HI-DC Awards

We are committed to being stewards of the environment. However, we do not view our environmental responsibility as a destination. Rather, we see it as a continuous journey. Here is a list of things we are doing and that we plan to do in the next year:

• Named by TreeHugger, a Discovery Company, as the Best Sightseeing Base in North America (one of only 12 properties to be donned "Hip and Green")
• Recognized by Hostel World, Hostel Bookers, The National Newspaper, and travelbite.co.uk as having one of the Top 10 Eco Hostels in world
• The only hostel in the DC area to be designated an Eco-Friendly hostel by Hostel World and Hostels Club
• Perpetually cited as a "Top Hostel" by Hostel World
• Consistently ranked, monthly, in the Top 10 of all US hostels by Hostel World
• Regularly ranked #1 in DC by Trip Advisor (Alternative Lodging), and rated 4-Stars on Yelp
• Named as a "Author's Pick" by Lonely Planet
• For 2010, ranked the #6 hostel in the US by Hostel World
• Became HI-Q Certified in 2010, the hostel industry’s foremost quality management system
• Recognized by HI-USA as the "Most Improved Large Hostel" for 2009
• In 2008, leading up to the Presidential Inauguration, one of two hostels named a "Best Value" in Washington, DC by WUSA Channel 9 News (TV)

HI-DC Green Program

• Currently purchasing Renewable Energy Credits to offset all greenhouse gas emissions for power generation
• Starting in 2013, all power will be from renewable sources
• Recycle Aluminum, Glass, Paper, Plastic, Cardboard, Batteries, and ink/toner cartridges
• Use (and then recycle) compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) throughout the hostel
• All guestrooms exclusively use low VOC paint and carpet that is low VOC, made from recycled materials, and is itself 100% recyclable
• All paper (office paper, toilet tissue, and hand towels) is from at least 95% recycled materials
• Provide reusable plateware and flatware in the kitchen and for breakfast (no disposables)
• The lowest water consumption per overnight guest of all HI's Gateway City properties
• Follow a linen re-use program to conserve water (during a hosteller’s stay, linens are washed only by request)
• Have push faucets on all bathroom sinks (the timer reduces water consumption)
• Use low-flow aerators on all bathroom sink faucets
• Reduce chemicals in the environment by employing Green Seal Certified cleaning products for all routine cleaning (all-purpose cleaner, bathroom cleaner, glass cleaner, air freshener)
• Employ environmentally friendly dish soap in the kitchen
• Provide information on recycling and the environment throughout the property (Recycling Centers on each floor, poster on the inside of each guestroom door, HI-USA’s Environmental Commitment posters throughout the property)
• Host monthly documentary movie nights on environmental topics
• Member of Better Business Bureau, Chamber of Commerce – DC, Destination DC (Washington Convention & Tourism Bureau), Energy Star (certified), Green Hotels Association, SBNOW (Sustainable Business Network of Washington)
• All new appliances will be Energy Star rated

All organizations are accountable to their customers & communities, and HI-DC takes this obligation to heart.		HI-DC is an active participant in, and contributor to, the local economy, while at the same time working toward worldwide cultural understanding.		Destination DC: A healthy business community contributes to a healthy civic community, and affords local businesses, like HI-DC, the opportunity to provide assistance to underserved citizens.
We are humbled to be listed among the world’s most ecologically-aware hostels by organizations like TreeHugger, Hostel World, Hostels Club, Hostel Bookers, The National Newspaper, and travelbite.co.uk		HI-DC is proud to be a part of environmentally minded organizations in the lodging industry.		By doing what we can to do our part, businesses are at the heart of the movement to create better communities, and thus reduce the eco-footprint of businesses worldwide.
HI-Q: The highest hostel standards worldwide comprise the HI Quality Management System; only certified hostels may display the logo, the greatest assurance of a quality hostel experience.