La Promenade House

Great location, and it’s a regular hostel in the good sense of the word. Some guests from Ethiopia were very noisy, but that wasn’t the hostel’s fault. I’d highly recommend it for solo travelers.

I’d give this zero stars if I could. I rarely write reviews, especially negative ones. Our flight was delayed until the next day, so I called the host to explain and ask to move check-in. He didn’t say no right away, but told me that under the booking conditions, if we didn’t arrive on the first day, the stay would be cancelled automatically with no refund. Booking customer service was very helpful and explained that the host couldn’t cancel our reservation and move check-in to the next day because of the airline situation. They called him and asked him to do it, but he refused. I went back to the host and explained that Booking had no such condition as he’d described. He showed no sympathy and said we had to arrive on the first check-in day or he’d cancel the booking without a refund, whether it was for two nights or a month.

This felt like a joke from the minute I arrived, and I felt robbed. I’d only stay here if every other hostel were full. Otherwise, go elsewhere. The only alternative I can think of is homelessness. I came during a boxing tournament with a broken arm and was assigned a top bunk. I fell from it, which may have made the injury worse. Sam, the owner, was friendly and helpful, but when you’re making over €1,000 a day from young, broke travelers, it’s easy to be at least somewhat helpful. The place seems to be a private apartment converted into a hostel: ten beds in one room, no AC, and two bathrooms shared by more than 30 people. It’s heavily overpriced. Hostels down the street cost €5-10 less and provide basic necessities this one doesn’t. Charging over €15 a night is laughable and offensive. There’s no common area, and the owner is strict about leisure. He comes into the rooms to check on people, which leaves no sense of privacy and is infuriating. There’s no AC, and there’s no sense of community or individuality either. Guests don’t talk unless they speak one another’s language, and any mingling is prohibited. Lights go off at 22:00, and making noise afterward is treated as a serious offense. Rules are strict with no accommodation for no reason. I had a better time in county jail. I can’t believe the city of Nice allows this.

The location is the only good thing here. When my flight was delayed until the following day, I messaged the host from the other city where I was stuck overnight. He said I’d have to pay a 20 euro late check-in fee to arrive the next day, even though check-in was at 3pm and I’d paid for the whole booking. I asked if he could waive it since I was stranded, and he cancelled the booking, saying I could only stay if I paid. The beds are so noisy that any movement wakes you, and the rooms are small enough that someone coming in late wakes everyone. The host made me uncomfortable by confronting me about a bad review my cousin had left. On checkout day, I paid 5 euros to leave my bag there, but he wouldn’t let me use some facilities and was annoyed when I asked to use the bathroom.