I will be looking for a clean, secure but not fancy hostel in mid- September. Any suggestions? Thanks
Have you checked hostelworld.com? That will have pricing information and should have plenty of reviews and scoring on the reviews.
or hostels.com
Also you can check reviews on tripadvisor.com Very good site.
I have stayed in hostels all over the world and recommend reading comments by travelers and reviews as a guide. You will find favorable and unfavorable comments; so you have to interpret each one.
Always inspect the room before you take it. You can always go to another hostel or economy hotel. I have moved out of several after the first night if they dont meet my needs.
Evaluate the amenities and dont base your decision on cost only.