Wanted an inexpensive place to stay in Los Angeles and we both had prior experience with hostels in Europe so booked into the facility in Santa Monica. A private room with twin beds cost $78 per night. We stayed 2. Breakfast free but uninspiring. Choice of corn flakes or fruit loops, fruit was canned fruit cocktail, orange juice was bland. Could purchase for extra money yogurt, pastries, etc. The bath was down the hall, but was adequate. 4 washbowls, toilets, showers in women's room. Room spartan with sheets, blanket, towel provided. Room had beds, bureau, no hooks or closets. Elevatored building could accommodate 228. In good area, easy parking in inexpensive garage across street. Plenty of restaurants and shops. Wouldn't walk on Santa Monica Pier alone at night but otherwise felt safe in area. Hostel showed 2 movies per night, had a library, TV room, fantastic kitchen for those who wanted to prepare their own food, common room with piano. Spoke to travelers from Reunion, Brazil, New Zealand, Japan. Most in hostel were travelers, but a few appeared to be homeless and having them there changed the atmosphere. We were more wary than we might have been otherwise. Noisy at night from returning party goers. Earplugs recommended. Overall an OK experience for 2 senior ladies.

This place isn't bad at all, especially for the price. It's clean and the staff is relatively helpful. However, you are staying at $30/night hostel, so you need to be prepared for a few things. In particular, there's not a whole lot of privacy, your fellow hostellers might be a little bit strange, and the beds are about as comfortable as sleeping on the floor. However, that said, I didn't want to spend a whole lot and I couldn't find a hotel room in LA for under $100/night, so this wasn't bad at all.

For a large hostel, this place wasn't too bad. There was a big dining area, TV room and library, and only two blocks from the beach and one from the main shopping / dining area, the Third Street Promenade. However, our private room was quite expensive given that the price didn't include breakfast and the bathroom was big, not very clean and down the corridor. The rooms are also tiny - we stayed in a twin for the first two nights and there was barely room for the (smaller than your average single) beds to fit in, although the double room we moved to for the last two nights was slightly bigger. The room was also near the water fountain and so we would get people talking loudly outside our door all night, as well as the noise from the busy 2nd Street outside. No air con either, so it gets pretty hot. Nonetheless, the rooms and the hostel itself were generally quite clean and the staff was reasonably helpful. However, for about the same price we could have stayed in the air conditioned Best Western or the Sea Shore Motel, which probably would have been more comfortable.

Not a bad experience, overall.

Having just 'done' Hollywood as it were, looking forward to a relaxing stay in Santa Monica. Weren't disappointed, in dorm rooms of 6 - single sex if thats of any interest, each with shower room and separate toilet. If you're looking for a pure hostel then this is it, only provides breakfast but there is a great crepe (pancake) place around the corner which is frankly superb - on 3rd street at the shopping centre end. Oh, and it's right around the corner from the beach, if only there was a back entrance that could take you almost straight there. Not to worry though, its only 5/10mins away. Great for a couple of nights, unless you're a beach lover in which case...