The Hostelz.com Review
The Santa Barbara Hostel falls easily into one of our worst experiences, despite a few good points. The management seems to not know a thing about treating guests well -- it was a horrible experience, but it was cheap in a time of need, so there is that.
The Location
The hostel is located toward the end of South Beach on Twentieth Street near Collins Avenue, close to some amenities like a Walgreens pharmacy and a library. It is in walking distance of one of the more popular shopping/dining spots called Lincoln Road Mall, and it is easy to get around the immediate area on foot or on the local bus, which stops a couple blocks away. The neighbourhood seems more residential, but on the main street are many hotels, clubs, and shops.
Rooms and Bathrooms
We had a room on the first floor, and the door would not lock (they use actual keys here). The bathroom window has no latch so it could not close, and there are always people in the alley hanging out. This feels quite unsafe as someone could easily enter the female dorm. The AC is noisy and dirty, resulting in a stuffed-up nose and sinus troubles.
After switching to a six-bed mixed dorm from a four-bed female, things got a bit better. There are no lockers in the rooms, but the beds are comfy and new. A maid comes every couple of days but the room still seems dirty all the time. Some rooms have small fridges but no shelves or closets or anything for storage. Showers are ok, with hot water, but are a little unsanitary when not cleaned for a few days. The shower curtain always falls down, resulting in a wet bathroom, and no one comes to put it back up.
Common Spaces
The lobby is a converted guest room, from which the desk person can sometimes see who comes in, but really anyone can walk in off the streets, which looks onto an alley leading from the games room/kitchen -- there is no security, no cameras, and random people enter through a back door, which is never locked.
The games room has a few games that no one seems interested in -- this also doubles as a "kitchen" that consists of just a microwave (no sink, stove, or fridge). Breakfast (bread and jam/peanut butter, coffee) are provided here, but it's always a mess and there are never any cups or spoons or even plates to use. We decided to skip this. There is also a big, old TV in this room.
The courtyard is spacious, but early in the morning it's strewn with scores of beer cans and the occasional vomit on the stairwell from loud parties where people hang out and get smashed until 4 a.m. most nights. Don't expect to sleep well with all the noise -- bring earplugs. There is also a soda machine there.
Some of the characters who stay here seem to actually live here and rent their room by the month -- they are very weird types. The manager is very unfriendly and unhelpful, as are the front desk staff (all foreign females who speak with very little good English, so it's hard sometimes to communicate). They even put our payment on someone else's account while there, and this took ages to clear up.
Summary
Our overall opinion is that this hostel is only a good place to stay if you have no other options, as it is loud and dirty, and the staff are very poor. There is no security at all, so watch your stuff, lock your door and windows, and sleep with one eye open. The beds are good and the location is ok too, but overall, we would not recommend it.
The Location
The hostel is located toward the end of South Beach on Twentieth Street near Collins Avenue, close to some amenities like a Walgreens pharmacy and a library. It is in walking distance of one of the more popular shopping/dining spots called Lincoln Road Mall, and it is easy to get around the immediate area on foot or on the local bus, which stops a couple blocks away. The neighbourhood seems more residential, but on the main street are many hotels, clubs, and shops.
Rooms and Bathrooms
We had a room on the first floor, and the door would not lock (they use actual keys here). The bathroom window has no latch so it could not close, and there are always people in the alley hanging out. This feels quite unsafe as someone could easily enter the female dorm. The AC is noisy and dirty, resulting in a stuffed-up nose and sinus troubles.
After switching to a six-bed mixed dorm from a four-bed female, things got a bit better. There are no lockers in the rooms, but the beds are comfy and new. A maid comes every couple of days but the room still seems dirty all the time. Some rooms have small fridges but no shelves or closets or anything for storage. Showers are ok, with hot water, but are a little unsanitary when not cleaned for a few days. The shower curtain always falls down, resulting in a wet bathroom, and no one comes to put it back up.
Common Spaces
The lobby is a converted guest room, from which the desk person can sometimes see who comes in, but really anyone can walk in off the streets, which looks onto an alley leading from the games room/kitchen -- there is no security, no cameras, and random people enter through a back door, which is never locked.
The games room has a few games that no one seems interested in -- this also doubles as a "kitchen" that consists of just a microwave (no sink, stove, or fridge). Breakfast (bread and jam/peanut butter, coffee) are provided here, but it's always a mess and there are never any cups or spoons or even plates to use. We decided to skip this. There is also a big, old TV in this room.
The courtyard is spacious, but early in the morning it's strewn with scores of beer cans and the occasional vomit on the stairwell from loud parties where people hang out and get smashed until 4 a.m. most nights. Don't expect to sleep well with all the noise -- bring earplugs. There is also a soda machine there.
Some of the characters who stay here seem to actually live here and rent their room by the month -- they are very weird types. The manager is very unfriendly and unhelpful, as are the front desk staff (all foreign females who speak with very little good English, so it's hard sometimes to communicate). They even put our payment on someone else's account while there, and this took ages to clear up.
Summary
Our overall opinion is that this hostel is only a good place to stay if you have no other options, as it is loud and dirty, and the staff are very poor. There is no security at all, so watch your stuff, lock your door and windows, and sleep with one eye open. The beds are good and the location is ok too, but overall, we would not recommend it.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
July 2010
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