Sandy Youth Hotel

DIRTY-DIRTY-DIRTY!! Do not stay at this hotel. Bathrooms are filthy, shower courtain looks as it has never been washed, they don't even have a little rack to place your shampoo or soap, so you have to put them on the mucus-like floor where you think something alive will arise from beneath. Dorms are co-ed and smell like hell. Staff is careless and not so smart. It was my worst experience ever in a hostel, after many years of backpacking.

I spent a week in Rome in December 2005. I decided to try Sandy Hostel for 4 nights and their sister Bella Roma for 3 (see my other review). I flew with Easyjet into Rome Ciampino, a small airport about 12km south of the city centre. Sit on the right of the plane and you'll get great views of the city and St Peter's as you approach to land. This airport's future was probably in doubt before the advent of the low cost airlines and is now busy with Ryanair and Easyjet flights. However, this means it does not have a direct rail link to the city centre, the metro line A which runs north-west to south-east stops about 4km to the north-east of the airfield. Don't be tempted to take Easyjet's coach transfer to the "Termini" central railway station. You see a big sign for this as soon as you enter the arrivals lounge. It costs €15 return or €8 single. All you need to do is step outside the terminal and take an orange bus run by "Cotral" to the end of metro line A and the stop called "Anagnina". These buses run every 40 minutes and cost just €1. They alternate between a direct service (about 20 mins to Anagnina) and one that goes via the adjacent town of Ciampino (about 30 mins to Anagnina). If you happen to get a bus that goes via Ciampino, you could get off here and take the overground train into Termini railway station instead. However, this means you might just have to get back on the metro there, so don't bother. It is clear when you have reached Anagnina, as it is a large bus station and you will see the red "M" for the metro. Go down the steps and buy the €1 ticket which lasts for 75 minutes from the point of validation (stick it in the ticket machine as you go through the barrier). So, total cost to anywhere in Rome, 2 Euros compared to Easyjet's 8 Euros for the central station. For Sandy Hostel, the metro from Anagnina to Termini will take about 25 mins, so allow about 1.5 hours total from the Airport, allowing for waiting time for the bus. When you get off the Metro at "Termini" go upstairs and find the last platform number 24. Now with the tracks behind you walk straight out and into the middle of the adjacent bus station. You should now see Via Cavour (Cavour Street) on your left. Walk down Via Cavour on the left side 7 blocks, about 500m. The entrance to Sandy Hostel is unsignposted and is a set of black doors just after a Hotel entrance and before a shop selling American Indian clothing ! The buzzer is on the right. Press it and they will let you in. You walk up a stone staircase all the way to the top. The hostel is on the 4th floor. The staff were friendly when I arrived. One of two Greek girls took my money and gave me a free map of the city and suggested some places to go. Inside the Hostel is very small, essentially just about 7 rooms off a narrow corridor, a flat conversion. Although some rooms have a shower and toilet inside, most don't and there are just 2 shower and toilet rooms. However, this didn't seem to be a problem in the mornings and I rarely had to wait. The dorm rooms have 3 bunks in and adequate lockers (bring your own padlock). The mattresses were quite thin but comfortable. Clean sheets and a pillow case are provided and there are 3 blankets which you can use. The windows are double glazed and fitted with shutters so the sound and light insulation is good during the night. However, the biggest issue is the lack of any heating in the room. As this was December it got quite cold in the night, so don't forget your pyjamas! I would have been very cold without mine. One of my days in Rome was non-stop rain and so I was cold when I returned to the hostel. The only way to get warm was to have a shower. Happily, the showers have gas combination boilers and provide ample hot water any time of the day. The next biggest issue for some will be the complete lack of any kitchen facility for cooking or drinking. The male cleaner was actually living permanently in my room and cooked there from time to time on his own portable electric stove. What would really improve this hostel would be if they converted the first room on the left as you enter (this is on its own) into a kitchen and lounge area. This would enable you to get to know some people and have some refreshments. As it was, a few sat in the corridor which barely wide enough for 2 chairs making sandwiches on fold out tables. HOwever, one advantage of this was that it was quite quiet at night because there was no real opportunity for people to speak to one another (unlike Bella Roma - see my other review). On the plus point, the hostel has many cafes and Internet cafes close by. I used the one that is literaly right next door. Internet access starts at 50 Euro cents for 15 mins. The location is typical for a city centre close to a station, a little bit scummy and full of hotels and hostels, but I loved it and would recommend it. The hostel is only 5 mins walk to the Station one way and 5 mins to the Colosseum the other. If you go to the Chinese restaurant next door or the Pizza Esquilino opposite, be sure to agree the service charge before you go in. I got 5 Euros added onto an 18 Euro bill (28%) at the latter. Also, be careful in the many pizza and pastry bars if they invite you to sit down - they will charge you extra. This happened in "Big Bens" also just around the corner. All in all, I liked this hostel and would recomment it. Especially, given the price - I paid only 11 Euros a night (£7.50) by booking using hostels.com - if I had booked direct with the hostel it would have been 14 euros. At this price and in this location you can't complain. If travelling alone, I will return. Rich D, England, UK Email origin.sandyhostelreview@ NOSPAMPLEASE erudite.co.uk

My friend and I stayed at countless hostels on our trip, and this one was so nasty! I would never recommend it to anyone. They may SAY there's Internet and no lockout, but the guy laughed at us when we said we wanted to use the computer. The blankets were damp and dirty, and thrown in a ball on the floor. The lockers had half-eaten food and garbage in them. Not to mention the building itself looked abandoned. If we hadn't put a deposit down online, we would have left.

We went there in March but at night it's still pretty cold. There weren't any heaters in the hostel so it's rather cold at night, though they provided us three nasty blankets, which were very heavy. The two public toilets/bathrooms were disgusting and at the time we arrived, one of those was out of order! That means there was only one left for all! Besides, the toilet was smelly and narrow. The shower was weak and only lukewarm. And be prepared for stairs that are four-stories high (you have to pay for the lift). And there is actually a lockout from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

It's not the best place maybe, but the best thing is that they get you discounts and get you to go on Homer's pub crawl — the best thing to do in Rome. They have the coolest staff. Take it easy, everyone.

This hostel was only excellent because I met somebody from England here. He was so unique, wonderful, and fascinating that I just couldn't forget him — and so I followed him to London! So it was my destiny. Thank you Hostel Sandy! :)

There is no sign outside this hostel and it is very difficult to find, even though it's close to the station. The people were nice but there are only two showers, two toilets and two basins for the whole hostel, which is not good when it's full (about 50 people crammed in!). That picture you can see if you scroll up on the Web site is of one of the two bathrooms in the hostel. The beds are uncomfortable and the climb to the fourth floor to reach the hostel is not great — especially if you're on a budget and don't want to use the elevator, which you have to pay for before it works. The people here were great and that made it better, but in terms of value for money it was a rip-off.

It's close to the Termini and the Colosseum, but it doesn't have much else going for it. Be prepared for 4 painful flights of stairs on arrival with rucksacks, and always have 5 cents with you for the lift afterward. There are only 2 bathrooms and not much hot water. Make sure you bring a padlock. It's not the most relaxing place to stay, and definitely not somewhere to go to feel clean.

I really liked staying here. The staff were very helpful and they knew everything about Rome. The bathrooms and bedrooms were clean, and there were a lot of nice people. It was very near the train station and also close to the Colosseum.

After a trip through Italy I came back to Rome, and this place had a bed available. It is very centrally located: you can walk to the Forum Romanum and the Colosseum. It's also very near the central train station, Termini. And for those who want to experience the best of Rome's pub crawl: go to the Sandy. They bring you to Homer's Pub Crawl at the Santa Maria Maggiore. I had a perfect time here!

I have to say, when I first arrived at Sandy Hostel, I thought it was a bit dull and dingy. However, I met some of the greatest people staying there back in May 2003 and we had such good fun going on pub crawls and getting to know the staff who were very friendly. Brilliant atmosphere, 2 bathrooms which I only waited for ONCE, even when the hostel was full. A traveller has to expect living it a bit rough, it's part of the whole experience!! Anyway, I may stay there again at the end of this September as I'm going back to Rome so I look forward to meeting some more people! ciao x

The only benefit of Sandy Hostel is its central location. It is disgustingly dirty. The rooms weren't terribly dirty, but the bathrooms smelled like sewage and the showers were horrible. My bed (bottom bunk) broke while I was sleeping on it and apparently, "it does that all the time". The top bunk looked like it was going to cave in on me. I actually got a refund for the night my bed broke, but it wasn't worth all that hassle for a free night's accommodation. The staff wewre nice and helpful, but the manager seemed like a jerk.

This place is a funny house, not a hostel. I shared the room with 2 girls from Texas and we had fun, especially by drinking. But it's not the right place if you want to feel clean... it's really really dirty. The rooms and the toilettes are full of hairs! ...and the lockers are really unsafe! Ciao to everybody.

This is one of the grungiest hostels I have ever encountered. The beds are quite uncomfortable, and the bathrooms are the worst. They claim that they clean the rooms during lockout...but the bathroom and dorm rooms are just as dirty when you get back. If anyone wants to feel clean on their stay, I do not recommend staying here. In addition, the staff were a bit rude and definitely didn't add anything to this charmless hostel. Definitely a miss.

It was bad, bad, bad, don't go there. I can't recommend it to anybody! It only has one bathroom, everything is dirty, and not alright, voll scheisse auf Deutsch!!!!