Backpackers Paradise Los Angeles Hostel

Recent Reviews: 53

• User:Paul M

  Trip type: Solo travel

  5 star Hostel

  15 May 2022

  This is one of the best hostels in the world. Clean, comfortable and in a great location. The host is very approachable, informative and nothing is too much trouble. The rooms are comfortable and spacious and I thoroughly enjoyed my stay

• User:471erichl

  Trip type:

  Crack addicts and hoes

  01 Mar 2021

  Went here 2 years ago, layover. Arrived at night and the minute I entered I realized I entered a godforsaken place. It smelled like sweat everywhere, people there looked like homeless, hygenics were a catastrophe, I shared the room with some drug addicts who in the middle of the night got coughing fits. I almost fell asleep but was woken up from gunshots outside and decided to go to the airport in the earlier morning, because I was scared for my life. On the way out I passed by some people literally smoking crack by the pool. Some prostitutes were exiting a room and I got robbed the second I stepped outside, with the cab driver literally standing there. All my luggage, luckily not my passport. I backpacked through North Korea, the middle east, South America but this Hostel was the first place ever where I though I was going to die. I was always hoping some hidden cameras would pop up, because this could not by all means be a real place. For the first time ever I used an airport shower because I just had to wash all this filth off. Compared to this, a Mexican prison is a nice place to stay. S-T-A-Y A-W-A-Y!

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• User:Jose M

  Trip type:

  Run down in need of updating

  09 Jan 2020

  I checked into this hostel because it was cheap enough for a poor teacher like me to visit Los Angeles on a very tight budget. The staff was friendly, but the room left much to be desired. I was in a 20 bed male dorm. The ceiling was caving in from the heavy rain that happened early in my visit. The 2 showers were small with very low water pressure. 1 shower had a continuous drip from the hot water that could not be completely closed. Walls were showing age, the heat never worked for the first week I was there. The toilet room door is rotting and it is very hard to close. This place did not meet up to international expectations. The weather was cold for this time of year and there were no indoor gathering areas. Everything was outdoors and you had to walk in the rain to get to the receptionist room.

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• User:LHOVancouver

  Trip type:

  Only for budget accommodations - you get what you pay for...

  03 Nov 2019

  If you have a short transit at LAX and you are okay with budget then go for it. I was in the dorms which were clean enough but 8-12 people sleeping together not easy. Must have ear plugs. The suites look okay if you can pay the $100 plus. Restaurant sad but continental breakfast is survivable. Free parking which alone might be worth the price. Good luck and enjoy (gulp!)

• User:Claudio E

  Trip type:

  great if you are adventurous and have an open mind

  16 Oct 2019

  Hi, My wife and I were looking for a place to stay while attending a seminar at a prominent hotel by the Airport. We just needed a place where to sleep for a couple of days. We got on line and we come across this place. I looked at the pictures posted and liked the free style look of the hotel , so I told my wife : Book it! next day my wife called me a work informing me of the below average reviews that guests have posted! I told her not to worry, since we were not spending any time other than sleeping there..we had no trouble whatsoever finding the place (look at the address number not so much at the name, since the hotel have like three different names on it! Our first dilemma was where to park the car that morning since hotel check in was at about 4PM and we needed to attend the seminar at the other hotel ( parking was at $35 there) so we come in at the lobby of the hotel to confirm our reservation ... the lady at the reception told us that the reservation had not come thru yet , so it was not in her database. then we asked if we could leave our car there for the day since we needed to go somewhere else for the day .. and come back late evening , hoping our reservation would be in the system by then ... despite the fact that parking is limited, the lady told us where to park without any questions of charges of any kind! That was a very nice gesture, when we arrived at the hotel that evening , we were glad to hear that our reservation was confirmed and that our room was ready. my wife and I were very surprise when the lady at the counter give us a couple of tickets for a free drink at the bar , plus a 20% discount coupon for breakfast! Okay here we go: The room: the room looked like it just been newly remodeled (room 205) new floors, new paint , new style bathroom sliding door , a mini refrigerator full of goodies (sodas wine etc, plus other snacks on top of the kitchen counter... two bedrooms... not two beds but actually two bedrooms ! there was a older model window AC in the back bedroom .. but the unit worked great ..in a few minutes we had to turn the unit off because the room was getting cold! unfortunately the cable service was not still not working at the time ( I guess the system was not up yet in view of the fresh remodeling ... we went downstairs to the lobby to inform them abut the TV minutes later the service guy come in ,, he give it a good try but he noticed that there was no feed on the line.. disconnected somewhere else in the building ) we come downstairs to ask if there was another room available.. the lady being very polite stated that there were no other rooms ready at the moment .. my wife and I looked at each other and we decided to stay in the room with no TV .. I smiled and say to the receptionist that we were staying in the room.. but we should get some additional compensation (I said this smiling and kind of joking. the lady smiled also ha she was handing us more tickets for free drinks at the bar! I really liked their great disposition to keep us happy there! going back to the room: the beds top cover sheet .. they need to be replaced they are worn and have some stains.. not denying this.. The hotel is going thru some renovations and this should be changed soon.. but the beds... they were surprisingly comfortable! those mattresses were perfect for good night sleep ! other guests have complained that the place is noisy .. that it is a party place.. well, there is people playing pool and having a good time downstairs ( the place have two pool tables by the pool and guests gather there to have a good time ! If you have a problem with people having a good time , well , what can I say? other guests have claimed that there is a smell of pot being smoked here and there. I admit that we did noticed this.. My wife and I do not have a problem with people smoking a little pot , but if you have children of you will get offended by this activity.. then this could be not the place for you.. and i must say that none of the activities I am describing here are extreme... this is not the case .. there is people responsible here that monitor the situation in a very discrete polite , but effective manner. The Bar: The lady bartender is so gracious and funny!! and she can sing too! there is a couple from Belize that they are currently staying at the hotel ... Great people to be at the bar with ! my wife and I had a great time with great company at the bar! The Restaurant: some guests complained about the morning breakfast , stating that all you get is a burn muffing and some bad coffee.. really?? what we got was a freshly baked hot muffing with all the fleshly brewed coffee you can drink! .. other gusts complained that the breakfast was expensive... let's see: a gigantic plate with two eggs any way you want them , lots of sausage, a ton of freshly made country potatoes sliced bread with butter and a tall glass of real orange juice.. plus all the coffee you want ( the waitress just keeps coming back with the coffee over and over again ) all for about $11 ! we could not finish our plates!! Great service fantastic attitude in the kitchen and at the Bar! we met some of the gusts there .. some were people from Japan visiting the US...other where Chinese..and there were some European people there also true professional backpackers! like the ones you see in national geographic TV! I am a senior official in the aerospace industry .. I travel all over the world with the international company I work for ... same as the backpackers I seen here I am adaptable and treat all people with respect and appreciation for their efforts to cover my basic needs.. It can be obvious that the hotel is going thru some financial struggle s.. ( the bad reviews are not helping) but if you come in with an open mind and not the mind setting and expectations that this is the Hilton or the Ramada inn .. you will be okay and may even be able to appreciate employees that are making a real personal effort in trying to accommodate you despite some shortcomings that are out of their realm of control... and one more thing .. look around the place.. is like a piece of urban archaeology.. including the old Rolls Royce parked right at the entrance of the lobby ! again if you want to revive your free spirit and support a little this effort of restoration , just come in ... and be yourself .. have some memories of the good all times visit your soul again!

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