This was such a nice hostel be careful out there at night this city turns into a loony bin at times…read moreI was indeed impressed by the restaurant style kitchen available for guest leisure & the hostel beds didn't have any privacy curtains like they usually do now and the whole place felt a bit insitunalized like school or something and they have pretty long list of random rules however they really won me over with the 24/7 kitchen availability and the mini market at the front desk . Too bad there isn't many hostels in Santa Monica

Stayed there several times. Always had a good experience. You can't find a better location: a…read morecouple of blocks from the ocean and the Santa Monica Pier. You can walk or bike for miles along the beach. Then there so many restaurants, (on the expensive side, hey, this is tourist heaven!), and fancy shopping center. The hostel has lots of activities. It feels really safe. There is a designated locker for each person in the room. I always choose the women 'en suite' room because it has an adjoining bathroom just for the women in the room. I don't like the idea of sharing a hall bathroom with men. Staff has been helpful every time I stay there. I like the communal feeling and the friendly atmosphere.

What a hidden gem! This place is sOo cooL!!! Wow. What a blessing. i arrived in Hollywood,…read moreafter being away for 16 years, bedridden and severely disabled.... now i Returned. Healed Woman. Well... The place i was going to stay fell thru at the last minute, and i found this place right in my old neighborhood. The Orange Drive Hostel is an exquisite old Hollywood mansion, very comfortable, simple, and centrally located. The staff is all very kind and accommodating. i just cannot believe what a blessing this place was to land!

Front desk is friendly and helpful. They were able to give me a code to check in late. The mansion…read morehas a lot of character. It's a beautiful mansion. love the candlestick and rotary phones. The location is perfect, I didn't have to walk far for a grocery store or near the walk of fame. The two thing I don't like is that the bathroom is not located in the rooms but outside in the hall. I don't think the rooms are accessible as I thought. If you want an accessible dorm room, this is not a place for you; especially if you're in a wheelchair. The dorms are located in the back of the house. The "expensive" room are located on the ground near the front and top level.

I loved my stay at Gramercy Place. Here's why…read more PROS: Clean: They have cleaning people come every day to clean the common areas. Huge Kitchen: They have a huge common kitchen that everyone shares with all pots, pans, utinsils,silverware, etc. that you need. 4 large fridges and lot of shelves to store your food. They give you plastic bins to put your food in, so there's no "confusion". There is also a 2nd kitchen on the 2nd floor for the people who live upstairs. Outside: There is a really nice deck in the back where you can sit and enjoy the sunshine. There are common areas in the front where you can sit and have a drink or a smoke (if you indulge) with the other guests, but it never gets too roudy there that it feels unsafe or anything. Transportation: It's close to Pico, which is one of the main East-West streets in LA, and Western, which is a large North-South vein. It's very easy to get to the different areas of town on the Metro. Plus, one of the people who works there rides the bus everywhere, so she is a great resource to ask about bus/train travel. Freebies: Free cable tv and movies on demand. Free wi-fi. Free coffee and tea. Free utilities. There is always hot water. Free clean towels and linens every day. Vibe: Mostly though, it's just the vibe of the place that is so nice. I spent a couple of months there just because I liked the people that were in and out of the place. I made some of my best friends in LA while staying there and have some awesome memories. They have a way of getting people who are really talented and artistic - when I was there I met a few very talented artists, a few actors, some writers, some musicians, a DJ, and a stand-up comic. How can you NOT have a good time with all of these creative and interesting people around? People who run the place: Jimmy, Sheila, Kellie - they are simply the BEST. Good people, honest, nice, helpful, cheerful, but they also take care of business and get rid of weirdos fast, which is great. CONS: Every place has cons, and this place is no different, however I must say that ALL of these cons are outside of Gramercy Place's control, as they do everything possible to make the place the oasis in the city that it is. Neighborhood: it's not so great - it's not the worst, but just be smart about things and you won't have a problem. Like, if you're a girl, make a friend if you're going to walk around the neighborhood - there are tons of nice people around the house all the time, so there's no need to walk to the store alone. The property itself is gated, locked, and well-lit, so just be smart as you would in any big city & you'll be fine. Parking: Parking can also be problematic, b/c it's all street parking. However, on the plus side, at least it is all first come first serve (no meters or permit-parking), so you might have to drive around a bit to find parking but you'll find something eventually. Stay at Gramercy. It is an oasis in the middle of the city. I promise you'll love it!

I have been to many summer camps and stuff, but I have never stayed at a hostel before in my life…read moreand wasn't really excited about the idea of staying in one, especially near Downtown L.A. which is not the most appealing neighborhood to be. I'm not one of those college-aged party animals, so I really didn't know how a hostel-ish place in LA would be! Here is the thing, Gramercy Place is ANYTHING but a crazy dirty hostel with drunk European kids. It is right off of West Pico Blvd, one of the main avenues of L.A, but, you feel like you're in your own special villa. So, here are my pros and some cons lists. PROS - PEOPLE are really great. The owner is a super nice lady from Rhode Island. She is very helpful. And, most other people here are quiet, professional people who are job hunting or relocating. So, this is NOT your typical "drink & party 24/7" hostel. - LOCATION: Right off the West Pico Boulevard. So most places (Downtown, Hollywood, Sunset Blvd) are like 15 mins. away by car and the location is super easy to find. - BUILDING & BACKYARD: t's like a big Californian villa with 20 rooms in it. But, it's a huge estate, so you don't feel like you're cramped. The backyard is amazing too. They have chairs, tables and a nice porch. You can work on your laptop and have your coffee outside while enjoying the sun -KITCHEN; they have a huge one that looks like a restaurant's with 4 big ass fridges :) They have all the utensils you may need and plenty of them! They give you boxes to put and label your food, so there wouldn't be anyone eating your expensive cheese lol - I never had an issue with that. CONS -WIFI kinda sucks in the rooms. It works great in the common rooms, in the kitchen and outdoors. But, when you wanna snuggle in your bed and do some research, it doesn't really work - PARKING: It's like an individual house with a driveway on residential street. So, you kinda have to park on the street, which wouldn't be that easy if there were more people with cars here. I never had an issue, but it can be. Just keep this in mind For the price you're paying ($300/week if paid in cash), this is an amazing deal! I really encourage you to try this place at least for a week. I guarantee you will love it.

I really enjoyed my stay here. Sometimes with hostels it can either be really good or really bad…read moreand I was pleasantly surprised with Samesun. . It's big and clean and has all the bells and whistles. There's a ton of artwork that is worked into the design of the space so you can easily see graffiti labels on the walls. . I booked a one night stay in an all female four (4) bedroom dorm and only encountered one of three women with whom I was to share the room. They give you a towel for free upon checking in and there's a $10 fee to do laundry for two hours and a $5 fee to stow your luggage if need be. You can find a locker in your room for easy storage and they have changing rooms in the restrooms which are designated for both men and women, thankfully! For the common areas, they have a huge kitchen with several refrigerators, an electric stove and a communal dining table. There's a lounge too with bar seating, a pool table, benches and chairs. You can also find several water filter stations in the building. . There are quiet hours from midnight to 7am which at that time the lounge and kitchen are closed so make sure to eat dinner prior to then. Lastly, they offer a free breakfast from 7am to 9am. I deducted one start because Hollywood can be loud and sketchy at night, but I had no issues. As for parking, it's either paid in a garage or street parking. I was blessed to find free street parking on Hawthorne street which is a short walk from the hostel. I highly recommended and would stay again. . Update: I work in LA often and travel down from the 3 hours or more to do so. I have a ride that is picking me up the day after I was due to check out of Samesun this weekend, but the host/receptionist at the front desk today (a young gentleman with glasses and locs) told me I need proof of ongoing travel leaving Los Angeles in order to stay there. Which I don't have because again, a friend is picking me up post check out. He essentially gave me an ultimatum to book ongoing travel in order to check in or cancel my reservation. Mind you, this was not the procedure when I checked in last week. So, I was in Hollywood with no accommodations for the next two days because the hosts here are inconsistent with carrying out their policies. Just because I don't have a plane or bus or train ticket doesn't mean I'm not leaving the city after I check out. And it's not like they are scanning the travel ticket or asking for the reservation numbers for the travel to put it on the reservation, so it's really unnecessary. . Come to find out, per their policy, if I'm a local USA traveler I could use an out of state driver's license to check in (which I have), but he conveniently left that part out.

I booked this hostel because it was cheap and I really wasn't expecting much. However! Everything…read moreabout this place was wonderful. The staff was helpful, the people staying there were mostly interesting international travelers and the place was spotlessly clean. Plus location, location, location! Right on the Hollywood Walk of Fame -- and a Metro station. Loved the place.

I'm a hotel snob with high-level status. But I love this humble motel. It's like Encanto in…read morereal-life. Charming, well-maintained, free parking, and the restaurant is unbelievably good.

I stayed for one night and it was a great fit for my needs. My room was above the office where you…read morecheck in and felt very safe (multiple locks before you reach the room). The interior is quite large, with a kitchen including a full fridge/freezer and microwave. The shower warmed up quickly and they provide a combo shampoo/conditioner and bar body soap, plus plenty of towels. I would recommend bringing your own conditioner and lotion since those aren't provided. The location is very walkable to restaurants and bakeries. This also lends to the rooms sometimes dealing with noise from the main big street. Light sleepers may struggle with that on a longer stay. Staff here are very friendly and welcoming. I would happily stay here again in the future!

These negative reviews are for sure questionable. Although Myself is bougie, I have lived and can…read moreappreciate the little things in life. Here, you won't be judged, you can chill and be safe and not be alone. It's clean, you can order food or buy and make food and maybe make a friend, if you feel like it. The strangers that spoke to me were polite and brief. It was laidback. They have hella refrigerators for guests to store food and the kitchen is clean and wide open to cook and prepare food. The staff is chill. NOT AT ALL RUDE in any way. I found the 4 different individuals I interacted with to have a neutral affect and calm. Yes they multitask and maybe will take a call or text while you're asking a question but they all for sure are aware and paying attention to who's who and will assist you with whatever you need. Thank you, for reals appreciated my short time here. This is a great location to stay if you really want an LA experience. I'm from Cali so I fit in fine. So will you. Yeah the walls are thin... so what?! If you're tired enough- it won't matter- and I can be light sleeper and was surprised and so thankful I slept through the night. There are late night food places as well. I had good sleep and a nice hot shower with a strong water pressure! I was attending a show at the troubadour and it was very close. I was able to get around easy. Oh sure... It's damp, weathered and smells like wet cigarettes. But hey... it's a good way to save, you can have a private room, the staff are great to me, since I prefer regular neutral individuals and don't need no fake interactions or nonsense. I appreciate having this option and will stay here again. I had a positive experience. If you're looking to save and are a down to earth individual with life experience, it's perfect here.

What a rotten place with a rotten staff. Wouldn't let me stay for more than one night then when I…read morewent to the dorm, there were 12 empty bunks. Never again.

Lovely hotel- quiet and clean! Had to have my daughter at LAX at 5:30am- this was the perfect…read moreplace to stay to get her there without any hassle- surface streets for 15 minutes and BAM- we were there! As a bonus, we got our first chance to visit a Erewhon- made a nice dinner out of it + lunch for my on the plane child.

1/5 stars - Convenient for St. John's patients, but ruined by terrible management…read more The Gateway Hotel's location is a big plus--super convenient to Providence Saint John's Health Center with special patient rates available. Rooms are clean, functional, and perfectly adequate for a 3-star category, and the service team (technicians and housekeeping) was generally pleasant and helpful. Underground parking is tight but reasonably priced for Santa Monica, and it allowed flexible early arrivals/late departures. Unfortunately, the experience was overshadowed by ongoing construction issues and extremely poor management. The booking website is messy and confusing, especially for "special deals." Breakfast is basically nonexistent--just a cheap buffet with pancakes and minimal fruit. We made seven separate bookings (nearly 20 nights total) over seven weeks of treatments, coordinating directly via email (to allow them to make maximum profit) and to request higher floors (4th) away from noise, and agreed to the $35/night surcharge for bigger rooms once available. Early stays the first three weeks were okay (e.g., room 305, then 301), but noise from vending machines was an issue one week despite requests. The final straw was the fourth week: the 4th floor was finally open, but when I politely asked for room #401 as previously discussed, hotel manager Mr. Humberto Avalos stormed over and screamed at me for five straight minutes, threatening to cancel all remaining reservations unless I took the assigned room (#427). The bullying was shocking and unacceptable--especially for medical patients relying on consistent lodging. We stayed out of necessity (treatments starting soon, few nearby alternatives), but we will never return and cannot recommend this hotel despite its practical advantages.

Across from the busiest area of Hollywood there are two entrances to this hostel. The stairs are…read moresteep but there are two handrails to help. The front desk has two or three employees depending on the time. Everyone was friendly; Barry, Carlos, Niki, Zena, Tosh, Taylor, Miguel and Oscar. I reserved a room online at: https://walkoffamehostel.com/ I reserved a private room and it's not ready until 3 pm. I wish I would have known that before showing up. There is a luggage room with surveillance and I left my bag. I have an expensive Apple PowerBook and they held this behind the front desk. I left and returned at 5 pm to find all of my things cared for during my absence. First observation is aside from the ratty steps at the entrance this place is incredibly clean. The floors, the bathrooms, the ledges, the lounge area, kitchen; there is no dust and the scent of clean is everywhere. I love the hot and cold filtered water machines located all around the public areas. I literally walk ten feet from my room for this. My private room number 3 has a queen bed, refrigerator, tv, cable box and two remotes. I could not get the cable to work but Carlos at the front desk came in and fixed it. He also explained the remotes. The queen size bed is comfortable; I would prefer if it were higher off the floor. I blame my mother for spoiling me. Huge closet area. It's bigger than my master bedroom closet. I have a European air conditioner that I don't need tonight because my big window has a good evening breeze and there is a ceiling fan above the bed. The tv sound and quality is excellent. WiFi power is excellent; this is very important to me. This WiFi is stronger than my stays at Hilton, Sheraton, Marriott and Holiday Inn Suites. The room has some art and good lighting but there are two wall red lamps and I can't find the light switch for them. Miguel came to my room and showed me how to use. The windows facing south of Sunset have lots of noise from the parking employee conversation and laughter. It just echos in the room. I finally closed the double pane windows and there was no longer any noise. To turn the ac I had to go retrieve a remote from the front desk and return it. These ac units are completely silent and work very well. The temperature and lack of noise in my room was excellent. All I could hear was moving air. A friend came over to deliver food and passed by the front desk. They came to knock on the door and asked for his ID; I love that because it's a younger clientele and it feels right. I'm very impressed. Love the location. Lots of charm. There are $40/beds in shared rooms if I wanted to save bucks. The rate with tax for my private room is $131.00. Everyone receives a free continental breakfast. Jimmy Kimmel live is right next door. If you want the LA experience, stay here. History, action, community and all of it in a safe clean and friendly environment. Location location location.

Check in time is 3pm and checkout time is 11am. The room was Super clean and fresh. The place is…read morequiet and cosy. Nice and friendly front desk staff. Good WiFi connection. 2 minutes walk to metro train station. The downsides are that private rooms are not en-suite so you have to use communal shower and restroom. My bed dint have a blanket. Also they don't have digital room keys so if you go out on personal errands you have to ring the main entrance door buzzer to be let in. Also no microwave in the room