At the recommendation of a friend, I stayed at the Cloudhostels Backpackers Hostel Baltimore in August 2020 for two nights while traveling solo. As an avid hostel stayer with both positive and negative experiences, I would highly recommend Cloudhostels Backpackers Hostel Baltimore to anyone traveling to Baltimore, but especially for solo travelers, as it is clean, comfortable, well-staffed, and a great place to meet other travelers.
Location
Ccloudhostels Backpackers Hostel is located minutes away from Johns Hopkins University. There are plenty of places to eat nearby, varying from quick, affordable cafes, subways to high-end restaurants. Although the hostel is located near public transportation, it is also possible to walk to popular neighborhoods. There is also a pedestrian area located a few blocks from the hostel where you can find plenty of shopping, restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops.
Staff
When I arrived at the hostel, there were quite a few travelers waiting at the reception desk ahead of me. However, the wait did not feel long at all as I admired the unique art and decorations in the lobby area. I was then greeted by an American guy, he proceeded to check me into my room. He was very friendly and immediately made me feel at home. He provided me with bed sheets and towels and even walked me all the way to my room.
After dropping off my backpack in my dorm room, I went back to the reception desk to ask for recommendations for a quick dinner and some sightseeing as it was already evening, and I was not sure which sights were still open to the public or worth seeing at night. The guy at the reception desk directed me to a cute cafe around the corner.
Throughout my stay, I always felt comfortable chatting with the staff at the hostel and never hesitated to ask for directions or recommendations, as the staff always had such cheerful dispositions and seemed to genuinely enjoy assisting the guests.
Rooms
I stayed in a spacious 6-person co-ed dorm near the main living room and kitchen area. The beds were located along the walls of the room, creating an open layout that better-facilitated conversation amongst travelers. The group consisted of one other American, one Canadian, and three Australian travelers. The other American happened to be from Chicago, like me, but the dorm provided a great opportunity to bond with people from all over the world.
The rooms at Cloudhostels Backpackers Hostel are available in a variety of configurations. In addition to the 6-person co-ed dorm I stayed in, the hostel provides 4-, 6-, 8-, and 12-person co-ed rooms, as well as 4- and 8-person female dorms.
My room at CloudHostels Baltimore was clean, the beds were comfortable and quiet, and my dorm mates were friendly and considerate. I could not have asked for a better dorm room experience.
Amenities
Backpackers Cloudhostels comes fully equipped with a full kitchen, living room area with computers for hostel guests to use, public as well as private bathrooms, showers, a sauna, and a breakfast cafe.
Cooking in the kitchen is also a great way to meet fellow travelers. Most hostel guests would much prefer to chat with a fellow traveler while waiting for their pasta to cook rather than stand in silence.
In addition to these amenities, Backpackers Hostel also provides services such as organized tours and bike rentals. Unfortunately, I was not able to take advantage of any of the tours due to my short amount of time in the city.