STAY OPEN Venice Beach

- ITS A SCAM!! Read other reviews! I arrived to the property 5 min before check-in realized there is no way to enter the property. I called the number listed in booking. Very rude man told me I have to send msg and wont be help through call or at the property. Didnt care that Im standing already infront of it. He never pick up the phone again! I send him msg through booking when he replied I have to send msg to the number I called. After I did he text me to send picture of booking confirmation and my ID. I did. Then he want me to send it again to strange email, that he can approved it through the msg ( even he want me to do so). This all was really slow communication from his side spread to 1,5h me still standing infront of the property. After I decided to call booking costumer service. Then it took another 45 min to approve my cancellation and refund, because they need to give him a chance to reply. The owner had never intension to check me in just wanted to keep me hooked on very slow replies spread into hours. This need to be taken off the booking.com DO NOT BOOK THIS STAY and read other bad reviews.

- I booked 3 nights - July 13th to July 16th - my flight landed at 11PM so they told me I need to find another place to stay that night because there is nobody to let me in. Went back and forth with this but ended up booking another night somewhere else :( Then I got another SURPRISE! I booked for a total of $196.24 - according to the invoice I got from Booking. 1 unit - $167.01 14.50 % TAX - $24.22 3 % Resort fee - $5.01 Price: $196.24 Only that they also charged me an EXTRA $77.42 saying that Booking total does not equal Property Total ?!! SO WHEN YOU BOOK HERE, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOME EXTRA BUCKS BECAUSE THAT IS NOT THE TOTAL! THE TOTAL COST IS A MYSTERY, YOU NEED TO ASK FOR AN INVOICE! See attached invoice from booking and invoice from them, where you can see clearly that they made me pay for TOT twice, the $24.22 is the occupancy tax that booking charges you and them there is another occupancy tax that they charged me on the invoice. You can also see clearly on the invoice that they added a charge on a different bed, I had the bed on Pavo.07 + locker 07 and they added a charge on Dorado.03. Either way BE CAREFUL. I am so disappointed with these guys, it is such an insult to do this to people that book in a hostel. If I booked a HOSTEL you know I am on a tight budget, why would you do that ?

- Warning : Illegal and dishonest practices – On Friday, July 4th, 2025, the establishment made defamatory statements about me via Booking in order to avoid issuing a refund. On top of the fact that this is utterly foolish on the hotel’s part, I remind you that under U.S. law, making defamatory statements is a serious and punishable offense, especially when such statements are malicious. Furthermore, the manager entered my pod while I was not there to confiscate the pillow I use for a medical issue. Nowhere in the rules does it state that guests cannot bring their own pillow. Illegal practices by this establishment include: charging the full amount before arrival, confiscating personal belongings, and making false statements. On paper, the place seems nice, but in reality it is buried under absurd, dystopian rules. You never feel at ease. There is constant background music during the day throughout the hotel, making it difficult to work or rest. If you want the hotel to keep your luggage for an extra hour after your booking ends, you will be charged $30. If you arrive one hour after the official check-in time, they will simply let you out. The hostel’s name should be: Stay at your own risk. I do not recommend. FR : Pratiques illégales – Le vendredi 4 juillet 2025, l’établissement a tenu à mon égard, via Booking, des propos diffamatoires afin d’éviter de procéder à un remboursement. je rappelle qu'aux États-Unis, tenir des propos diffamatoires constitue une infraction grave et passible de sanctions De plus, le manager est entré dans mon pod en mon absence pour confisquer mon oreiller à usage médical. Nulle part dans le règlement il n’est indiqué que les clients ne peuvent pas apporter leur propre oreiller. En plus : prélèvement de la totalité du montant avant l’arrivée Sur le papier, l’endroit semble bien, en réalité, trop de malhonnêteté, de règles absurdes, et comportements inquiétants. Si on aime les plans détente, à éviter.

- *WARNING* *WARNING* I am currently in legal proceedings due to a serious misconduct event against the Operations Manager (David Draffin) at this hotel. I was subjected to harassment and threatening behavior by the Operations Manager which validated a 911 police call by myself. After traveling for 10 years, I never had such a hostile encounter with completely ignorant behavior. Be warned, the management of this business is completely toxic.

+ Ich kann das Hostel leider nicht so sehr weiterempfehlen. Es gab ziemliche Probleme beim Check in / ich konnte niemanden über die angegebenen Nummern erreichen. Die Badezimmer waren nicht sehr sauber, überall befanden sich Haare und Sand. Die Bettwäsche muss man beim verlassen des Hostels selbst abziehen und wenn man sein Gepäck (bei z.B einem späteren Abflug) im Hostel abstellen möchte, kostet dies weitere 30$. Als ich morgens das Haus verlassen habe, wurde ich auch direkt von Männern um Geld gefragt. Die Obdachlosigkeit in diesem Viertel ist recht groß - der Strand ist aber schön und es gibt viele Cafés. Daher kann ich den Standort im Großen und ganzen doch positiv bewerten.

+ All of the equipment and environment is good.

- I recently stayed at Stay Open Hostel in Los Angeles, drawn by the city’s vibrant energy and the hostel's appealing location. My initial excitement quickly turned to disappointment due to an encounter with a male staff member that left me feeling disrespected and unwelcome. On my second morning, around 10:45 am, I was relaxing on a communal couch before my scheduled 11 am checkout. A male staff member approached me in a manner that felt unnecessarily abrupt and impatient, asking me to vacate immediately. I returned to my room and began packing my belongings. I suggested moving my items directly to the new room I had booked (to minimize disruption for everyone), but this was met with hostility. The staff member accused me of being rude and even suggested I find another place to stay, which was shocking and hurtful. I want to clarify that I wasn’t trying to break any rules or cause inconvenience—I was simply looking for a practical solution that would work for both me and the hostel. If my suggestion wasn’t allowed, I would have gladly complied had it been communicated respectfully. As a solo traveler, this experience made me feel vulnerable and unheard in a city that prides itself on its welcoming spirit. I’m sharing my story to raise awareness about the importance of empathy and fair treatment in the travel industry. Travel should be enjoyable, and every guest deserves to be treated with respect. I encourage fellow travelers to consider this experience when making their booking decisions and to support businesses that value kindness and understanding. To those in the service industry, I hope this serves as a reminder that behind every booking is a person with hopes, expectations, and feelings. Thank you for reading my review. I hope it helps foster more empathetic and respectful environments for all travelers.

+ Location only

- Charging for everything, even for keeping a luggage for 2 hours before check In the are asking for 30$!!! While many other hotels and hostels are not asking this. Also , every few hours they are sending in watsup.. where are you...are you coming ... when you will check in ! ..whene you will leave ...too much pressure even they I have paid online !!

+ Great location, the equipment very comfortable clean and bright Hostel with amazing views...

- Not very friendly an helpful staff, they are taking control of each movement, sometimes I felt persecuted....my last day they charged me 34$ without my consent just because my friend from the Hostel keep my small hand bag in his own compartment for 3 hours after my check out....it was not a nice detail and memory

+ It’s so tastefully done. The location is just perfect and Venice beach has all that you would need. You can actually walk to the Santa Monica pier and back in no time. Be mindful that you get the pod you have booked(esp if it’s sea facing) because they tend to not remember (can’t blame, a little low on the intellect) The place is very organised and expects you to follow suit.

- The staff- there was this temporary person (South American probably) who had been staying and managing things for the owner- she was extremely rude and unaccommodating. Due to some issue with their system they weren’t able to accept any of my cards (i checked in with one, but had an evening flight owing to which I had requested for an extends stay at 30$ extra (they seek 30 dollars for the early check in too!!! Which I happily paid. But the selling point is me being able to check in my luggage into a locker. What I wasn’t told that the locker is only good for a bagpack and nothing more. ) However, when the day of my check out came I was asked go vacate my pod with a condition that I can still be allowed to loiter around (what the hell is a late check out then ????) But then their system did not work. They do not accept diners / discover and even Mastercard wasn’t working on their system. I asked if they can share a payment link- they had no answer to it. It was getting close to my departure time so I told them that they can share the details and I will make the payment. To this the lady replied I do not need to and that it’s ok if I intend to leave within the hour. i eventually decided to leave even earlier than that and was ready with my bags packed. This is when things got ugly- she asked me step out with all my luggage as she had to step put and wouldn’t have me around without her. Ring around ! I asked her if I an have 5 mins to book a cab - she said no, you need to leave now!!!!

- Rien

+ Great location. The place is exactly as shown in photos.

+ Just very chill, quiet, extra clean, lovely… I felt like home and miss it already

+ The staff is super friendly. Cole is really good at making people feel at home.

+ Everything. View on the beach mostly. Availability of bikes. Nice area. Cleanliness and spaces. EVERYTHING

+ Staff super friendly; location is mesmerizing; the house is wonderful.

+ The bed was super comfortable - aside from sleeping in a box. However, that is why it is cheaper than other accommodations in the area.

- My only recommendations are to add locks to the bed doors like other capsules do. Just another layer of security that some may appreciate. Also, running a fan (or two) in the common areas might help absorb some of the noise at night. The high ceilings and walls do not. People should be able to talk quietly at 8AM in the kitchen or at the breakfast table without the manager making a small issue of "Quiet Hours" - wasn't a big deal and he was polite. However, It's 8AM. We weren't laughing or carrying on or anything like that. Just trying to talk in hushed tones between two people. Cooking eggs and bacon was louder than the talking. Odd how cooking hours don't match quiet hours. Either change the hours or do more to mitigate reverberating noise. 8AM is normal business hours... Maybe add curtains to the sleeping hours that are drawn during quiet hours. Fans. Sound absorbing artwork on the walls. There are things that can be done.

+ One of the best hostels I’ve stayed in. Unbeatable location, really comfortable pods, beautifully furnished. Parking not as difficult as I expected.

+ More like a big apartment than a hostel. Alot of space, clean and hosts were cool. Access to a nice kitchen, the location is great, just turn the corner and you are at the boardwalk and beach. They also offered a couple vikes to borrow for a few hours at a time.

- No complaints really, there are quiet hours to be aware of.

+ The hosts and managers Dave and Laurence are fantastic in creating a relaxed mood among the guests and at the same time adherence to the rules to grant a respectful staying for everybody. Real good vibes, bright views, training and working., reading and healthy cooking. Enjoy!

+ The ocean front balcony, vaulted ceilings & sleep pods! It’s “higher class” with 3 sets of computer monitors and strict rules! I liked it a lot I would stay a minimum of two nights to really feel it

- Not as “Open” at the other “party hostel” (we had access to the property all day long as well as the showers) down the beach, NOT here, and you have to pay $30 to hold your luggage, other place was free…. Both have stairs you are required to climb… these people are “higher class” and have strict rules! Oh no checkouts on Saturday! I wanted to extend my stay but couldn’t unless I stayed 2 more nights

+ Loved staying here, it’s such a cool property. The beds are super comfy and the location is amazing too.

- Not the most social hostel, I found it hard to chat to people

+ Séjour super sympa dans cet espace incroyable. Je ne m'attendais pas à ce qu'il y ait autant d'espace et de services proposés (beaucoup de gens viennent y travailler car des ordinateurs ainsi qu'un phone booth sont à disposition). Ce qui créé une atmosphère vraiment particulière, loin des anciens clichés des auberges bondées et bruyantes. Ici le silence est d'or dès 21h30 et jusqu'à 8h. Ce qui permet vraiment de pouvoir profiter de Venice en tant qu'espace de paix où se ressourcer, et rencontrer des gens cools. Le rooftop est génial et il est possible de vraiment se sentir indépendant si l'on souhaite aussi prendre du temps pour soi sachant qu'il n'y a pas énormément de lits. J'espère que ce lieu restera ainsi pour plusieurs années encore et tenu par les mêmes personnes qui sont vraiment adorables.