The Hostelz.com Review
Venice Beach Hostel on Pacific Avenue is a very basic hostel with a great location and mediocre accommodations. One thing to note before checking in is that there is a $100 deposit required for each person staying here and if you put it on your credit card, they say it will take up to a week for the charges to clear. This hostel is located one block from Venice beach and is across the street from a couple coffee shops and restaurants. The closest bus route is just a couple blocks away.
We stayed in a six-bed mixed dorm, and while it is a little cramped, there is a private bathroom and closet space that help make it feel more spacious. The room has a computer that is hooked up to the internet and while the room doesn't have WiFi, you can connect through the ethernet line that the room computer uses, as long as someone else is not using it.
The mattresses are ok but a little creaky. The sheets are clean. The room has an overall outdated and dirty feeling (it is an old building that could use some fresh paint), but they do clean the rooms each day. We found two little, red, roachlike bugs on our suitcase when we woke up in the morning -- not surprising, as there are many open windows without screens on them in this building. There are two wooden bunk beds and one metal in our room. Laundry is down the hall and generic detergent is available for free use.
There are two main common space areas with old couches covered up with sheets. The furniture is secondhand but serves its purpose. The kitchen has an open floor plan that connects to the shared rooms. Smoking is allowed in these rooms and also in the kitchen. There is a computer in the main room that can be used to check email or do video chatting. There is a luggage storage room off of the kitchen and we were allowed to store our bags there after we checked out so we could go out on the beach for a few hours before taking off to our next destination.
The people we met during breakfast were very nice and we all helped each other out because we were all having problems figuring out the "free breakfast." Breakfast is provided in the form of pancake mix that you must mix and cook yourself and very strong coffee that you must drink out of bowls because the kitchen has no mugs. Creamer and sugar are provided.
This hostel was a little expensive for the quality it provided, but given the location, we were willing to pay a bit more. We were in our rooms long enough to sleep and shower, and for that purpose, this hostel is great. If you are planning on hanging around and visiting all day this may not be the right place for you.
We stayed in a six-bed mixed dorm, and while it is a little cramped, there is a private bathroom and closet space that help make it feel more spacious. The room has a computer that is hooked up to the internet and while the room doesn't have WiFi, you can connect through the ethernet line that the room computer uses, as long as someone else is not using it.
The mattresses are ok but a little creaky. The sheets are clean. The room has an overall outdated and dirty feeling (it is an old building that could use some fresh paint), but they do clean the rooms each day. We found two little, red, roachlike bugs on our suitcase when we woke up in the morning -- not surprising, as there are many open windows without screens on them in this building. There are two wooden bunk beds and one metal in our room. Laundry is down the hall and generic detergent is available for free use.
There are two main common space areas with old couches covered up with sheets. The furniture is secondhand but serves its purpose. The kitchen has an open floor plan that connects to the shared rooms. Smoking is allowed in these rooms and also in the kitchen. There is a computer in the main room that can be used to check email or do video chatting. There is a luggage storage room off of the kitchen and we were allowed to store our bags there after we checked out so we could go out on the beach for a few hours before taking off to our next destination.
The people we met during breakfast were very nice and we all helped each other out because we were all having problems figuring out the "free breakfast." Breakfast is provided in the form of pancake mix that you must mix and cook yourself and very strong coffee that you must drink out of bowls because the kitchen has no mugs. Creamer and sugar are provided.
This hostel was a little expensive for the quality it provided, but given the location, we were willing to pay a bit more. We were in our rooms long enough to sleep and shower, and for that purpose, this hostel is great. If you are planning on hanging around and visiting all day this may not be the right place for you.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
August 2007
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Venice Beach Hostel - Pacific Avenue Details
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The manager should be in jail I have traveled in many countries and been to hundreds of hostels and this is by far the worst. You've got bunch of idiots running the show and the manager is a stinking disgusting jerk-off tyrant scam artist that takes advantage of clueless foreigners. You'd be lucky if you can get your deposit back when you check out, as they don't give you receipts that you are left without a proof that you paid your deposit when you check in. The cleaners do their job well, and they are friendly, but the managers abuse them and insults them and I heard they don't even get paid. the furnitures are old and should be thrown out. the rooms smell bad. the vending machines steals your change. internet wi fi don't work. the toilet don't work. nothing works and you pay for crap rooms, the price of a motel. and in no hostel have i encountered a weekend price. — Anonymous , france (2011-07-09) Disgrace to the USA This hostel is rated "F" by the Better Business Bureau, and I agree. The web page that sold me a Venice Beach Hostel reservation repeats 9 times that it includes free internet, and 5 times that it includes free food. In case you haven't noticed by the 5th time, the exact words of the final mention are "And remember -- Free Food". As a native English speaker, I am unable to find any fine print on the page which contradicts this. When I arrived at the hostel, the receptionist hand wrote a $10 per day extra charge for food and internet on the computer-printed invoice that, as printed, matched the pricing of my confirmation e-mail. Never at any time was I asked if I would like to purchase food or internet for an additional charge. Also handwritten onto the invoice was the $100 deposit. Though fine print mentions a refundable deposit, $100 is at least 5 times as high as any I had been asked for in months of hosteling. I said I couldn't believe the less than $60 reservation for which I'd received a confirmation email had turned into an invoice for $210 (including taxes). I was ushered in to speak to the manager, who told me the extra charges were in fine print to which I had already agreed. I am still looking for that fine print charging for food and internet. After negotiating public transit in the ultimate car town and carrying my luggage up the hostel stairs, I decided to cancel the reservation and go back out on the street. I was told I'd be charged a cancellation penalty of a night's stay plus a day's extra food and internet charges. Venice Beach Hostel was able to pull a bate and switch on me in my own country. It sickens me to imagine a traveler whose first language isn't English arriving at this hostel during the crowded high season at an hour when they're virtually trapped. A traveler from Argentina, with its struggling currency, is in for a surprise equivalent to a $400 Argentine deposit and $40 per day of hidden food and internet charges. I arrived in the afternoon in winter as a native English speaker, and had the time and information to go somewhere else. But hostels cater to an international clientele who often arrive after dark. I have been traveling for months, and hosts all over the world have treated me honestly despite any international issues with the US image. If these peoples' formative experience with the US had been this scam by Venice Beach hostel, I wonder how their style of hosting Americans would be affected. — Anonymous , USA (2011-03-05) STAY AWAY! My sister came here and it turned out that this place is the worst of the worst. She says the room is so dirty that she could barely breathe. An asthma and allergies attack unfolded. This guy actually had the nerve of wanting to charge $400 for my sister to check out after only 1 night. I had phone problems and had to call the hostel to talk to her. There are no phones in any of the rooms. When I talked to her she was already crying. I talked to the guy and told him my sister was not going to pay $400 for 1 night, especially if the rooms where not clean. He was irate and ended up hanging up on me, I called him again and it went to voice mail. So I left him a voice mail telling him I was calling the cops. Suffice to say that his demeanor changed and he only charged my sister $70 for 2 nights. However, I actually had to get the cops involved because he wasn't picking up the phone and the cops called him with me on the other line and let him know that if he didn't cooperate they would send a patrol car to that place. I don't know how these sh*t holes have stayed opened for so long. — Anonymous , USA (2010-09-05) This guy should be in jail! I got ripped off for $100. I went on a trip to Northern California for a trip, but I talked to the owner before I left and we agreed that I still had $100 credit. When I got back, he said he didn't remember my $100. I couldn't find a receipt, because he never gave me a receipt. He's very cruel. When I got angry, he started laughing at me and making fun of me. When I went back out on the beach, the other people who had been staying there all told me they had been ripped off, some people for 100s of dollars! They also break into the rooms when the customers are gone and steal stuff. I had a very expensive jacket stolen. My camera in the storage area also "disappeared." i've also heard rumors that the owner sexually harasses the females who volunteer to work there. Avoid this place unless you want to be ripped off and abused! — Mr.T.V. , United States (2010-04-06) there should be a class action suit against the owner by now what a waste of a good building/location. every terrible thing the owner is accused of is true and then some.i briefly worked there and i wont even go into the full details but they do include being called a dumb c***t repeatedly and being paid the equivalent of $4per hour-as well as being expected to perform an extra weeks worth of work for gratis AND paying him a "work deposit", which we all know is just another scam.i dont know why no-ones put a hit on this douchebag yet. he is INFAMOUS.get into the cotel if you can. the rooms are small and theres nwhere to cook but at least the staff arent lunatics. — monique , american (2009-12-06) Disgusting To start off with, my friend and I (both females) were put in a cramped room with around fourteen guys, all bunk beds apart from a fold out bed in a cupboard which i had to sleep on, surely thats not on! We didnt feel safe being around so many guys, a few quite older men one of which came in drunk and inappropriately touched as at 5 a.m. Had two bathrooms in the room, both disgusting and dirty, smelling of urine, and were clearly not cleaned while we were there. On the plus side, it's two-minute walk to the beach, a couple of the staff members were lovely and had a couple of brilliant nights with them, free internet in the room (when it worked). Definitely wouldnt stay here again. — Nic , UK (2008-11-20) Dirty, smelly, and don't count on getting your security deposit back! We arrived at the hostel expecting to pay $89 per night for three nights. We actually paid $105 then because we used a card we were charged $3 per day (we only used the card once so don't understand why we were charged for every day). Then finally we were asked for a $100 security deposit which we authorized on the card. We were in a private room, it was large and had a computer (thats the only positives). The toilet smelt extremely bad. The fixings in the bathroom including the toilet seat were hanging on very loosely and there was mould around the shower rail. Only one of the towels given were completely stain free. The sheets on the bed were cream (meant to be white). There was plenty of noise outside and if your wanting Air conditioning you better bring a fan. I could just about put up with these negatives for three days. The thing that bugged me most was that on the first morning I sat on the corner of the bed and the wheel bent backwards (im not that heavy!) I reported this straight away and was told it was fine, it would be fixed and wouldn't be charged. Then when I checked out I was told they were charging me, we argued this with the guy on front desk, we asked to see the manager so he called through to the manager who was only in an office two metres away but the manager just told him to repeat himself. We then decided to go see the manager ourselves at which point he turned his back and pretended to be busy. We asked to speak to him a few times and eventually had to just start talking to him to get him to turn round. The guy was rude, but eventually said that if we had reported it then he would not charge us, the girl who I had reported it to wouldnt be in till late that night so I said I would call from the airport to check they had canceled the charge. Then when I called he had still decided to charge. He is a coward and doesn't want to deal with upset customers! I feel for the staff there as they must have to put up with his lousy hostel and an unhelpful manager every day! My advice would be you're paying hotel prices for a private room so do exactly that, stay in a hotel, or like others have stated, camp on the beach for a cheaper yet probably cleaner stay on venice beach! — C Grady , UK (2008-09-03) Disgusting My son and I stayed for one week in July 2008. After I saw the room, I asked to stay one night and receive a refund for the other six days. The manager gave me the run around, and refused to issue a refund, unless he was able to book the room. He was rude. A real asshole who thinks he's clever. I hope the Karma bus runs his ass over. Our room was filthy. The sheets and blankets had large stains. The beds had bedbugs. The room smelled terrible. Bikes are not allowed in your room, and bikes are stolen from the bike rack in front on the street. (I saw someone breaking a lock with a hammer in the early afternoon). The countertops were all sticky. Clean towels were not provided. (although someone rehung the same filthy towels seven days in a row.) I would recommend finding a clean motel further from the beach, and walking to Venice. I used to live in this town, and it is a cool area, but this hostel is a slum. Not worth $100/night -- it would be better to pitch a tent on the beach. — Bill (2008-07-27) Just what i expected, just what i wanted This hostel is in a perfect location -- the beach is right on the other side of the building. There are beach stands, restaurants, entertainers on the adjacent block. The staff at the hostel (i encountered six) were friendly and welcoming. My mattress was super comfortable, linens were clean. Before my stay here i had just gotten rid of some bedbugs, the bits were finally healing. After my stay at this hostel, my bites are still healing and i have no fresh itching. I must have gotten a lucky bug-free bed. I don't think there is air conditioning, but who needs it with the beach breeze. My room was humid during the day, but window was open and the breeze felt good. The common room and the rest of the hostel's air was comfortable. At night the temperature in the room was Excellent. Chill air. I slept with just a sheet, but a blanket is provided so you have it if you want. Both bathrooms were clean. It's an old building, so some stuff looks raggedy, but in actual cleanliness it was fine. The shower worked well. No smoking or alcohol in the rooms but the common rooms/kitchen is all open to it. Night was fun with a bunch of foreign kids drinking together. Everyone was very welcoming. There's plenty of space to share with those who don't want to drink too. I didn't drink and i still enjoyed it all. Pancake mix in the morning, coffee and tea all day and night. Kitchen has lots of gear. I paid with a card and haven't checked if i've gotten my deposit back yet, but the kids checking out in front of me paid cash and i saw them get their $100 in full. i stayed one night in a six-bed female dorm. This hostel was a great way to experience Venice. — Twanda (2008-07-19) Infested with bugs Because I stayed in this place, I've been fighting bedbugs for the last several months. It's a health hazard and the bugs will stay with you. Don't even think of coming here. — Dave , U.S. (2008-02-26) Decrepit The common areas all reek of cigarette smoke. The place is freezing in the cold months. There's no audio (though advertised) on the computer in the main room. Only two burners work on the stove, and you have to fight for those. The kitchen utensils and dishes are usually filthy. The dryer won't dry your clothes with one use, that is if the staff isn't using the laundry room, at which time it's off limits to guests with apparently no time restrictions. The owner is a cheap, humourless dolt who treats his staff like indentured servants, which is what most of them actually are. He treats his guests with contempt. I'll never set foot in that hovel again. — Steve , Alberta (2008-01-29) Bedbugs nasty My Girlfriend and I thought next to the beach and cheap would be perfect. Until we got to our room it was nasty. We decided to stay for the night because it was late, we noticed next morning bedbugs and it was not the first time, when one of the only workers told us. Also at 3:30 a.m. some drugged out woman walked into are room and would not leave i yelled at her, she still wouldn't leave until i got up and ran at her she ran off. We tried to get a refund and the owner was hiding from us, couldn't get in touch with him and did not get our money back. We left with three days paid for and he did not give us are money back. Basically stole three days of rent from us. — RAS48 , US (2007-11-01) Bugs I went to the VBH august 27 to 31 2007. I am back home and I have bedbugs. I caught it there it is the only hostel I've been to on my five-day trip. It's all over my stuff and my house. It is very difficult to get rid of that because of the enormous amount of eggs that gets in your stuff. Supposed to be six-bed dorms, it's fourteen and two small, hidden, dirty beds. I don't think they wash the linens at all. You cant sleep at night because the hostels on a big boulevard and you hear the trucks. Not so clean in the neighborhood. — Claudine , Canada (2007-09-09) The worst I've had to encounter this place was atrocious! The owner/manager is a tyrant taking advantage of local and traveling people who have run out of money and has them work incredible hours for no pay. His policies are ridiculous. He keeps on thieves, caught in the act, twice, on purpose and has no care for common decency among his staff. It's a waste of a great building and location and anyone's money. Many of the people there are miserable and down and out, and literally crazy. Many of the staff are rude, crabby, lazy, and advantageous. And rude to each other. There are chronic bugs, biting, blood shedding ones, little dots of blood on peoples' sheets and skin, thievery, and rudeness and staff members shirking their duties. The rules are ridiculous and the customers must constantly complain. "There's a fee for that" everywhere you turn! The area isn't safe at night and bicycles get stolen outside. It's a good place for young foreigners to come and realize what a lousy place the U.S. is to Hostel, where there are no standards for cleanliness, craftsmanship, common decency, or character. — anonymous (2007-07-06) Hostile, not Hostel. When I checked in, the girl was so rude I was shocked. She saw me standing at the check-in desk with my bags over my shoulder. She looked at me then turned to her computer and played a video game for five minutes, before finally checking me in. They have this crazy rule that you have to be out of your room for two to four hours every day so they can "clean." However they clearly did not clean the room, as dirt on the floor was there when I returned. If you leave your shoes or anything on the floor of your private room, they will confiscate it and make you pay to get it back. The staff is so rude and indifferent I was shocked and insulted. Would never return. — fishfry (2006-11-20)