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Venice Beach Cotel

Los Angeles (Venice Beach)

5 of 29
Address
25 Windward Avenue, Los Angeles (Venice Beach), California, USA   Map
Price
Dorms: $20.00 + 14% tax, Dorm with bathroom and ocean view: $25 + 14% tax Check Current Prices by Date Here
Location/Contact
Details
Venice Beach Cotel Online Booking
Arrival Date:   Nights:  People: 
Their Description
 
The Hostelz.com Review
The Venice Beach Cotel is the perfect location to stay on the beach in L.A.. Venice Beach is a very hippie place with lots of boutiques, artists, musicians, and craftsmen selling stuff. If you like the bohemian ambiance, you will be served

The Location

The Venice Beach Cotel is quite far from the Greyhound bus station. You will have to take two different buses to get there. It is easier to access if you are coming from the airport. However, the location of the hostel in itself is perfect! It is directly next to the beach and has a cafe that serves margaritas. There is a bus at the corner of the street that will get you to UCLA. But if you plan on visiting L.A., it is definitely better to have a car, as this city is really huge.

Rooms and Bathrooms

Each dorms sleeps four people. Some dorms have their own private bathroom but most use a shared common shower and toilet. There are also private rooms available. You need to bring your own towel/soap.

Common Spaces

There is a cafe in the hostel where other backpackers can meet. This is definitely a social place where everyone speaks about their experience. At night, the cafe turns into a bring-your-own-beer bar with people there to chat. They offer free coffee, free games, and there are free books to read. Wi-Fi internet is not free, though. But you can also go in the cafe just below the hostel to get free internet.

Summary

This hostel is really perfect if you want to stay on Venice Beach while you are in L.A.. It is decently priced for the location and you will meet plenty of other friendly backpackers.

— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
July 2008

How is Venice Beach Cotel rated on other websites? (NEW)
Hostelworld
 Overall: 87% 
 Cleanliness: 80% 
 Staff: 92% 
 Location: 93% 
 Fun: 83% 
 Atmosphere: 83% 
 Security: 88% 
Hostels.com
 Overall: 85% 
 Cleanliness: 79% 
 Staff: 91% 
 Location: 89% 
 Fun: 80% 
 Atmosphere: 82% 
 Security: 85% 
HostelBookers
 Overall: 87% 
 Cleanliness: 85% 
 Staff: 90% 
 Location: 95% 
 Fun: 90% 
 Atmosphere: 86% 
 Security: 90% 
Hostelsclub
 Overall: 57% 
 Cleanliness: 54% 
 Staff: 60% 
 Location: 70% 
 Fun: 50% 
 Atmosphere: 50% 

Ratings & Comments

3 Average from 46 Ratings

This is an open forum, and unlike other hostel guide websites we don't censor out the negative comments.
We can't validate the legitimacy of comments posted on this site — so take what you read here with a grain of salt.
Comment by Daniel R., USA/ Ireland
December 2009
5 Great place to stay in the heart of Venice beach.
I initially booked a bed for two days just to check it out and ended up staying two weeks. The staff are super friendly. The General Manager, Kerry, is the heart and soul of the whole operation and a real sweetheart. She upgraded me to an ocean view room gratis. A comfy bed, ocean view, and cool roommates made for a great experience. Great energy, great people, a really great place to stay.
Comment by Louisa B, France
October 2009
1 Forget to change my reservation, charged me $90, and never refund me
They forget to postpone my reservation in spite of they sent me a confirmation it had been changed. When we came in the hotel they had no room for us and charged us $90 because "we where supposed to come the day before." Then they admit this was their fault and told us we would be refund the $90 -- they never did. We sent fifteen-plus more emails and called them a couple of time, they almost never replied to email and didn't remember us! Don't stay here, they are not serious and not reliable!
Comment by Julien, Canada
September 2009
5 Just Badass
I had the most amazing time in Venice, and its mostly because of this hostel. The people there were just awesome and friendly. everybody was like one big family and it's impossible for you to get bored! if you're planning on going to L.A., the Venice beach cotel is where you should stay! its just badass.
Comment by Adam K. // Andreas S., Switzerland
August 2009
5 Best Hostel we had on our West coast Roadtrip
We traveled for two months all along the west coast and this hostel has been the best so far! The location is super awesome. You can see the beach from the lobby! The rooms were very clean (Daily Maid Service), we had a bathroom in our four-bed dorm. The staff were amazing as well. Very friendly and there is a party in the lobby everyday and you can drink and smoke in the lobby. Afterwards the staff takes you to the nearest pub/bar. The thing I liked most was the security. You have to ring the bell each time you enter and say your room number/name. Sometimes they even check your room key to make sure you're not a guest, which I really liked.
Comment by Clem McIntosh, Canada
August 2009
5 Amazing Staff, amazing location!
This is hands down the most accommodating hostel I have ever stayed at and I have been to many! The staff here are all Gems, and it seems to attract only good people as its unbelievably accommodating owner (Kerry) is a great judge of character. Their in house bar provides good entertainment and operates on a BYOB basis, consistently throwing themed holiday parties, even if it that holiday is months away! I recommend this hostel to anyone that enjoys, a low-cost beach-front location, good times, and good atmosphere!
Comment by Jack Simpson, Irish
July 2009
5 Mental!
brilliant hostel to stay in, one of the best i have visited. real friendly staff, comfy beds also right next to the beach and all the stalls. perfect place to stay if you are visiting venice beach.
Comment by Jason, USA
July 2009
5 Best hostel in Venice Beach area
I would recommend this hostel to anyone staying in LA! The staff is super friendly and the manager does her best to make everyone feel at home. Great parties in the lounge every night (BYOB -- but everyone shares) and almost everyone that stays here will become your best friend. Perfect location in the heart of Venice beach, and only minutes from Santa Monica. Great place to stay and its cheap! I would definitely come back here and I will!
Comment by Debbie, USA
April 2009
5 Great location, awesome staff!
I had a great time here! The hostel is in a great location right near the beach, and you can see the beach from the kitchen and lounge windows (and some bedrooms also, but i did not have an ocean view room). There is free coffee and tea in the lounge everyday. The hostel is open twenty-four hours so you can come and go as you please, and they have good security so I felt safe there. I thought the staff were awesome, very helpful, and friendly. Overall, the hostel seemed pretty clean to me. And they do provide towels, you just have to get them yourself from the towel closet. I did not have anything stolen from me while i was there, and there are also lockers in the rooms so you can keep certain items safe. I met so many great people here, and would definitely stay here again!
Comment by Nicole, Germany
March 2009
1 Clean and close to beach, but very unfriendly staff
The Hostel is very close to the beautiful Venice beach, but the surrounding area didn't make a safe impression. The guy at the front desk was not very friendly. We've booked a private room with own bathroom and also ocean view was promised. But what he first gave us was a small room without bathroom and even without window, so no ocean view! When we told him about his "mistake" he didn't even apologize. Finally he gave us the right room.
Comment by none, none
March 2009
2 Bad
I definitively confirm that I will never came back in this hostel. I recommend to verify if the bar is active, if the tv room is clean, if there are ashtray (because it's not possible to smoke, so if there are), how many frying pans are, how many pot's and pot's covers are, how much space you have in the two refrigerators, and then ask how many guest can stay in this hostel -- then you divide and get the result. Also a particular note for the stove, if it is electric one and how it works (slow and low for example) then see if people is waiting to cook and since how long. If you go there to visit it, ask to the guests before when they are out this hostel, what they think about every person at the reception, service, and so on, the get the result.
Comment by Hope, USA Nebraska
February 2009
5 Clean, affordable, and safe
Never saw one bug or hint of one. I booked a private room with shared bath. Because they had a group coming in they bumped me up to the ocean view with private bath at no additional charge. The room was very clean the bath was Hotel quality shiny. Free Linens, Free towels. Maid service every day. Even had a TV in the room! All for hostel prices. I've stayed at Hostels all over the world and I put this at the top for safety, location, and convenience. It's as clean as a hostel can be. Some people complained about this place not being "Convenient." I used to live in So.CAL, do not ever expect to get around easily on public transit in L.A. I'm sure this must be a real shock to people from Europe who visit. There is no easy public transit but the Venice Beach Cotel is located near the best public transit available in L.A. It's hard to figure out transit in L.A. and true the staff at this Hostel aren't helpful in that area because like everyone in L.A., they don't take public transit either. The blue line, which is near the Hostel, connects to everything. I love Venice Beach, it's one of the strangest places on earth with tons of fun characters. But it can be a bit scary at night. I was so impressed with the careful thought to safety at this hostel. You buzz in, They ask your room # and look at you via a camera, they make sure you belong in the hostel. As a woman alone I felt very safe and could enjoy Venice's attraction with out being afraid. There is a great restaurant/bar right below the hostel with free internet access so you can hang out there and walk up stairs at night. Taylor was on duty most of the time I was hanging around the hostel. I watched her relate to people and try to understand broken english, odd problems like a key that went down a drain, she was very caring and concerned about everyone. She was very willing to give info about the area and helped a man who's shuttle to the airport never showed get a taxi free to the airport. Taylor was awesome! I stayed here two nights and then I couldn't leave I had to stay a third. I'll be back!
Comment by JR, USA
January 2009
1 Good location, bad vibes
I definitely will not be staying at this hostel again. On arrival I was pretty happy because it's a room right on the beach for like $25/night, bathrooms are nicer than usual for a hostel, and half the beds were single (not bunk) so not as crowded as some places. As it turned out though, the problems with this place were way bigger than any of the good stuff. First, it was freezing at night (this was December). Then I got a bunch of itchy bites that I can only assume were bedbugs. Then the hostel staff stole my camera! I left it in the common room, somebody turned it into the desk -- confirmed by the guy who received it -- but by the time I went to ask for it, it was gone. I talked to every manager I could find, but nobody did anything. I said that I would drop the issue if they would just refund the cost of my stay (three nights), but they weren't even willing to do that. I think it's a pretty screwed up when the staff obviously steals your stuff and the management takes zero responsibility for it. There are too many bad hostels out there that think they can take advantage of budget travelers, and this is definitely one of them. My advice -- pick a different one!
Comment by Yaz, Germany
September 2008
1 Unfriendly
the whole building is just dirty. when you come in you smell some funky air, it is stuffy inside the whole building. there was a thermometer that said it was about 82 F in the hallway, no AC available anywhere. well we did have an ocean view, but that was the only good thing about the room, it was tiny and the bathtub was way too dirty. the reception didnt seem to be friendly or helpful at all, gave us the impression that they didnt really wanna deal with the people. i surely wouldnt stay there again.
Comment by Jacob, Denmark
July 2008
2 Poor hostel, great location
We stayed in this hostel for three days, and it was "ok." Compared to other hostels, this one is worn down. Our room was very damp and warm, and smelled really bad. The staff was quite friendly, nothing to say about that. I won't recommend this for anything else than the spot-on location.
Comment by Nathalie, Canada
July 2008
1 Very, very dirty
Dirty is all I can say. I didn't expect a three-star rating but that dirty. carpet gross, my sink was all rusty, and a big hole from rust. bathroom clean, and nice location but so dirty I couldn't stay there. so is another person that check out the next morning.
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The Hostelz.com
Total Combined Rating
for Venice Beach Cotel
78%
This score is a weighted average calculated from reviews on Hostelz.com combined with ratings on the other major hostel websites (see rating details below).
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