Best hostels in California: find options near you

My few nights at the Green Tortoise were brilliant and really added to the whole vibe of my San Fransisco trip! The staff were friendly, helpful and worldly. Before I even arrived, they were willing to change my stay dates (having spent an extra night in Denver beforehand due to a Rail Pass mix-up) and I stayed an additional night for the same rate. There’s breakfast included and events where there’s also dinner available, with Sinchai the convenience store chap very near with beer deals just for Tortoisers. Next time, I’ll hopefully make use of the extensive cooking facilities and will be back in the on-site sauna again soon, I hope. Keep doing what your doing, folks! Highly recommended!

The Green Tortoise is ideally located in the Fisherman’s Wharf area. It is close to sight-seeing locations. It is also easy to use the bus system. There are several bus routes that take you to various parts of the city. It has a relaxed vibe with music playing afternoons. The front staff are courteous and take care of any questions you may have. Breakfast was provided and easy to prepare. I would recommend The Green Tortoise to any traveler.

What a great spot. I stayed here with my boyfriend for 2 nights during a road trip stop in San Francisco. We brought a car and had to work around this, the parking structures nearby are pricey but safe. We ended up using public transit for the extent of our stay. Staff were friendly and helpful, answering all of our questions. The interior and ambience in this place is so incredible. Our room was comfortable and quiet, the fan worked well and I appreciated the sink and mirror included. The shared bathrooms were clean and always stocked. I loved spending time in the common areas and took advantage of the post card dropoff in the lobby. Docked a star because the free breakfast items are never refilled/restocked once they are put out as far as I could tell, and as late risers there were usually slim pickings for my boyfriend and I, even arriving an hour before breakfast closed. Otherwise, our experience was really lovely.

The best place i ever stay in SF, definitely on my bucket list on my next trip. The price is super cheap + THEY GIVE BREAKFAST AND DINNER, OMG thats a steal, love it!!. The big screen and comunal area is lovely, especially if you wanted to socialize. The bathroom and room are really clean, and also thank you for the wonderful staff, i only remember one name, her name is Amy, but in general most of them are wonderful. Thank you so much for being a great host, i am having a great time here!! 😊

Wonderful hostel. Felt safe and all my belongings were intact. I met amazing people and it was a good location to get places. Also free breakfast and free wifi. And a kitchen. I stayed in the 4 girls only dorm and had a great experience there. Loved the room #23 for the view of the city.

Great experience! All that an adventurer can look forward to! Since I knew I wasn’t going to have internet when I got to states I printed out the instructions to get there and it was super easy! Between little Italy and Chinatown so lots of awesome places to visit and eat all around. Such an iconic place! Full of histor, fun activities and packed with interesting people! Great breakfast and cool accommodations like clean bathrooms and beds. Looking forward to visiting this turtle shell again ❤️

(Skip to the end for the issues.) First: despite sharing the name and the same dorm room esthetics, this place is not affiliated with Green Tortoise Seattle. That being said, my experience here was in the same range of good as it was at GT Seattle. The main room is gorgeous – high ceilings, lots of seating, free pool table, a few free arcade games. The kitchen is pretty big, plenty of storage. The dorm rooms and bathrooms are perfectly acceptable for what they are, which is renovated spaces in a very old building. Tailor your expectations accordingly. I always found a clean bathroom to use, but a few of them were missing enough hooks for my clothes & other things. The location is Chinatown, not dangerous but def grungy. BIGGEST ISSUE: I’m surprised this hasn’t been addressed after so many years of operation, but at least in my dorm, the top bunks have no privacy. The bed divider curtain is like a foot tall (see pic). GT Seattle’s top bunks had 3-foot-tall curtains – real privacy. NICE TO HAVE: They had self-serve coffee & tea in the kitchen, help yourself anytime. I appreciated that they had caffeine-free tea as well, but what would’ve really made me happy was hot chocolate powder. That would’ve been really nice. NICE TO HAVE: I’m naturally comparing this with GT Seattle – sorry to say Seattle one has better breakfast: unlimited eggs! And more food choices. No eggs here, just bagels with spreads, yogurt with a few toppings, oatmeal, and fruits. All in all, still happy with my experience and would stay again.

For those of you, like me, who are used to 4-star luxury hotels, but hate the weekend upcharges and big city expenses, HI hostel will supplement adequately your need to save with a smile. With comfortable bunk beds or private rooms, working showers, kitchen space and a laundry facility on standby, and complimentary Wi-Fi, HI hostel has got you covered. Surrounded by people from around the world and a welcoming front desk helmed by caring volunteers, HI Hostel is the place to stay in downtown SF.

This hostel, located on Mason Street in downtown San Francisco, is conveniently close to Union Square and Civic Center. Its easy to reach from the airport via BART. The Powell station is within walking distance. The private rooms are modest and simple with access to private showers and toilets. The common areas are spacious and well-maintained with a California vibe. The hostel is close to dining and retail with small markets and bodegas available for everyday needs or staples. The price per night is competitive and affordable. The elevator is not the most reliable, but the stairways provide a healthy alternative and a chance to get in one’s steps. I would definitely return here. An overall enjoyable stay.

Great location, close to Union Square and lots of restaurants in the area. Our rooms were very spacious. The bathrooms on the other hand are quite small, with the sink and mirror in the bedroom. Functional nonetheless. Both the bathroom and the bedroom were very clean and well equipped with comfortable beds. Due to the age of the building you can hear pretty much anything happening outside your door but that’s manageable. Would definitely stay again.

A decent hostel! Super convenient location just 2 blocks away from union square, easy to go around by public transportation. I arrived early and the staff let me store my bags in the spacious luggage room. Compared with other HI hostel locations I’ve stayed, this one is relatively compacted. Bedroom and bathroom are small, but functional. And there’s only a few quiet space you can work for a while (except for the kitchen). Probably because of the renovation going on, there’s not enough natural light coming into the room or the common space.

This hostel was not bad. Good thing about it’s close to the landmarks including the wharf area I you mind walking for a half hour. But near places like the civic center capital in sorts. The staff pretty friendly that’s all

My main concern with this hostel was the attitude of the front desk staff. On the evening I was checking in, I was waiting outside and rang the doorbell. A long-haired employee saw me waiting outside but made no effort to acknowledge me or let me in, acting as though I was invisible. I was left standing in the cold until another guest kindly opened the door for me. While I was checking in, the front desk employee avoided making eye contact and mumbled throughout the interaction, making it difficult to understand what they were saying. The entire check-in felt dismissive. I would encourage management to reflect on the hostel’s sense of welcome or basic warmth. That’s especially disappointing because this behavior really doesn’t reflect the friendly and welcoming spirit of San Francisco, and I’m afraid foreign friends visiting the city will leave with the impression that this level of service and respect is ok and acceptable. I noticed that several previous reviews have raised similar concerns about staff, yet it does not appear that meaningful improvements have been made. Whether the issue lies with individual employees or with the culture created by management, I strongly recommend that it be addressed. Unfortunately, repeated interactions of this nature made my stay very uncomfortable. As a result, I chose to leave early and have initiated a chargeback through my bank. You simply cannot leave this issue unaddressed and think it is ok to take people’s money. At this point, it is not just a «welcoming» or «friendliness» issue, it is a respect issue.

I received more real service from the management here than I have in my last five hotel stays combined. After a tuff day of travel, I needed a brake. I had hit several dead ends and Tradewinds delivered. In the spirit of Hostels rhey stand out as shining light. Great stuff thank you. Great location awesome bar and food roght outside. Pick up and jam with the owner. Really good time. Thanks so much!

This place gets five stars all around because of the location and the price. The current monastic employee there, Assad is very nice and kind and does his work well. The hostel itself appears to be something like an office building that was retrofitted to be a hostel. It is not pretty and does not have any natural light in the common areas. The bunk beds are extremely small in terms of width like an extra narrow twin and don’t have much privacy from one another. They are nice and sturdy so they don’t squeak and creak when the top person gets in and out. Mattresses and pillows are of decent quality and the bedding is totally functional even though the zipper on mine was broken. My towel was good and my wife’s towel smelled dank. Assad kindly Kent me flip flops which was so nice. They give a free breakfast but it’s basically like bread, peanut butter and Nutella. Since you are surrounded by Chinatown, you would really have to be hard up to want to avail yourself of those offerings when you could go get some amazing Chinese food for very little nearby. They made a valiant effort to create community by having different programming and we were not there for event prime time so we cannot attest to the vibe created. When we were there it was about 90% young men The bathrooms are extremely basic.

Asad is very kind to all the guests; the environment is one of peace, cleanliness, and harmony. It is one of the best hostels I have ever stayed at. They organize pizza and barbecue days for the guests. The location is excellent, just steps from the Montgomery metro station and you can come and go independently. I recommend using Lime scooters, they are very fast and affordable.

Such an amazing stay! ❤️ Huge thanks to the wonderful staff and my awesome hostel mates for making my San Francisco trip unforgettable. So many great memories, laughs, and fun group moments. Truly one of the best experiences I’ve had. Highly recommend!

The location is great in Downtown and unbeatable for this price. The most remarkable feature is the very kind, friendly owner who provides breakfast, and has events planned every evening like free BBQ, Trivia + Pizza, or karaoke and so on. He helps you as much and as fast as he can and also cleans the kitchen and stuff as some travelers unfortunately don’t know how to do it. He was the best host I ever had

The host is calm and helpful, always trying to accommodate every need. Not to mention, the hostel is thoughtfully designed down to the smallest details! He’s a cool host. Thank you for the hospitality. Facilities usage and luggage storage are allowed on the departure date. Talking about the hostel, it’s clean and neat — shoutout to the bathroom as well. It’s clean, with no clogging, and always kept tidy. The water is hot. Location-wise, it’s always convenient to get around the city, and safe. It’s a great place to meet people. I really loved the time I spent with the other travellers and always being included in the joint activities. The hostel organizes activities every night (maybe not on Sunday?), so we got to know each other and chat. Breakfast is also provided every morning from 8 to 10 am, with bread, jams, peanut butter, eggs, and sometimes milk or even pancakes 🙂 I recommend solo travellers to stay at this hostel, as it’s really a great one!

A great HI USA hostel at a great location, between the beach and the pedestrian mall in downtown Santa Monica. Close to everything really. Helpful reception lady kindly allowed me early check in at 9am. Wonderful open courtyard, with doodles by guests all over the world . Large kitchen to cook and share meals. Clean facility, and comfy bed. Stayed only a day in a 10 bed dorm ensuite (which is nice, no need to carry key) during my USA Rail pass adventure. A long metro ride from Union station LA, worth it for the city. Did see free events listed, but didn’t do any. Discounts on bike rides and other tours in the area. I used the one for a bike ride. No free breakfast and $5 day storage fee for luggage after check out – recent changes from corporate, as of spring 2026. No free (edited after hostel response) late check out available. Heartily recommended for future visits.

An exceptionally comfortable and well-appointed hostel. Everything is so clean and spacious, but the kitchen really stars here with its professional-grade fixtures, complimentary cooking oil, spices, etc. Staff let me check in early for no extra charge after a long flight. Thanks guys! The downtown location has direct bus access to LAX metro transit hub and Union Station, so there’s no stress over getting around. So many items a traveler could need are thoughtfully available on-site. The 25 °C / 77° F dorm temp was perfect for a traveler returning from Thailand, but some other guys were sleeping in their skivvies with blankets thrown aside.

As a first time Hostel guest my experience at Hi Los Angeles Santa Monica went above my initial expectations. Check-in and check out Ruth were smooth with the staff being extremely helpful in both instances. The ability to store luggage allowed us to explore all we were waiting for our room to be ready. My party stayed in a four person private room; it was basic but expected for a hostel. I found the bathrooms to be always clean and in great condition. My whole group was very satisfied with the bathroom conditions. Although the room was clean, there was an unpleasant stench in one area of the room, which deducts a star from this review. Additionally, if I were to nitpick, the bunkbeds were extremely squeaky. Overall, I’m happy with my stay and would recommend it to others.

We used HI Los Angeles Santa Monica hostel to store our luggage whilst shopping and visiting the pier on our last day in LA before flying home from LAX. The reception staff and security could not have been more friendly and helpful. Super impressed by their amazing customer service which was better than the Hilton where we had been staying all week. Location was great for visiting the shops on 3rd street promenade and for walking to the beach or the pier.

I’ve stayed at the HI LA Santa Monica Hostel in September 2025. It was my first time in a Hostel, and the experience couldn’t have been better. The location is excellent, as you’re just a few walks away from the beach, a trainstation and other local ammenities. The staff is nice and helpful. The place overall is nice, clean and organized. Breakfast was served for a fair price of $5 (at the time of my stay), which included bagels, some fruits, cereals, milk, coffe and water. If you like engaging in activies to meet new people, the Hostel also offers lots of group activities so you can socialize. I haven’t enganged in any myself, but everyone I talked to realyl enjoyed it. This Hostel made my stay in LA much better than I could imagine, and I would definetly return!

This is one of the best hostels I’ve stayed in. The hostel overall is clean, the bathrooms are cleaned everyday and the rooms are clean too. I was really skeptical about the bathrooms at first, but they turned out to be very clean. The kitchen has everything you need and is very spacious. I love their community rooms and hostel events and also the staff is very friendly and helpful. The location of this hostel couldn’t have been better, it is right by the beach and the area felt safe at night too. Definitely recommend staying here!

Great stay for the price, clean rooms, and very clean bathrooms, for the amount of foot traffic. They have practically everything you need. We did not hangout for long due to the great many things we wanted to see during our stay, but it would have been a comfortable hangout anyway. Was not a fan of the smoking done in the back, but to be expected when sharing a common area. If you’re sensitive, now you know it happens. The kitchen was clean, and the fridges were handy for holding our things. Now in the surrounding area, it’s ocean beach. We came on a Friday night, and it was jam packed with people and dogs. If you are looking for a place to sleep and shower this is great, but if you are looking for a relaxing getaway. Absolutely look somewhere else. This place is bustling on the weekends. Lots of international guests stayed here as well so if you are looking to make some culturally diverse friends this is great. All in all, for a hostel it was a great place to stay. The staff were friendly and helpful. 5 stars for sure.

I had such a great stay with samesun at ocean beach! Location is awesome. Hosts were super friendly and helped me with everything and anything I needed patiently. Such a great environment! Super laid back, friendly for all 18+ ages, and you encounter a great community super quickly! Dorms are what you would expect, super clean! AC doesnt work very well but they do a good job of using fans in your dorm to keep cool. Beds are nice!! Soft mattress, outlet is in your bunk alongside a light and a place to put your water/phone/etc at night. I’m definitely coming to stay here again! Please visit if you can! If you’re looking to visit a hostel for the first time, samesun is a great pick. It was my first stay in a hostel and it got me acclimated to the hostel/solo travel culture very quickly and kindly! Also the location is PEERRFECT! Great shops, incredible food, and two blocks from ocean beach! The surrounding area is very friendly and docile. I never once felt in danger as a young female solo traveler out in OB. OB isn’t boujee, so don’t come expecting rodeo drive. The area is hippie central. Talk to the folks on the street playing music or hanging around! They will tell you great stories and help you out of you’re in need! There are many different musicians playing music on the street every day and night. OB and Samesun are wonderful places!! I 100% recommend you stay here!

Great hostel! The location is block 1/2 from beach with bars, restaurants, live music venues, and great shops with walking distance. The outdoor space is fantastic and social and always has good vibes music going. You can check out beach chairs and towels as well as boogie boards surf boards and bikes for small fee!! Kitchen space with storage. Staff was absolutely lovely and helpful! Will definitely return

Seriously a super cool place with super nice and chill staff. We absolutely loved our stay. Private room was super comfy. I am sensitive to fragrances so I was appreciative that scented laundry soaps were not used. We will be back for sure! Highly recommend.

Second hostel I visited in my trip. Overall, good atmosphere, and great location. Amenities were nice, and got to meet nice people there. I stayed in a shared room with 8 bunk beds. Lockers are limited and smaller than what they should be. A carry on does not fit in there. A loaded backpack barely fits if you push it. There was a mess all over the room, everyone had everything all over the place. It was not really clean inside either. And there was someone who slept all day and got to be more active all night, and also took the A/C to himself, turning it on and off whenever he wanted (the room was pretty hot). I would have appreciated being changed to another room, honestly. As for the rest of the installations… hallways were clean as well as common areas. I believe the bathrooms are not cleaned every day. I stayed 3 days/2 nights. Always used same stall and same shower. The 3 days the stall had the same cookie leftover/crumbs in the same spot, and the shower room had someone’s towel on the floor the whole time too, same spot as well. That’s proof that the staff doesn’t clean the bathroom daily. Which is a concerning hygiene and sanitation issue. Ah… staff has music excessively loud during the day… is that supposed to be this way? Other than that… great location, atmosphere and very friendly staff! Those were my favorite things about this place.

This hostel is located in a really nice area next to a bunch of bars, restaurants, little shops, and a target all within walking distance. It’s about a five minute walk from the beach shoreline. The rooms are decent and are expected of a hostel, and it was a little hot at times as there wasn’t much air circulation besides two fans that didn’t rotate and the window being open. The included breakfast is decent w oatmeal, waffles, and some fruit and coffee. And is good for the cost/night. The whole hostel is very clean and well kept and I’m very happy with my stay and would book here again if I came back to SD!

Upside: Easily one of the best hostel locations: safe area, stunning views of the city, Alcatraz, & Golden Gate. Good amenities, when they’re open. The People were great and front staff was friendly & helpful. It was affordably priced. Downsides: Not sure if there was no Central Air in my room or if it was broken? Very hot. Couldn’t touch the windows thanks to a confrontational guest who, claiming a health condition, wouldn’t allow anyone to touch them. Cleaning staff took it upon themselves to move my bag of properly labeled food into the «free» refrigerator, which resulted in some of my items vanishing. Free parking was available – but there are a total of 6 spaces available in front of the hostel. Additional free parking is a 5 min walk away. Construction in the area made parking very limited. Laundry was available, but it was only available 7 out of 24 hours. The room had very limited wall plugs. There was a surge protector provided, but running charging cords from the middle of the floor to each bed can be a bit of a tripping hazard at night.

3rd visit in 4 years. The Fort Mason location is extraordinary with million $ views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. For walkers, enjoy visits to Chrissy Field, Golden Gate Bridge, numerous parks (Lafayette, Alta, Washington), Ferry Building, etc. Convenient for San Francisco’s Public Transportation (MUNI) opening access to the entire city. Grab a 3 or 7 day MUNI pass. At the hostel, the lounge area on the main floor is comfortable. Lower level kitchen is expansive with needed facilities for meal preparation. On this trip, we had a hiccup and appreciate the excellent assistance provided by Ruben, Kevin and Darnell. Thank you for handling and making our stay experience so enjoyable. Also, thanks to Chris for the early morning coffee, tea, kitchen access and hospitality. The hostel is an outstanding value for San Francisco allowing $$ to be spent on experiences, food & refreshments. The customers are varied from youth groups, retirees, business travelers, international guests, vacationers, etc., adding to the incredible experience. Will gladly visit again. Katie & Mike C.

Overall, a good stay at HI San Francisco We chose HI San Francisco mainly because of the free parking and the positive experiences we had with the HI hostel chain in Canada. The parking facility, located just a 2–3 minute walk from the hostel, was excellent. We were even allowed to leave our car there during the day while we visited Alcatraz, which was greatly appreciated. The location is another major advantage. Situated in the historic district, it is within easy walking distance of Fisherman’s Wharf and many of San Francisco’s main attractions. However, compared to other HI hostels we have stayed at, the rooms were somewhat disappointing. We booked a private room for three people but stayed as a couple. Even for two guests, the bed felt quite small, and it would have been far too cramped for three people. In addition, the bed was rather old and wobbly. The room was also extremely noisy, with sounds from the hallway clearly audible. At a lower nightly rate, these issues would not have bothered us much. However, given the price and the standards we have come to expect from HI hostels, we would have hoped for a more comfortable bed and better sound insulation. Overall, it was still a decent stay, and we would likely book again because of the excellent location and the convenient free parking.

Our stay here was amazing. We felt safe the entire time, the location was a 10/10, and the price was extremely fair for what you get. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, and it was really cool overhearing them speak multiple languages with guests ❤️. You can tell they truly care about the place and the people staying there. The common areas were always being cleaned, which we really appreciated, and the kitchen had absolutely everything you could need. The beds were comfortable and the pillows were great, which made a big difference after long days exploring. We stayed in a private 3-person room in the secondary building. My biggest suggestion would be to either deep clean the carpet regularly or consider replacing it with a non-porous surface. A few small upgrades would also make a big difference, like a slow-close toilet lid, a motion-sensor sink faucet for better hygiene, and providing a hand towel in the rooms. I understand the sustainability choice of using hand dryers instead of paper towels, but those feel less sanitary. The interior and exterior doors were also very loud when closing. I know they need to lock for security, but some type of sound mitigation would really improve the experience. Overall though, we had a fantastic stay and would absolutely recommend this hostel to others and will 100% be back!

Wonderful stay at Hosteling International! I stayed in a 4-bed bunked room with individual lockers available, but bring your own lock. Free coffee was provided in the morning. The showers and bathrooms were kept clean. Everyone was very respectful of each other’s space and great company to tag along with. Hostels are always a great way to solo travel, meet new people, and try new things!

Obese, sweaty and extremely nervous dude at the counter. Scary guy creeped me out. I guess the good reviewer’s didn’t see what I saw. I took off and stayed elsewhere. Fortunately I didn’t make a reservation and give that creep my credit card information. I was told to come in on Saturday after calling and speaking with a very nice woman on Wednesday. She assured me the place was clean and safe. I guess she doesn’t know that that guy works there. Creepy, Creepy, Creepy

After trying to get a lower bank despite it was available in my room, they denied my request. I tried to come on the bed. And while lowering my body, I damaged my testicles due to old bed terrible wooden structure, and I couldn’t come down because of the bed structure was so not ergonomic and tall. Clearly, the old wooden bed, was a health hazard. I immediately called the staff to help me come down of the bed. But they also refused to help me at all. The staff didn’t touch me or help me. By cushioning my weight when I was trying to come down. Finally, I managed to escape that place without getting a refund. And I am suing them because of these health problems.

Location is just perfect to the Beverly Hills and if you visiting Hollywood bowl and observatory. Guys in front were really cool and welcoming, I have gotten a room first where was smell out of other person , but guys changed it right away, and another room was simply perfect. Air conditioning and enough space . I’m a room of 4 bed I have only 1 roommate. Kitchen also was clean and offer some teas and coffee. Didn’t use the shower, looks a little bit scary for me. Overall picture is great to that value.

Keep up the good work guys Will visit again 🫶 Great location right infront of metro stop and bus stop(s) Just a constructive feedback: If possible pls improve the sturdiness of the bunk beds , they shake a lot even with slight movements , they dont make much noise but still But for anyone reading my review , brother this is the best stay in the whole of LA for solo travellers and the 4.1 star rating of this place says something. I always felt welcoming be it luggage storage or late check ins and especially the staff who were all friendly like your bros 😃

Samesun Hostel is a great place to stay for decent prices. I’ve stayed at quite a few hostels and in my opinion this was the best one. The hostel was very clean, and there fully equipped kitchen was perfect. They had nice pots and pans too to make food. The hostel is in the heart of Hollywood. I recommend staying here if you are visiting the area. It’s feet away from Jimmy Kimmel’s studio and right across the street from the Ovation Center. I was here for a visit to universal studios for their buy a day get another day free promo. Overall enjoyed my stay here, will definitely be back.

First time staying at a hostel, and it was a better experience than a lot of hotels I’ve stayed at before. Remember to bring a passport and a padlock. The locker was just big enough to fit my small luggage so pack light. Showers are nice, they have shampoo and body wash and you can get fresh towels from the front desk. Will absolutely be coming back next time I’m in LA.

I stayed here for a few days and had a great experience. The hostel is much larger than the one in Venice (I stayed at both the hostel), with spacious common areas, a large kitchen, and complimentary breakfast 💯 The staff were friendly and helpful, and the location is excellent, right next to the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Dolby Theatre. There are also plenty of restaurants, cafés, and supermarkets nearby. Overall, a great hostel in a perfect location. I’d definitely stay here again 🙂

I’ve been here a few times when I need a budget place for a night or two just to crash and sleep, and close to LAX. It’s basic, but it works wonderfully. Oh and if you like meeting up people from all over, this is your place. It’s very lively right it there until the wee hours and a lot of stuff to do and places for fun and food. Not to mention is right there by the beach and some rooms are actually oceanview.

Blue at the front desk is one of the best hostel workers ever, made our stay fun and easy, give that guy a raise! Great location, solid facilities. They could go to expand the breakfast a bit and the beds were a little shaky so you can feel if anyone in the bunk above or below moves at all. Definitely would stay again.

My boyfriend and I had a great stay at this hostel—its location is definitely the standout feature. You’re literally steps away from the Venice Beach Skate Park, Muscle Beach, and the beach itself, which makes it perfect if you want to be right in the middle of everything. There are also plenty of nearby shops where you can grab souvenirs, snacks, or a quick bite. The Santa Monica Pier is about a 45-minute walk, and the Venice Canals are only about 10–15 minutes away, so it’s easy to explore the area on foot. We stayed in a double room with a partial ocean view. It was pretty basic, but exactly what you’d expect from a hostel. The room was clean and the bed was comfortable, which is really what matters. The free breakfast was a nice bonus and a great way to start the day. We were also pleasantly surprised by how much free street parking there was within a 5–10 minute walk—definitely a plus for the area. Overall, I’d recommend this hostel if you’re looking for an affordable place to stay right in the heart of Venice Beach!

Stayed in the private room with a private bath in April 2026. It had an amazing view of the beach it was really cool and the room was decent size with high ceilings I really liked it. I definitely want too stay there again. The bed was very comfortable too. The guy that was at the front desk when I checked out was fun and positive and made jokes I liked him. The guy when I checked in was nice too but just kept it short and simple. I also went out late at night and I felt safe in the area, lots of bars nearby too. I Was worried because I saw some bad reviews but I still booked and I am super happy that I did. It’s a really amazing place. Definitely going back there

This was my first time EVER staying in a hostel (so I don’t have much of a reference for comparison, to be fair). I stayed in a private room (with my girlfriend). The room had it’s own sink, but all of the bathrooms/showers were communal. Bathrooms and showers were shared, but privately. Had a kitchen area, with continental breakfast provided, and a communal lounge for chilling and eating. Located right off the boardwalk (like 20 feet) which was convenient. Although, at night, the area gets a bit sketchy (worth noting). Overall, not a bad experience at all. Just note that communal bathrooms and showers means that you might have to plan out your mornings and itinerary accordingly, around varying availabilities.

Oh, I couldn’t speak highly enough about this Hostel. The location is excellent. I could go skating right out front play saxophone on the beach and go play basketball right next to the Hostel. Rooms are very bright very clean very well maintained. I seen a four bedroom female dorm and I felt so comfortable. It made so many new friends and they have a shower right in that dorm. They have a great big kitchen and breakfast, which has good basic items. The front staff is incredible. Staff was so so so accommodating and I was so grateful.

Banana Bungalow Hollywood Hotel & Hostel is a fun and welcoming place to stay, especially for travelers looking to experience Hollywood on a budget. The atmosphere is social and relaxed, making it easy to meet people from around the world. The rooms and common areas were clean and comfortable, and the staff was friendly and helpful throughout my stay. Its convenient location provides easy access to Hollywood attractions, restaurants, and public transportation. Overall, it offers excellent value for money and is a great choice for solo travelers, backpackers, and anyone looking for a lively stay in Los Angeles.

Everything about Bungalow Hostel was amazing. The rooms are incredible, very clean, and comfortable. I also really liked the fact that the bathroom is inside the room and shared with only a few people — it makes the experience much more convenient and comfortable. The people who stay at the hostel are very open, friendly, and easy to connect with, which makes it a great place to meet new people and make friends. The staff is also extremely attentive and helpful. Abril gave me all the support and guidance I needed to extend my reservation, and I really appreciated her kindness and professionalism. Kiki is also an incredibly helpful and attentive person, always interacting with guests and making everyone feel welcome. Simply the best hostel in Los Angeles. I will definitely come back again and again.

Such a cool fun place everybody is friendly and welcoming. Very fun vibe breakfast included sometimes dinner as well. If you’ve never stayed in a hostel this is a great experience. Feels very safe thank you so much for the hospitality.

Doesn’t get much better, great place for young folks old folks and all my party folks. Hostel was very well balanced and friendly to everyone, These guys made it perfect! And so fun The staff prides themselves in almost always having a recommendation or event hostel planned event Even if your not a hostel person give this place a check! Amazing private rooms great prices Can’t wait to see you fine folk again!

Great vibes and very friendly staff The breakfast is quite nice and filling and so are a lot of the food options. The events are well organised and really fun! Special shout out to Steven and his tours of the Hollywood sign/Beverly hills a very down to earth guy!

I chose this hostel due to the indoor secure parking. Arrived on a Saturday night, 5/16. Young front desk guy, friendly checkin, explained they needed to keep my car keys so they can tandem park cars to accommodate more people. Later I saw him move my car. No big deal. I needed something out of it and realized he didn’t relock it! No cool! Fun bbq and karaoke later. I did see the bartender giving several employees shots. I do think employees shouldn’t be drinking while taking care of guests. Oh and all it was OK. So many friendly guests!!

I stayed here in the female dorm for one night only. I was given a towel, bed sheets, mattress cover along with the key card. They ask for 10 dollar cash or an ID to keep when you check-in. Then during checkout they will give it back to you once you hand them the room key. A bit unheard of because I go to lots of hostels. Good thing is, the reception is open 24/7. The bunk beds are sturdy. The washroom had shampoo, conditioner and body shower gel inside it. However, there were no hand washing soap 🧼 so please bring yours. There is a kitchen, fridge and Elkay water dispenser in the lower floor. The location is great in my opinion. All the office, consulates and food places are within walking distance which I really liked. I mainly choose this hostel for its reasonable price and the location.

We were a little skeptical about staying here at first because of the mixed reviews, but it turned out to be an amazing experience. It’s a small hostel right in downtown San Francisco, and the location is honestly a 10/10. The only thing we’d suggest is improving the patio to give guests a nicer place to hang out and socialize that would really make it perfect. Also, the receptionist from Japan was incredibly kind and went above and beyond by helping us with our luggage and recommending some of the best bars in San Francisco. Overall, thank you for making our July 4th trip so memorable. We would definitely recommend this place!

The hostel was in a great location. We booked the deluxe room with a patio, and it was very nice. Considering the price, the hostel offers good value for money. A special mention to Prince, who works there — he was extremely helpful and friendly. Thank you!

As a woman traveling alone I felt safe in this neighborhood, a few blocks down on Sutter is a nightmare, but it’s like 4 blocks down from the hostel. The place is clean and ok, beds are fine, utilities weren’t working on the first bed I’ve stayed. The shower is awful, it is not fixed on the wall and it’s not easy to take a shower. Towels and blankets are fine. Kitchen is very clean for a hostel. It is totally worth it

Amazing hostel with super friendly people at the front desk who really helped make my trip better. San Francisco also feels much safer and cleaner compared to my last visit two years ago. Everyone I met at the hostel was chill and friendly we even ended up going out for drinks together lol. Best thing is this hostel was super affordable and at very good location. Highly recommend this place to everyone and will definitely be back next year when i’ll come to SF

I had a very disappointing experience during my stay and would not recommend this place based on the customer service I received. I booked my stay from **July 21 to August 4**. Shortly after making my reservation, I requested to be moved from a mixed dorm to a **women-only dorm**. I was told this could be arranged when I arrived on July 21 if a room became available. On **July 23**, I had to change rooms. I was left waiting from **8:00 AM to 10:00 AM**, even though a room had become vacant after checkout. I wasn’t asking for an early check-in—I only wanted to leave my luggage and avoid being assigned an upper bunk because I have a metal implant in my knee, which makes climbing difficult. Despite explaining this, the night shift staff member refused to help and told me that even if a room was clean and available, he would not assist me. What made the situation even worse was his attitude. Someone had apparently called the front desk about my request, and instead of simply explaining the situation professionally, he became angry with me. He raised his voice, saying, «Why are people calling me?» and told me not to let anyone call again. I don’t understand why that frustration was directed at me. As a guest, I was only trying to resolve my accommodation issue. I was treated with very little empathy or respect, and the interaction left me in tears. There was also no manager available to speak with or help resolve the situation. Hospitality is about helping guests and communicating respectfully. Unfortunately, this experience was the opposite. I hope management takes this feedback seriously and provides better training for the night shift staff so future guests are treated with the professionalism and kindness they deserve.