Days 14-16 of our 50 day road trip, we stayed at Apple Hostel. Despite pre-trip arrangements, they were surprised to see a pre-teen and hesitated about checking me in. I squelched my panic and smiled hopefully at the girl behind the counter. I released my breath only after she opted for flexibility and an exception. In several more hours, I understood why they had a "No Children" policy...

Apple Hostel is house in a historical brownstone in Olde City...just steps from more than enough sights to fill many days. Several things shined at this hostel...the meticulously clean (and well stocked) kitchen, an outstanding common area, and the bright and cheerful decor. It just oozed happy. However, with historical charm sometimes comes historical challenges. Our private room was on the top floor of a four-story building...with a narrow air-condition-challenged stairwell. We didn't pack light...we were looking at three round trips. Phew! My princess-like daughter gave me "the look" when we walked through a bunk-filled room into our room..."Really, Mom? A walk-in closet with a fan???". I told her to cool off in front of said fan...we had a private room and her birthday present was funded by the very affordable Apple Hostel. Her lips stayed sealed...until she sang her heart out at the Katy Perry concert later that night.

When we ascended the subway stairs back into Olde City after the concert, it looked a bit different than when we left. What was once a bustling historical neighborhood was now a vibrant nightlife scene. I was looking forward to drifting off to sleep to the softly pulsing bass emanating from the nightclub across the alley. Several minutes after crashing from exhaustion, my daughter became nervous. So did I. A verbal altercation between a woman and a couple guys turned into a mini-brawl and I was on the phone with 911. Hey, there's a price to staying in the middle of it all. Everything was well in the end...sleep came quickly and the rest of our stay was pleasantly uneventful.