Samesun Venice Beach

❗️Best hostel experience EVER! Bleu was always friendly and helpful will guests! His patience is commendable! The entire (!) staff is eager to maintain a wonderful relaxing atmosphere and make shure guests have everything needed (and more)! The rooms and common areas are always clean and the kitchen is absolutely spotless. Guests have access to large fridge and Microwave. No drugs, smoking or vaping tolerated! Location is within minutes walk from muscle beach, skating area, board- and bike rentals. Will definitely return!!!

I was hesitant after reading mixed reviews but overall I had an ok stay. Good value for money. Very clean and they have room service every day. I had a shared room, private bathroom, with ocean window views. It can get loud outside but it wasn’t terrible if you shut the windows and use earplugs which they provide at the front desk. Breakfast isn’t super elaborate but it’s nice to have some options. They have toast and bagels, oranges, and oatmeal. Cute little common room to eat and chill. Good location if you want to be close to the beach. As others have mentioned yes there are some homeless people around but that’s just LA. They mind their own business and I had no issue. But if you are looking to be in a less hectic area go for Santa Monica.

The location is perfect for Venice Beach and short walk from Santa Monica. Bike and scooter rental on the doors step as well as bars restaurants and coffee shops. The staff here are super helpful and the rooms are clean. Great shared space to chill over looking the beach. Tea and coffee facilities 24hr with use of kitchen. Bagels and porridge oats available for breakfast. Shower rooms and toilets spotless with great water pressure.

The rooms look nothing like the photos. They’re very dark, small, and even feel a bit old. There were only two bathrooms on the second floor, and one of them was constantly out of service. If you don’t drink coffee or chocolate, bring your own juice — that’s basically the only option for breakfast. Keep in mind there’s no elevator, and the reception is on the second floor, so you’ll need to carry your luggage up the stairs — hopefully your room isn’t on an even higher floor. The location is great though; the area is amazing.

Had a long layover at LAX due to cancellation of a show. Decided to try this place. Price and location was perfect. Rooms were clean, comfortable, and bathrooms were clean. Met some friendly travelers in my dorm. Will definitely stay again next time I'm in town.

All the staff on the front desk were so friendly, welcoming and helpful. They offer to securely hold and look after your luggage on the day of your check-out for as long as you need, which was really appreciated. We booked a private double-room which had stunning views over the eclectic Venice Beach and Ocean Front Walk. The place felt clean, fresh and all amenities were well maintained. The location is absolutely perfect for exploring Venice Beach and all its wonderful craziness (Muscle Beach, basketball courts, skate park, the shops, cafes and restaurants), the Venice Canal Historic District, the boutique shopping experience of Abbot Kinney Boulevard, and you’re only a 2 mile walk or bike ride from Santa Monica.

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.

I've been to hundreds of hostels in my life, and I have to say that this is one of the best. Super friendly staff and guests all over the world, clean (daily cleaning), nice breakfast, the ocean is nearby. I will definitely come back! Thanks 🍻

This was the first hostel I ever stayed at, and it was lovely. The location was great, I was able to check in at like midnight, and the lounge area is so pretty. The free breakfast was only okay, but it's a $50 hostel, not a fancy hotel or a B&B. The bathroom was clean and so were the beds. They let me hang out in the common areas after I checked out while I waited for my friend to pick me up.

Heather was extremely racist I would never stay here and I don't recommend it to any one the place was disgusting and un sanitary I would love to speak to the owners and see if they know just exactly the type of people they are employing to manage and maintain the property completely un acceptable if I could leave 0 stars I absolutely would!

I had stayed at their property in Kelowna Canada which I liked so I tried this one out in the famous Venice Beach. The area can be sketchy but that's integral to Venice beach known for eccentrics. The staff was professional. The breakfast was generous and above average and the building and location are great.

In February I made the trip south from cold and rainy Oregon to beautiful Venice California. I made my reservation with a friendly gentleman named "Blue." I told Blue my arrival date and booked three days. I told him I would be arriving around midnight, and would it be OK if I hang out in the common area until the next morning and then check into my room and he said that would be fine. He actually sent me an itinerary that said I would be arriving at 1 AM. When I arrived at approximately 1 AM, I had to walk up an incredibly steep set of stairs. That wasn't the worst of it. When I approached the desk and showed my credentials, the receptionist, an overweight Hispanic fellow named Gustavo Advised me that Blue had made a mistake and I would have to leave. So I pulled out my email that said I'd be arriving at 1 AM. He said that was a mistake. I advised him that I had just been on a train for 28 hours and on a city bus for two hours and that I'm 53 years old and I have severe hip arthritis, and I don't feel safe being sent packing into Los Angeles night on Saturday night/Sunday morning. Gustavo responded that that was not his problem. I said with all due respect will you please call an owner or upper management because I don't think they would want me being endangered being sent out into the night. Gustavo responded no he would not do that and that I had to leave. I asked if I could charge my phone and he would not let me. I said "so if anything happens to me you take responsibility?" He responded "no I don't take any responsibility for anything that happens to you whatsoever." The receptionist Gustavo is clearly racist against whites and he endangered my well being. Staff can treat visitors any way they like without reprecussion.

For the price we really couldn't complain. It was conveniently located right near the beach. There was free breakfast, coffee and towels. We had a bathroom and shower in our room which was a pleasant surprise! Overall (my 4 friends and I) said we would all stay here again. For more information: I took some videos and vlogged about my stay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTP7WtlRpa4&t=27s

Samesun was to be a decent place to stay. I recall the Yelp reviews being 3.5 stars on average. Do you want to book a room in hostel located in a great environment, LOADED with amenities? Then the hostel you seek is not this one. But if you count staying near the boardwalk a true perk for surfing or any other benefit of being so close to the water, then this place is for you. I agree with Danyela. Though I'll add this: when I reserved a room 11 days before the check-in, I was quoted a rate, but that rate was NOT emailed to me with the confirmation number. So if I were booking here in the future I would take a snapshot of the rate in the phone. Samesun web administrators... are you reading? When I arrive, I call the office to learn from a Nick that there is no free private parking included :!! What? So I spend forty minutes looking for a parking space. Because, like Samuel L. Jackson, "There's No way in HELL I'm gonna pay fifty dollars a day for a motherlovin' hostel AND a parking space every motherlovin' day I'm IN that motherlover!! Yes people. The hilarity begins. I am lovingly welcomed by the denizens of Windward Ave, with a " Could you PLEASE spare a few dollars for a pair of shoes for today? " Only Today? Are you going to wear them out in a marathon tomorrow? I traipse up the steps I call the "Yellow Mile" where I passively overhear Nick tell the guy in front of me the rules, when he calls me to attention: "Hey, I'm gonna tell ya the rules here too, so listen up." What the heck, I just arrive only to be talked at already. Um...thank you?? Second, I was told on arrival I reserved a mixed four bedroom with its own bath. I eventually became okay with this. (He even started to tell me the rules again. I stopped him, explaining he told me earlier). Anyway, the price I was to be charged was thirty dollars more than I had reserved initially. So on impulse I canceled the initial six day rate which they calculated to $47/night after tax, deciding to use my one night charged. Two minutes later I returned to pay for just two more nights. So I was charged $100 for two more nights. I did not dispute the $3/night difference but as a courtesy, the clerk could have charged the original reservation rate. Nick was polite and helpful although a bit curt. It's easy to get the feeling that this is just a second job for him to help make ends meet. My roommates for the time including Sebastian, are courteous and quietly welcoming. Overall, this was really only a place to sleep for me- and served its purpose. The staff are polite but not out of their way helpful. I don't expect them to wear smiles all day like name tags, but one might at least grin or greet us once a day. There is nothing visibly fancy about the place. The kitchen is too tiny even for Oompa Lompas to swing their legs in. From 7am to 10am you are doing the waltz, conveyor-belt style, as you wait to do your one dish. Apparently breakfast is whatever you bring yourself- only oatmeal and bread with condiments. Woo hoo, you shout? No! By comparison, Banana Bungalow in West Hollywood has a variety of breakfast cereal, oatmeal, bread, and chilled milk, as well as bagels and Nutella included with your stay, for a little less. But after all, this hostel is on Venice Beach, where you can experience a nice view depending... on where you fix your eyes. And you get all the music you can stand from the fabulous seventies. At bedtime.. played by whoever plays it below... when the loiterers are not arguing, swearing, bragging, or all three. Ha-ha, you may think this ludicrous, but the loiterers pay more attention to you than the Samesun staff does. Funny, I know, but true and sad. You'll see what I mean if you decide to book here. Overall, it is an okay place, but it is overpriced for the amenities it offers. But that's Samesun. Samesun. Because you asked for it. Update: 03.23 Upon checkout Sara, the manager, brought up the kerfuffle from check-in day in which I overpaid. Thank you, Nick, for appending a note to that transaction. Sara quickly refunded me the difference, being copacetic the whole time. This attention to detail bumps the rating up to 3.5 stars. PS. Make sure you remove your sheets and pillowcase before turning in your key. Maria and the three other housekeepers work hard enough , so a little consideration goes a long way.

Not quite sure how this hostel received a 8.6 on Hostelworld, maybe because its the only one in venice beach? I was quoted for 30/night per person when I made a reservation on hostelworld.com Upon arrival, not only was that 30 dollars somehow magically turned into 45/per person (even with 15% booking tax-I was still told it would only be 30) the guy at the front told us they only accept passports as forms of identification. My 3 friends and I are all American, visiting from Utah-we are US citizens. needless to say, none of us had thought to being our passports to a weekend road trip 2 states away. Begrudgingly, he finally accepted our drivers license as ID. The room smelled terrible. Like a baby daycare mixed with chemicals. The lighting was awful-that bad fluorescent lighting you get in Walmart. Overall, even for a hostel-the room was dumpy. Upon checkout, they require YOU bring the sheets, pillowcase, and bedding down to the front office to be cleaned. What?? I've stayed in numerous hostels all around the world and I've never had to bring my own bedding down. Location is great, and thats about the only thing that deserves a good rating about this place. I would not recommend this hostel to anyone.

Worst hostel we have been at. It is super noisy, the room is very cold and humid, and the plugs in our room didn't work, so we couldn't charge our phones, turn the heater on or use the hair dryer. And the views "to the beach". No comments. I post a picture so that you can judge yourselves. We are here right now (4am and we haven't slept at all). I called the front desk and the guy just told me he cannot do anything and hanged up on me. I called again and kindly told him that the fact that he deals with young people doesn't mean that he can treat anyone like this. He just keeps hanging up on me, so we called Booking and they are the ones dealing with the hostel directly. We were very excited to wake up in Venice beach but after such a bad night the excitement is gone. We just want to rest. Choose somewhere else if you don't want this place to ruin your experience, like it happened to us. I can't believe this place has good reviews. I honestly don't understand. No matter how many stars a place has, people shouldn't be treated the way we have been treated here.

Stayed at a hostel while I was in Venice and honestly it was a wonderful experience. I had the window in my room open all night and I woke up to an old lady singing ain't no sunshine when she's gone on a guitar outside my window because outside my window is one of the little buildings along the boardwalk and I got lucky enough to find parking right in front of it so even though I had to pay a parking meter to stay there it was well worth it making everything so easy and accessible and also having my bed and breakfast on the beach The employees they have working are so hospitable and sweet and made my stay so welcoming and warm because I had many questions about the specifications of the way they ran their facility but 10 out of 10 I would recommend this place if anybody is looking to stay right on the beach at Venice Boardwalk

Front desk was very disrespectful and unprofessional. We paid for two separate rooms for our group of three and only got one room. Then was told that the third person could not be here and was told to leave because it's two to a room. Worst experience at any hostel/hotel. Would definitely not recommend.

Great spot for a decent price. Breakfast is amazing! The staff were friendly and accommodating. Thank you G

YOU NEED A PASSPORT If you're looking for an "authentic" American experience, you won't meet any Americans here. Normally, Americans don't carry their passports when traveling within the United States and this place requires a passport at check-in and does not accept the traditional U.S driver's license as a form of identification. But they told me they are Canadians, so I guess it doesn't matter that their business is in the USA? Almost seemed intentional and opposite the friendly welcoming Canadian way I'm used to. My 2 European friends had passports and I was informed they could stay but I could not. Something to think about.

So, first things first - you cannot beat this price to be this close the beach. Our entire 4 night stay cost the same amount as one night at the fancy hotel across the street. So keep that in mind as I share the rest of our experience. The staff was super friendly, everyone we interacted with from the time we booked our room to our check out was great. Our room left a lot to be desired, but again, you get what you pay for. We booked a private room, which turned out to be a lot smaller, and less impressive than in the photos we saw online upon booking. Our room was next to the bathroom, which wouldn't have been an issue except the toilet ran constantly and you could hear it from our room. So much so that I literally slept with a pillow over my head because it was so loud. The room was not soundproof at all. We could hear our upstairs neighbors doing the dirty over and over which was less than pleasant. Thankfully, there was a TV for sound at least. Our room didn't have any windows, which was another aspect of the booking that was misleading. The day we got there, there was puke all over the nearest bathroom (on a Thursday night.. thirsty Thursday I guess?). The showers were moderately clean.. not clean enough though that I was comfortable showering without sandals on. For as many people that were staying in the hostel though, we didn't really run into people in the hallways or have to wait for the bathroom/showers. All in all, I'm happy with what we paid to stay here. It wasn't glamorous, and it was a little run down/dirty - but you cannot beat the price to be right off the boardwalk. If you're young, and willing to put up with some minor inconveniences, I would definitely recommend staying here. Overall, we had a pretty good experience and would probably stay here again - but next time I'll definitely remember to bring ear plugs!

Dirty and old. Friendly employees. Manager would not refund my reservation, when his employee gave me false info on the cancellation policy. Hostelworld refunded my deposit because they weren't able to do anything more to help me with the horrible service this manager provided.

A quick note. I aim to rate accomodation, not experience: you can have the best times in the worst places, and vice versa - it usually depends on the people you meet. That being said, I prefer hostels for their social atmosphere and of course also include a hostel's effort to support such. The SameSun is an ok hostel. Prices are scary but thats LA. The location is perfect if you want to visit Venice and the Beach, less so for exploring the more inland parts of the city (took me two hours on a bus to get downtown). Check-In was smooth. Desk staff,overall, is accommodating but seems a little clueless and/or uninterested at times (so are the night activities they offer). Rather look for their local, younger assistants for recmmendations on environment and activities. Rooms are not spectacular, but clean and the beds are ok - I slept pretty well. The pancake breakfast is free and pretty good, comes with some fresh stuff, coffee and tea. So much for the hostel. Note on area: Venice is worth staying for 1 or 2 nights. Apart from the pretty touristic, but lively and entertaining strip there's not too much to do if you don't have people to take you there. The night I came in there was a backyard concert which was unfortunately over before I could find it. Other than that, the strip is dead from sunset on and the area, rough during the daytime already, gets a bit rougher. You'll see a lot of (mostly friendly) homeless guys and shady characters trying to sell you stuff. Usually nothing to worry about too much during the daytime though.

Samesun Venice is a fantastic backpacker's lodge, aka a hostel. The facility itself has lots of character that inhabits the vibe of Venice beach, but is kept clean and is well managed. The staff is friendly and helpful and all the people I've encountered here have been very kind and intriguing. The only thing I would comment on is that at night, the bar at the entrance to the hostel attracts loiterers and it's not the safest feel. I would come back. Especially if I were with someone else. Great first hostel experience. :)

Booked a private queen with them and has a private bathroom. Prepare for no elevator and may be tough for cab driver to find, but I would stay here again if on budget. It is right by Venice beach which has the beach, skate park for the skaters, walking distance from Santa Monica pier, plenty of food and little shopping stands. At night all the panhandlers come out and either ask for money and/ or smoke. The cotel itself is overall not bad, clean sheets, awesome view from my window, I wouldn't recommend to everyone, depends on your taste/ budget. But if you're here to spend as much time outside of the bed then it's def a pick.

Now known as the Samesun Venice Beach, this hostel is a convenient, comfortable place to stay in the heart of Venice for those comfortable with typical hostel accommodations. The hostel, as Sandis B. mentioned, is about 100 feet from the Skatepark and centrally located to check out everything Venice has to offer. At night, there were a fair number of panhandlers, but they were not aggressive and, to be fair, if I were without a home, I'd want to be near the beach myself. There are really sweet murals on both sides of the building and great views of the ocean, palm trees, and surrounding shops from the front windows. The hostel is on the second and third floors of the building, so you'll look for a door in the middle of Danny's and hit the buzzer to gain entry. The folks are the front desk are very friendly and full of helpful information. There's a kitchen, but it closes in the afternoon for cleaning and also at midnight, so don't rely on it for your midnight snacking. Also on the second floor is a fairly large common room where breakfast is served from 7:30-9am. I kept waking up in the middle of the night concerned that I had slept past 9am and missed out on the gratis morning meal... and maybe I should have. There were some peaches shared from another guest but, other than that, there was only coffee and toast with your choice of butter or jelly fixins. Not bad for free, but a far cry from a luxurious Hampton Inn-style hot breakfast. The rooms were also comfortable. There was no air conditioning, but during my visit in late May, the temperature got down to the low 60s at night, so it wasn't bad for sleeping. There are two full bathrooms on each of the two floors, and so I never had to wait to use the bathroom. Also, the window in the room overlooked a very tiny courtyard that had a skylight, so it would be difficult to get fresh air, but, hostel rooms really are only for sleeping. One final note, as Lepa A. pointed out and I didn't realize before I arrived is that Samesun doesn't provide towels. In fact, it wasn't until I had just taken a shower that I noticed that I hadn't been given a towel. I improved with a healthy handful of paper towels, but, you might want to bring your own or buy a nice beach towel from one of the many vendors in the area.

Stayed here with a girlfriend for the night (would have loved to stay another night, only we had other plans scheduled). Staff are nice, it is very safe as it is their main priority of course being so close to all the action in Venice beach. We ended up paying for the girls dorm, so worth the money as the room has its own bathroom. Not too sure if the mixed/coed dorms have that available, as the hostel does have bathrooms in the corridors. Location wise, it is smack right in the middle of Venice beach. If you happen to have the sea view in your bedroom you can watch the daily activities the locals perform along the strip. Think about every 10-15mins there was this acrobatic performers, going up and down the strip, got rather annoying after an hour of their continuous drums, but hey that's Venice! :P the hostel is close by to places to eat and bars as well.

Samesun sits at the heart of the Venice community, located a stones throw from the beach. Upon arrival expect a warm welcome from the engaging and it has to be said entertaining staff. The rooms are what you would expect from a hostel, functional and when all is said its a place to put your head down. Great breakfasts to start the day are complimented enormously by the way the director of fun Dominic brings the guests together during the rest. Expect fun...laughs and a lot of new friends.

Stayed here while on my first trip to LA. This is the first time I've stayed in a hostel, so I didn't have a large comparison base except hotels. After browsing a ton of hostel review sites, I booked this place. The Venice Beach Cotel was amazing! The staff are super friendly and nice, the location is amazing and the security is great. I was pleased with the cleanliness of the place as well. As an added bonus, if you plan on being in Venice till late evening, you can check out during the day (and save yourself the days hostel fee) and you are still allowed to use the common facilities! Would definitely go back if I was travelling alone! Can't think of a better place for under $30 a night!

Stayed there a few days ago. Staff was very friendly. Blue ( I think he spells it differently) was very cool. He's the best. The bar below, surfside is a cool spot as well.

Can't beat this location at less than a half a block from the beach. Surprisingly quiet, tho to be fair I was there in off season and mid week in off season. Hostel staff was super courteous although one of the front desk attendants seemed to have an incessant scratch, all over!? Hostel is nothing special other than it's killer location, I actually prefer Time Zone Hostel near Hollywood, super clean, fantastic common areas, but after 3 nites there I wanted to be closer to the beach. You must either be a foreigner or reside in another state within the USA -with proof of 'ongoing travel', (a plane ticket out of LA) in order to stay here. Thanks to those on staff to a terrific experience.

I stayed here Christmas of 2020, and always meant to give this hostel a shout -out. Despite, at the time, the horrific homeless problem in VB (which has been cleaned up since last year) and COVID, Samesun VB offered a great experience. I want to thank them first of all, for allowing me to stay there during such a strange time, (I'm a medical professional), and also for being strict about COVID rules. My room was clean and adorable (great floor!) and the view could not be beat. Gorgeous cathedral window with a straight look out to the boardwalk and ocean. The bathroom was private and clean, if not a little shabby around the edges, but I'm splitting hairs. As a solo traveler it was practically perfect. I did have to carry my suitcase up 2- 3 flights, but that's part of the hostel experience. I can't comment on the noise factor, because not a lot of people were staying there at this weird time. But the kitchen and common room seemed like clean and fun places to hang out, and meet people, once things become normal again. If you're young, looking to budget and want to meet a lot of people fast, and stay in a comfortable place that's in the center of the VB action, you really can't do better than this place anywhere on the beach. I'm much older and enjoyed it - but this is for travelers who don't need an elevator, and don't mind sharing common areas. Personally, I like vintage L.A., and like to stay away from the soulless corporate experience in VB hotels. You experience what's uniquely best about VB here. Thank you Samesun, for a fun holiday,despite the COVID quarantine!

WORST HOSTEL EVER!!! We stayed in a female only four bedroom. The last night, since there were only three of us, there was a bed open. The front desk gave a male a key to our room at at 5AM we were disturbed by his entrance. We told him to leave and he did. Overall this business did not follow protocol. Made excuses of other events that happened in the even that caused for this mistake to be made. Did not apologize and preceded to have an unprofessional attitude when we expressed our concern in the morning. We mainly wanted a refund and she did not take the proper steps when dealing with a customer complaint. She made it ALL about her and not about us.

Beware that you need a passport to stay here, I was not aware, I live in the LA county, and the website still allowed me to book with an LA addres, not all people read the fine print. That should have been a RED flag with my address being in LA....website should not have allowed me to book in the first place. I tried to check in but they would not accommodate me even after telling them I was not aware...long story short I did not stay at this hotel but they still charged me for the room. I'm currently disputing this with my credit card but just an FYI you need a PASSPORT to stay here.

This hostel was right on the beach! I mean I could throw a rock and hit the beach. We got here early and are room wasn't ready yet but Courtney the front desk girl was able to give an us an even better private room then we reserved. The Hostel is very organized has as numerous activities for people to do. The only problem I had while staying there was the AC was broken and in LA/Venice area AC is a must but other than that it was a blast. The Aussie guy there was pretty cool to he let us check out later then we were supposed to.

Customer service was terrible. Came back from a great day at the beach only to receive a violent attitude from the front desk. The front desk ordered us to stay put and literally said "I'm gonna make this harder for you, what is your full name" just to go to our room. Excuse me Samesun but we paid money for your service and you treat us like this. Besides that there were cockroaches in our private room...we paid extra for that? Someone needs to inspect this place or at least spray.

POS: clean location NEG: hot Excellent location. I took the private room together with my girlfriend, for the price of 60$ on a Friday evening its way better location than any motel in Venice. Bed was pretty small but worse it was extremely warm in the place, even though it was NOvember and outside it was really cool (high 40s). I think this might be a problem in summer and I have no clue why it was so hot. On the other hand the cleanliness and the location were both excellent. The bathroom looked as if it was just cleaned every time I went and you get out and are the main part of beautiful Venice beach!

We stayed here just 1 night but we loved it. Cleanliness everywhere, we liked the 6 bed mixed dorm, because it is separated to three and three bed, so it doesn't look like 6 bed dorm. It was warm during the night, the beds are not the military metal pipe stuff, but kind of a real wooden beds. Price is good, and the cotel is right on the beach :) I recommend this place.

I would give this place 0 stars if I could. Rude awful service from blond girl. Made my guest leave beaches she didn't have a passport. She said she didn't care if she drove drunk. Rude awful place.

DO NOT STAY HERE. Terrible customer service!! I cancelled my reservation but was still charged for the entirety of the room. They said I was a no-show, but never called or emailed to confirm or see why I hadn't checked in. After hours on the phone with both Samesun and booking.com, even after being a LOYAL customer of booking.com, I was offered no refund or compensation of any kind. After reading other reviews of this hostel it's clear they have a SERIOUS issue with customer service. I would NOT recommend for anyone to stay here. I also went by the place on my trip and it is completely run down...save your money and stay somewhere else!

We stayed here for two nights in a semi-private room (room for two using shared bathroom). The good: location. The bad: the price. We paid 130$/night for a room so small that it was hard to open our suitcases. The whole hostel is smelly. There aren't enough bathrooms, so we found ourselves waiting in front of the bathrooms a lot. It's okay overall (no bugs), but way to expensive.

Nice cheap hostel with lots of friendly people working there. You need a passport to stay there. It's pretty much right on the boardwalk. Loved this hostel, not the cleanest but i think value and the people there make it so great.

I stayed there with a friend for three nights in a double room ($40/person). She thought that meant there would be two beds, but there was ample space in the one bed that was there, so it worked out fine. Some unexpected bonuses, however, included daily housekeeping, a sink, TV, and free wifi! One thing I do wish they had was indoor bike parking somewhere.

They say they have free Wi-Fi, but it's slow and at least half the internet is blocked. They also have an arbitrary policy of requiring a valid passport - is that to screen people out who aren't "worldly"?

I was here for a few days in march.First of all girls that are working there are very very rude! they act like they are some queens and you came to the their palace. They are not helpful at all! boys that are working there are ok. Then there was only one cooking pan in the common kitchen! one for the all hostel,so if you wanna cook something be ready to stay in line. Also they dont give towels! so you need to buy your own!!! The only good thing is cleaness its super clean and location. omg i almost forgot there is some awful noise from some pipes in the back yard. all dormitory rooms have the windows on that yard and all day noise.

Well, I stayed there for five nights. The place is fairly cheap and you get the place where to stay over the night and in daytime you can hang out in lounge, if you have to plan your trip, browse the web or just to have some snack. They have a free Wi-Fi, which is not very fast, but does the work. You get to have free coffe and tea in the kitchen. The location is great, right in a heart of Venice Beach. famous Venice Skatepark is just around the corner, as well as the Venice Beach sidewalk with all its vendors and entertainers. The stuff is real nice and helps you out if you have any question about the city entertainment and places to visit. They have a special offer calendar with events and activities - like bike excursions, VIP limo Hollywood parties and others (Additional specials costs some extra money). Overall this hostel was met my expectations, it was great stay - met a lot of new people from all over the world!

Amazing hostel , great staff , so clean , they helped me about anything such as which bus to take , what to do ...

EXCELLENT!!!!! This is by far the best hostel I have ever stayed in! You may be distracted by the not so clean area (the center of Venice), old and odd colored buildings, few homeless people that are hanging around (they are harmless by the way) and the noise that comes from the local bars, but once you step inside, it is absolutely clean, no smell that normally comes from the carpet and the super cute guy who served me (Richie) was incredibly friendly, on the phone and in person. I was also pleasantly surprised by the 4-dorm room condition: clean, very quite, air conditioned with white painted strong and stable beds (not those dreadful laud and unstable iron framed ones!!!) and comfy mattresses. This is the first time EVER I was not afraid to sleep on the bed sheets that were provided!!!! They were white (not semi white=grey) and clean. The bathroom was also spot on clean. I stayed at the room 311 which cost me only $35 on that night plus $10 key deposit. Very happy and highly recommend!!

Awesome people, awesome hostel, great flexibility with checking in early and leaving luggage even after you check out. Perfect for cheap solo travel. Venice can be loud at night so don't expect a great night sleep but that's the exchange for the killer location right off the boardwalk/beach.

oh, man I love this place, clean , quiet, and on the board walk, Stayed here a couple times , will be back again

My friend and I stayed at Samesun for 3 nights, we really enjoyed our stay, we went on the pub crawl with the hostel which was really fun. Really chilled vibe and easy to meet new people. Awesome location close to everything.

Stayed here a few years ago for a few nights while visiting LA, and can highly recommend it. The best thing about it is it's cracking location - it is right on the beach, you're seconds away. It also has a convenience store next door so you can get breakfast easily. The prices are really good. The rooms aren't exactly luxurious - I stayed in a dorm room one night and the bunk bed I slept in was covered in graffiti, while the private room we shared after that was fairly small by American standards and had a wonderful view of - a brick wall. However, if you're not planning to spend much time in your room, who cares, it is cheap, it is in a brilliant spot, and it's cheap

Great hostel! Clean and safe. Adrienne, Abby, Sam and all the staff are super cool and very helpful! Highly recommended!!

I had such a great experience staying here. Met so many interesting people, most of all Jose who works there. So friendly, helpful, and goes out of his way to make you comfortable and have a good stay.

This has been the worst hostel experience in my whole life! My friend and I booked a private room for 120 dollars a night. Since it's quite expensive we thought the service would be great but it was AWFUL. The staff is not friendly whatsoever, the hallways are filthy and the room was SO hot we could not get any sleep. The bedroom had a tiny window facing a tiny courtyard where all the hot air from the bathrooms was rejected. That means that opening the window would result in having to deal with the annoying noise + hotter air. We tried to cancel our last night there because we couldn't stand but the manager replied to our email saying she could cancel the night but not refund us (meaning she was planning or renting the room again for another 120 dollars) so we stayed and emailed her again asking to meet her in person. Of course she only replied 3 days later when we were already gone! Again, this place is just awful, all they want is your money. You getting a good night sleep is the last thing they worry about. Only positive aspects were the great location (even though a lot of homeless tend to hang out on the beach at night which can make you feel a little uncomfortable) and the bathroom which were actually clean (even though I had to wait 10 to 20 minutes to use it everytime because the beds/bathroom ratio is way to low).

Not a lot of positive things to say about Samesun Venice Beach. Having previously stayed at the Samesun Hostel in Vancouver I was expecting a similarly high standard stay in Venice Beach. Unfortunately this was not the case. We booked a private room which itself was fine - clean and had a sink/towels etc. Too bad if you are busting to use the toilet - there are only two toilets on the first floor which also have showers so it's just ridiculous if you need to quickly use the toilet and someone is having a shower. The wifi was practically non-existent throughout the entire hostel which proved frustrating. The complimentary breakfast was a joke - no bread left on the first morning of our stay, the toaster was broken on the second day and there was no spreads or anything to put on your bread anyway. As far as staff goes the man who checked us in was very friendly and helpful but a female staff member we came across during our stay was completely rude. Most or if not all of these things could be excused had I not paid over $250 for a 2 night stay. This was undoubtedly the biggest hustle of my entire trip throughout Canada and the US.