Villa Saint Exupéry Beach - Hostel

The reception team deserves plenty of thanks. They were extremely friendly and always ready to help. The central location is fantastic, close to the beach and Jean Medecin metro, and our double room was spotless, with good soundproofing. Even in the city center, street noise barely came through. Nice felt peaceful, with a real Mediterranean atmosphere. We had a wonderful few days, though I can't speak for the people who left negative reviews. The kitchen was great, spacious, and carefully arranged, with individual paper bags and a marker for labeling. There's even a gym, which you don't often see in a hostel. If you read complaints about not enough showers, there are another three or four downstairs by the gym, and that area was almost always empty. The recreation space is nicely designed and has table tennis, books, and a hammock. There's also a luggage room. Some people say it isn't guarded, but it's locked and you can ask for a key, so I don't think that complaint is justified. I honestly couldn't find anything to lower my rating for. The hostel really deserves this detailed review, it's excellent. For anyone arriving by plane, don't pay 10€ for a tram ticket at the airport. Take the same train, which is free until Grande Arénas. Get off there, buy a regular city ticket from the machine for 2.50€, and wait for the next tram. They come every 5-10 minutes or so. You can also visit Monaco by regular city bus for 2.50€, with stunning coastal views along the way. The nearest central station is in the port Lympia area, near the church of Maria. Many thanks to Villa Saint Exupery for such a nice stay.

I came to Nice hoping for some winter sunshine, but it seemed the sun had gone on holiday too. Still, I'd stay at this hostel again. It's in a great spot just off the main shopping street, with supermarkets, bars, and restaurants a short walk away. I had a bed in a large mixed dorm of about 12 people. It had an ensuite shower and a separate bathroom. The lockers are in the middle of the room, so bring your own padlock. I didn't find the bed or pillow very comfortable. Downstairs there's a well-equipped kitchen for cooking, but the fridge is packed to the point of being almost unusable. Everyone has to put food in identical brown paper bags, so it's hard to tell which one is yours among hundreds. There is a gym, more showers and toilets, and maybe a laundry area. The bar opens at 6pm and drinks are well priced, but it's snacks only, no proper meals. I barely needed reception, but the receptionist wasn't especially helpful when I arrived. The bar staff were friendly, and everyone on staff spoke English. The central location is a mixed blessing: lots of guests seemed to be out late, coming and going at all hours, with plenty of noise around 4-5am.

There are plenty of bathrooms and showers, plus a big area where guests can gather and eat together. The room bathroom was clean, and there was always warm water. Rooms were comfortable and warm during my winter stay. They also store your luggage for free. Towels aren't provided. There's a small gym with weights.

The location was convenient and the rooms were okay, though cleanliness and general organization could be better. What really put me off was the staff attitude. A bald man at reception was unfriendly the whole time. Whenever I asked something or needed help, he seemed annoyed. Once, while arguing with someone else, he wouldn't let me into the kitchen and simply shut the door in my face without explaining. Because of that service, I wouldn't recommend the place or stay again.