You get what you pay for.
The location of the hostel was very nice - just a few blocks from all of the shopping, restaurants, and breweries that New Paltz has to offer. We enjoyed not needing a taxi or any other form of transport to get back to our room.
The cleanliness of our room (South America) left a lot to be desired. The sheets may have been washed recently, but because they were brown, it was impossible to tell. There was a large bleach stain and hole in the sheets also, which suggests that something gross had gotten on them. Pillows were low quality, and the comforter was adequate at best. The mattress was not uncomfortable but was incredibly noisy if we moved around.
The bathroom appeared to have been cleaned, but there was little offered as far as "amenities." Only a bottle of cheap hand soap and value sized Dial body were available - how hard is it to just purchase individual size toiletries for guests. Similarly, the included coffee and oatmeal were in large communal containers: not particularly sanitary considering the shared nature of the kitchen space. Again, I think the extra cost for individual servings would be a welcome change.
New Paltz was a very cute town to visit as a break from the fast pace of the city, and having an affordable option like this hostel was intriguing. However, the lack of attention to detail regarding cleanliness as well as poor quality toiletries, food, and coffee made our experience of staying in the hostel rather unwelcoming.
