Located in Boston’s hip South End, 40 Berkeley is 200 metres from the Charles Playhouse. It features a billiards table, a living room with a fireplace and a movie room.
Each bright room at the 40 Berkeley includes a ceiling fan and a desk. The private rooms have access to 2 large shared community bathrooms on each floor, 1 male and 1 female, with private shower closets.
The Berkeley 40 is located in a restored historic building. The common rooms boast computers.
This property offers free towels, free Wi-Fi, free luggage storage services, and 24-hour front desk assistance. The property has a tour desk, a laundry room and a garden patio.
Copley Square and Boston Common are less than a 20-minute walk from the 40 Berkeley Hostel. Northeastern University, Berklee College of Music, and Boston University are all less than 3.2 km away.
Score from 3976 reviews
Very good
6.6/10
Rooms: 70
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Address: 40 Berkeley Street, Boston 02116 
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What people say
This Hostel was way more than I had expected ! Extremely spacious with various areas where you could relax and enjoy their free tea or coffee (a shame that their wonderful hot chocolate we had at breakfast wasn't working in this area ) They even provided free popcorn and cookies too! We were very impressed ! Their cooked breakfast was substantial and you really couldn't have wanted for more. The garden was lovely. I certainly hadn't expected that for a Hostel.It was great having the use of the. all reviews »
The room was extremely affordable, allowing us to use what little money
we had on exploring the city. The hostel is very close to a couple
subway stations which was great for getting around. The rooms are small
but suit your needs. The people working there were very polite,
professional, and were willing to answer our millions of questions about
attractions, restaurants, and directions. Clean place with a very cool
sitting area downstairs, along with a movie theater. Breakfast is served
everyda.
My girlfriend and I spent the weekend in Boston and stayed here because of the great price. The staff was amazingly helpful and polite. The shared bathrooms were always in great condition and were never crowded, nor was there a wait. The location is incredible and because of that we walked everywhere we went to enjoy the city and get a feel for it; and the surrounding area is very high end. Also, the breakfast is awesome and included! Just head downstairs and its a full service cafeteria!.
The location and the facilities for the price we pay is unbeatable.Friendly and helpful staff(meet Isabella),Free wifi in the whole hostel area, lovely and free breakfast, free pop corn and coffee, room heaters in winter and best thing of all,booking of local tour tickets from there itself.It is so close to all conveniences like the bus stop, T station and most importantly,the back Bay area.It is full value for the money we pay!! I would recommend it to all my friends visiting Boston!!.
Rooms were clean and furnished nicely. Really appreciated free wifi in rooms! Large common areas and patio area were well furnished and felt very welcoming. Common area with microwave and clothes iron was handy. Cafeteria breakfast was excellent. Location was perfect for us - amid fabulous charming neighbourhoods; short walk to Boston Common and beautiful park; short walk to Amtrak station; short cab ride to cruise port.
Very friendly, attentive staff, not a "business as usual"
attitude; I also liked interacting with the other residents/ guests.
Unlike other places which advertise free Wi-Fi which is then, mysteriously, not available, this place had it, and it worked though a tad slowly.
Great location!
Finally, I like that 40Berkeley is a residence as well as hotel/ hostel, which gives it more of a homey feel.
Reading other reviews scared me somewhat, but really, it turned out
there's nothing to be afraid of, seems to me that like people just
like to complain. I've stayed in many other much more expensive and
a lot worse hostels in some large cities (including Toronto, New York,
Barcelona). It's friendly, clean, conveniently located and the
regular tenants and staff are actually quite charming.
This place was great value for money. The staff were excellent and very
helpful. There was loads to do, pool tables, film room, free coffee and
popcorn. The rooms are no frills but clean and tidy. The toilets and
showers were very clean, and we never had to wait for a shower. Great
breakfast. A free barbecue was great. If visiting Boston again I would
definitely stay here.
The staff was really helpful. Its very well located walking distance from the main streets in Boston but in a quite neighborhood. The rooms are small but they have everything you need. Everything was clean. Beside its a big hostel, the bathrooms didn't get too crowded. The common areas are great, with a lot of space and wifi everywhere. Great stay. I super recommend it.
Loads of amenities and facilities incluing free hot breakfast, free starbucks coffee, a film viewing room, vending machines, areas for lounging and relaxing including an outdoor area. WiFi was free and very strong throughout the building. Good location for walking into the centre of Boston. Very close to Back Bay train station. Had a fridge in the room.
The outside courtyard; staff let me leave my luggage for pickup later on departure day so I did not have to haul it around; rockers in the open area looking on to the garden; efficient, friendly staff at the desk; felt safe; functional rooms; wifi; adrenaline café and popcorn; free breakfast; liked the partnership with the local entrepreneurs' area.
Excellent location. Easy walk to shopping, transit, the commons and the
Freedom Trail. Staff (Marie) recommended a great vegetarian-friendly
restaurant. Full, hot breakfast included. &Quot;European style"
shared amenities were clean and convenient. The lack of air conditioning
didn't bother me... Even on a hot July day.
- staff: very welcoming and helpful
- room: comfortable
- breakfast: bread, cereals, fruits, sausages, potatoes, eggs. Big room with seating available at all times
- shower room: separated by budget with individual shower cabins (ladies: very clean/men: not very clean)
- definitely a good place for low budgets.
Proximity to Tremont Street/BCA Theatre and several S End restaurants - an area which is now very well lighted. Close to Back Bay Station and within walking distance to Park Street Subway HUB. Happy to see women from the transitional program mixing with out of town guests and international travelers.
Made me feel like I was back in college with the dorm-style accommodation and shared bathroom. Stay was inclusive of an industrial-strength breakfast. Location was perfect with easy access to the T and Back Bay night life. Excellent value, responsible and friendly staff, and exceptional cleanliness.
Location is unbeatable; the space is big with a lot of nice and clean common areas; staff is friendly; it's a lot of value for the money considering it's in an expensive Boston neighborhood; wifi access was consistent and reliable; free coffee and breakfast; ceiling fan helps air circulation.
I think this hotel was very well located, close to a subway station. This is excellent for people who don't want to spend a lot of money for the hotel and they want to visit Boston. I didn't really like the idea to share mi bathroom but I this was very clean and bigger than what I thought.
The Berkeley had amazing prices for the service we got! We expected a lot less considering we paid so little. There was so much extra that even high end hotels don't have! Free home-made breakfast every day and free coffee and popcorn, a movie room and a nice living room.. Really great!.
I love how close it was to all the activity! It was conveniently located next to the train station as well so we did not even need a taxi from the station to the hostel! It was clean and the movie room and lounging rooms were great. Perfect for a group of friends visiting!.
This was essentially what the y used to offer budget travelers - only a
bit more upgraded. Comfortable beds, hot breakfast, and a safe, budget-
appropriate place to stay in the city.
And I got to take a hot bath! I have never been to a hostel with an actual bathtub before.
the place is open, feels safe, is clean, and the people are friendly. the location is excellent for getting to many places around town easily. it has the feel of a college dormitory and i enjoyed it very much. it is my go-to place now when i visit family in Boston!.
Awesome, as always. Best value for money in Boston (it was my second time there), and they go way beyond what you would expect in a Hostel. The attention to detail, the co-work, the free cookies and snooker table (which no-one could reasonably expect for that price).
The hotel had a great lobby and relaxation place. Movie room, pool table, computers, reading center. Also had a lot of discount offers for tours and activities.
It was clean, the location was great (metro station in 5 minute walk), the staff was helpful.
We enjoyed the common area with sofas and arm chairs.
The staff was very helpfull and nice.
The breakfasts were great (compared with experience form other hostels where you only get bread and jam).
The room was small but comfortable.
Bathrooms were clean.
The proximity to downtown is very good, some minutes walk to Back Bay subway station. The breakfast was good and rich. The room was clean but only modestly equipped - a kind of dormitory feeling.The wifi worked well on the 3rd floor. Godd value for money.
Plentiful breakfast and friendly kitchen staff. Private room simple but more than adequate. Free coffee and popcorn all day. Plenty of public space. Clean rooms and public areas. Perfectly fine for older female solo traveller as well as younger groups.
The staff were absolutely brilliant, so helpful and accommodating and always there to help when you needed it, the location was also really good, close to everything that we could possibly want to do and everything that we needed.
The location is amazing, close to downtown Boston (5-10 minute walk), in a really nice, safe area. The lobby of the hostel is great, with comfy sofas, a pool table, movie room, etc. Great facilities and the breakfast is huge!! :). Had a late check in--staff was understanding and patient with us in giving us directions from the airport. Clean room and restroom. Excellent breakfast. Allowed us to stow our luggage while we went to the convention center.
Best location ever, we could walk where ever we liked and the T(subway) was very close. Very good price as we wanted to spend more on shopping than sleeping obviously, nice staff, and I liked the movie room and common area.
Great breakfast, but the value was the most incredible thing. Totally worth it, the cheapest friendly place I've ever stayed at. The location is perfect for walking or public transit to all the best sights and spots to eat.
Really good value. Comfy rooms. Lively large modern communal areas including seperate TV lounge. Microwave and kettle available. Breakfast is OK. Lots of it. We had dinner one night and it was fantastic value for money.
The staff was excellent and soooo helpful with all my questions about
getting around the city, etc. Budget friendly. I am recommending to
all my friends! Breakfast was great! And the choco chip cookies a
real bonus.
We liked the location, the great breakfast, the efficient, helpful and friendly staff, the great breakfast (excellent cafeteria style) and the garden. We liked the neighbourhood and did I mention the great garden!.
great location, friendly staff, I fact I was greeted with home made choc chip biscuits, had great Internet, close to metro, easy walk to city centre. safe area.. I waled home from the theatre at 11 without fear,.
For the price, I have no complaints. My husband and I slept great,
although I will never stay there in the summer due to no air
conditioner. We loved being able to look at the sky line while we laid
in the bed.
Breakfast was cantina-style, but pretty decent with enough stuff to chose from. Gets crowded and some things will be out in the last half hour.
Shared bathrooms were rather clean with well enough showers etc.
40 Berkley hostel is great... For that price, great location, clean
room, towels... Breakfast was great and really tasty and we can choose
from many options. And we loved free Starbucks coffee and popcorn :).
40 Berkeley is definitely one of Boston's best kept secrets. Its value for money is commendable, as is its location in the South End. The full breakfast is also a wonderful benefit of staying at the site.
This is a great hotel/hostel. You can't beat it on price. The location is brilliant, you are really close to everything. The staff are very very helpful. The breakfast is good. The place was very clean.
Great lobby area with mezzanine, couches, lounge chairs, pool tables, and movie room! There is also a free breakfast. Considering the price paid for a room, I was surprised to find so many amenities!.
Very clean and quiet. The staff were very helpful even after there was a minor miscommunication over my booking. They made sure to look after me. And they provide free baked cookies on some afternoons!.
I like the breakfast and self service laundry. The staff very helpful. The best thing is office space, Colabotary 4.0 that can be used by the guest. Almost every nite I sit there and do my work.
Two bathrooms on the floor - there was never a queue when I have to use the bathroom or to take a shower.
The breakfast - I enjoyed it very much, there was a great range of things to choose.
Very good hostel with travelers all over the world. Short walk to Back Bay station, which has commuter rails and MBTA subways bringing you to all over Boston. Also very good breakfast.
These are the prices I got in the 90's at the Westside YMCA in NYC. I thought this kind of city-center hostel didn't exist anymore. What a find! And the staff were very conscientious.
I really enjoyed my stay here, and will definitely stay here again if in Boston, and will recommend it to everyone I know. The breakfast is fantastic. Great location, good facilities.
The price is good and the location is good also,very few blocks from the
mero station. Clean rooms, very confortable if you are going sightseeing
and only using the hotel to sleep.
Very friendly staff, always willing and eager to help travelers have the best experience possible. Clean facilities and centrally located-couldn't have asked for a better stay!.
I like the helpful and considerate staff there the most. I also like its facilities and location which create wonderful air of relaxation and art and humanity consideration.
It would have been nice to have had a rail in the room for our towels to dry. We also took a little while working out how to keep the fan going when we swithched off the light but managed in the end. The pull cords could have been lower ! The staff were vey friendly and helpful too.
The area where the hostel is located is not the most pleasant of areas,
but we never encountered any problems.
The bed was not the most comfortable and the room was so small, If we had more bags it would have been harder to manage.
The lifts are terribly slow.We have to wait and wait...
This hostel is quite spartan, sort of a hybrid ymca and (traditional)
college dorm. This was not a huge issue for me but may bother some who
are used to more traditional hotels.
I would have liked more of a warning about, for ex., needing an adapter for my computer; some extra towels and/ or pillows would have been nice (though, to be fair, I also didn't inquire as to whether these were available).
The only fault I could see was the blinds in our room could be cleaner.
Everything else was immaculate. If you want luxury and aircon this is
not the place for you, but for value for money it's great.
The beds are confortable, but they could use a renewal.
The kitchen closes at 7pm, so if you want a late meal you have to cook it on the microwave on the lounge. Its difficult for you to prepare your own food.
Beds were quite squeaky.
Some of the kitchen workers looked almost sullen, or bored, or non-engaged in the 2 mornings I was there. That's too bad, really, because you can choose to have great customer service or just be a body and act like you could not care less.
A new carpet on the second floor would be great.
- location: a bit far from the closest underground (underground system not very developped).
The partitioning of the shower facilities in the men's bathroom are a little awkward for use (very tight quarters).
Florescent room lighting and a little street noise were the only slight (and I mean VERY slight) negatives.
The carpet on the second floor is old and smells like mold. The men's bathroom had only one working shower. The beds are creaky and the pillows are flat as pancakes. All of this pales in comparison with the value and location, but it would've been even nicer if the floors didn't smell like feet. :) But we *LOVE* the place and will book again for thanksgiving.
I had a little trouble to sleep because of the noise... This is my only negative point because I was really satisfied for the money.
Unfortunately the bathrooms were shared, but we knew that well before we arrived so we can't complain!.
They can't store luggage for more than a day after checkout
unless you want to pay $5 a day. But there is a ups store about 4
blocks away that charges $15 for a small bag every three months, so
that worked out well.
A little fabric softener in the towels would be much appreciated!.
Nothing whatsoever.
The room was a bit to small in comparison of the accomodations of the hotel. Makes you doubt for just a second the price.
Other than that, everything was good.
You cannot wish more for this price! All was great, except for the rain... ;-).
Only one toilet/shower block for the whole floor is a bit uncomfortable but it was clearly stated during the booking process.
Decor a bit dated but being improved. Reception staff could be more outgoing and proactive with information about facilities and hostel procedures. Not quite so 'hip' as adverts imply-actually a good thing!.
Rooms and bathrooms are very old fashioned. They are both very clean, but could definately use a little renovation. Also, there are not really enough bathrooms for the number of guests. Needed a washcloth--did not know I had to provide my own.
The toilets haha but it was not too bad.
You do get what you pay for, there is not a lot of space and it certainly wasn't plush.
Some people have commented on the long stay guests, but they were all really friendly and helpful.
Dinner is only until 7, so we didn't Gert back in time a couple of nights, but tgheres loads of eateries nearby.
Having to share a bathroom with young women who didn't clean up
after themselves. Took 1/2 hr shower while I waited. I took a bath
as the tub looked pristine! And was so glad it was available with my
sore feet from walking!.
Trying to think of something I didn't like. Let me see. You could say there are few showers which is true but we never had a problem getting one when we wanted, male or female.
I didn't expect such a long walk to the titles/ showers... a small issue though.
Shared restrooms.
Breakfast Gets crowded and some things will be out in the last half hour.
This is now my second time to stay at 40 Berkeley. And there is no doubt that I will stay there again. However, the rooms are EXTREMELY warm, with little one can do to control the radiator-generated heat.
The rooms are small but Boston is such a great city that you are only there to sleep so we didn't mind at all and there was never a queue for the bathrooms.
There is no air conditioning which can be pretty difficult during the peak of summer! Just be aware of it.
The room is little bit cold. The table lamp is not functioning.
I got a room to the main street, and it was really loud so I have to close the window and use the earplugs to sleep well.
The matresses aren't that comfortable, but for the price, who's complaining.
