ITH Santa Barbara Beach Hostel

This hostel is awesome! The location is amazing, the people are great, the female dorm room is so cozy and wonderful! The only negative thing i have to say is about booking.com and not the hostel itself.

Quirky, hilarious and a pure throwback. You'll be whistling the Friends theme song. Everyone was SO NICE -- the staff was congenial and helpful and there's TONS to do including free breakfast (make it yourself and READ THE SIGNS) and free dinner (!!!) and Yoga and god-knows-what else. The smoking bus was hilarious (and lovely because no smoky smell in the building) and it was SUPER EASY to walk to from the train station - in fact it is easier to walk than to drive! This is clearly a place for daytrippers and backpackers of all ages - the social zone was the bathroom (shared & friendly and clean) and the quiet zone was the shared bunk room - shockingly everyone was SO POLITE. Except for one woman who had her phone on very quiet around 9am, the rest of the time the bunk room was completely silent! Bunks are very solid - not beds but loft spaces with plugs for electronic and chargers. There is a personal lamp above the bed and a personal curtain to close off your own little sailor-space. Quiet hours are posted and respected. The communal spaces are cordial but not noisy (on the one night I was there). Two people were playing guitar in the shared outdoor lawn. Hilarious! It was just wonderful, there are books to borrow. It's just magic. Total throwback to the 90s. Also there are lockers (bring your own lock or buy one). And Towels (if you do not bring one) are also $2 to rent. Also it is SO CLOSE TO TOWN. And to the beach! It's seriously perfect location-wise. Remember that I went there only about a month after they opened - the fact that it is so cheap and has free food is bound to eventually collect not great clientele but right now everyone is super respectful. The front door is locked and keyed open with your room card. I thought it felt really safe. (I had very very low expectations) -- just remember what it feels like to be a kid at summer camp and have fun!! It's all in your attitude.

Location directly in front of the train station and very close to the beach: perfect for me. The equipment, the facilities, all was top notch, new and clean. The stairs to access the top bunks are wooden and wide, which makes them very comfortable. All beds have a personal lamp and tablet to put all our things. I had a room with curtains on the beds. The structure of the beds is independent of one another. It means that if the person at the bottom is moving, the person on the top doesn't feel it ! Very cool breakfast with self-service pancakes. The staff is very nice, friendly and helpful. There are a lot of free activities and stuff you can borrow, like games, yoga mats, and many more... The common space (and the good vibe induced by the staff) makes it easy to connect with other travellers. This is really like what a hostel should feel like! Bravo.

The location is great. Close to the train station, close to the beach and downtown. The Hostel is by the river, if you are a morning person like me, you would love having your coffee by the river or maybe some Yoga. The beds are very comfortable, the room is spacious, bathrooms are clean and of a good standard. Self-made chocolate chip pancakes are great for breakfast. The patio by the river is a bonus, you can rarely see a patio like this at a hostel. It is a bit pricey but, you can compensate for it with coffee, breakfast, and comfort. The staff is very young, they love laughter and having fun. Overall, the young staff adds to the Hostel's great vibe. I can't understand why other clients complain about this. I don't see any negativity in a bunch of young people having fun while working. This is a 10 out of 10 hostel, book it without hesitation and enjoy your pancakes in the morning. "Elza" is the employee of the day, week, and year ;-)

The location of the hostel was excellent. It's next to Santa Barbara station, so anyone who wants to take a train or get here by train can get there. The beach was a block away, maybe 5 min. State Street, where all the fun places are, is also a block away. Breakfast was basic and served until 9 am when the reservation said 10 am, but that's ok. Either I wasn't told that, or I didn't remember. The staff organized fun activities every evening, which was great. They were very friendly and helpful.