Rating: 
Summary: Comprehensive and immensely-helpful.
Review: "Hostels U.S.A." is a comprehensive and immensely-helpful guide to over 300 hostels in the U.S. and some of Canada.Evan Halper and Paul Karr not only write candid appraisals on each accommodation, they give prices, star-ratings, addresses (including email!), number of private rooms, and apropos icons (Attractive Natural Setting, Good for Business Travelers, Romantic Private Rooms, etc). At the start of the guide, the writers explain to us what exactly a hostel is (no, it's not a hospice or a drunk tank). And in the back of the book, Halper and Karr put the hostels into enormously-practical groupings--e.g., Best Beach Hostels, Great Value Hostels, Best Hostels for Skiers, and Most Romantic Hostels). "Hostels U.S.A." is a laudable addition to both your knapsack and your briefcase.
Rating: 
Summary: Get out the map!
Review: As a prospective backpacker, I picked up this book hoping to find cheap lodgings along the way. What I found was an excellent resource, with accurate, witty (though sometimes too clever) assessments of the hostelling scene at each of the places reviewed. Though this guide isn't as comprehensive as others, I found it was the only one I ever really bothered to look at. After all, arriving in each new city, I wanted to know what I was going to be getting myself into before I checked in. Though I've considered lightening my pack by getting rid of everything from my underwear to other budget lodgings books, this is one weight I'll gladly carry.
Rating:
Summary: Wittty, well-written guide to America's heartland
Review: Bravo to Mr. Halper and Mr. Karr for tackling a subject long ignored by American travel writers: youth hostels. Their intelligent, provocative guide gives readers more than just basic information and a standardized rating - they share their exciting, sometimes zany misadventures in a unique and witty voice. I would recommend this book strongly to any travel reader, regardless of whether they would stay in a hostel or not, and I look forward to the next offering Mr. Halper and Mr. Karr create.
Rating: 
Summary: Hostels USA, 3rd edition
Review: Don't buy this edition.
maybe the next one will be better. That is, if they list Hostel website addresses,
list the States in Alphabetical order,
put in an INDEX at the end of the book
and a postcard for travelers to send updates! This guide's big attraction is its "quotes" of on-site people,
and authors' "opinions". The authors should date the entries.
Otherwise the assumption is that the authors were recently there
and that's not the case!
Lonely Planet, and Let's Go, guidebooks don't allow their
'scouts' to accept gratuities from Hostel Owners...
it'd be nice to see that statement from this guide.
Rating:
Summary: Hostels USA, 3rd edition
Review: I brought a copy of Hostels USA with me last year during my cross country road trip. This hostel guide was my travel bible. I found the information in it to be current and accurate. Out of the 35 hostels that I stayed in during my trip, only 5 or 6 of them were not listed in Hostels USA. But there were more hostels listed in Hostel USA than there were listed in the "other" hostel guidebook that I brought with me. Hostels USA was my "life saver" many times! I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Hostels U.S.A.
Review: I brought a copy of Hostels USA with me last year during my cross country road trip. This hostel guide was my travel bible. I found the information in it to be current and accurate. Out of the 35 hostels that I stayed in during my trip, only 5 or 6 of them were not listed in Hostels USA. But there were more hostels listed in Hostel USA than there were listed in the "other" hostel guidebook that I brought with me. Hostels USA was my "life saver" many times! I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Has helped with my travel plans.
Review: I recently purchased the Hostel USA. Great guide for hostels. In particular, the party hat rating lets the reader know if the hostel atmosphere will be loud or more on the quiet side. Thank you so much for that.
Rating:
Summary: Not a better guide out there
Review: Seven months ago I decided to hop in my car and take off across the country...All I had was a duffel bag in the back seat and this book...You can't find a better guide to North American hostels. Most of their recommendations were right on. I just hope they come out with a 2001 version soon...
Rating: 
Summary: An update once a while would help...
Review: The authors update maybe 5-10% of the hostels, and with a 'Party Index' you can tell where their focus is. The best thing for hostels is online, www.hostelz.com with honest reviews by independent travelers and lots of comments.
Rating: 
Summary: News flash! New editions cover USA, France, Italy, England
Review: The new edition is now here-- updated info about more than 340 US and Canadian hostels. This book has been featured in USA Today and dozens of newspapers; it's creating a buzz.Also new in spring 1999-- new books covering the best (and wost) of France, Italy, England, and Ireland! Check Amazon.com for more details.
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