About

We are proud to be the first hostel to open in Portland, Maine! We offer a communal kitchen and very funky and comfortable lobby. Our dorms, rooms and bathrooms are super clean. We truly believe in affordable travel and love the social environment that hostels create. It is not just where you travel to - but who you meet along the way and the experiences you have together. We strive to provide a comfortable and creative living space for all travelers, young and old.

Our location cannot be beat! We are one block outside of Old Port and nestled among some of the finest eateries, shopping, and entertainment in Portland. We are close to all major transportation.
We have the perfect accommodation. We have 12 rooms - 6 private and 6 dorms - 3 of the dorms can be rented out as privates. You must be 18 years or older to stay with us!

The Black Elephant Hostel Policies & Conditions:

You must inform us ahead of time if you are arriving past our lobby hours!

Cancellation policy: 5 DAYS before arrival. Please note - If you have booked through Hostelworld - you must also cancel through Hostelworld if you want to be refunded their commission on your stay.

All members in your party must be 18 to stay with us - no exceptions.

Front Desk open from: 7:30 to 11 AM &

3 to 8 PM Sunday through Thursday and 3 to 9 PM Friday & Saturday - November through May

3 to 9 PM Daily - June through October

Doors open to hostel at 3 PM - you will be sent some helpful info 24 hours ahead of your arrival - you may drop and store luggage in our lobby before check-in. If you plan on arriving past our lobby hours, you must inform us ahead of time or face a $10 'lack of courtesy' fee !

Check out by 10:30.

Payment upon arrival for any remaining balance due. No Cash. You must have a credit card in your name to stay here.

This property will charge your card for your first night's stay at the time of booking to make sure you have booked with a valid card. So - you will see two separate transactions upon booking - a charge to Hostelworld and a charge from us for the first night. If you are staying for more than one night, we will bill you for the remainder of your stay at check -in :)

Taxes not included - 9.00%

Breakfast not included but we have VERY good coffee!

General:
No curfew.
No smoking. But we do have a marijuana friendly garden space :)

The maximum period of stay is 10 days in a private room and 7 days in a dorm room. YOU MAY NOT BOOK MORE THAN 4 BEDS IN A DORM ROOM. If your group is larger than this, you must book a private room.

Please provide us with your phone number - we need to be able to reach you!

House Rules

Check In

15:00 - 20:00

Check Out

until 11:00

  • Taxes Not Included
View House Rules

Facilities

  • Free City Maps
  • Free WiFi
  • Luggage Storage
  • Housekeeping
  • Reception (limited hours)
  • DVD's
  • Board Games
  • Wi-Fi
View all facilities

Reviews

9.8Superb(349)
  • Value for Money
    9.3
  • Security
    9.3
  • Atmosphere
    10.0
  • Cleanliness
    10.0
  • Staff
    10.0
  • Location
    10.0
  • Facilities
    10.0
Stayed in Mar 2025
9.7
K
Katrina
Female, 18-24, USA
Great experience! Booked the private room for a long weekend trip away from Boston. Room was quite small (as pictured) but was perfect for our needs. Awesome common space to hang out in, immaculately clean shared bathrooms and common spaces. Super eclectic style throughout and the staff were lovely and helpful. Had some issues with our door lock upon arrival and one other time during our stay, but this was fixed quickly both times and caused minimal trouble. Excellent location, would book again.
Stayed in Mar 2025
10
J
jonathan
Male, 25-30, Ecuador
This is a great stay for a small weekend gateway especially if you are single! Will come back again if ever in Portland
Stayed in Nov 2024
10
H
Hannah
All Female Group, 25-30, USA
It was incredibly clean, cozy, and fun. Great vibes and well maintained. We had a great time and will absolutely stay here again if we're in the area again!
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Location

33 Hampshire St, Portland, Maine, Portland Maine, USA
1.9km from city centre