It was run as a hostel for some 15 years, but the owner of this basic neighborhood crash pad got tired of backpackers traipsing up and down the historic steps of the 1884 Italianate mansion. Fair enough. Now a bare-bones and vibeless pension, it still offers the cheapest Historic District rooms, though its potential is unrealized.
Dorms beds can be had for $26, but only for groups of three or more who know each other.