Hostelling International
Santa Monica
Hostels, where people share rooms with strangers, are a classic low-budget option.
Hostelling International is a chain, and its Santa Monica lodging can accommodate up to 273 guests a short walk from the Santa Monica Pier.
You’ll encounter a global crowd here, and pub crawls and movie nights make introductions to your travel mates easy.
On one recent night, guests met in Rapp’s Saloon before a pub crawl. The hosts, volunteer Will Kastarian and community engagement coordinator Bevin Ochoa, briefed about 10 travelers from Australia, the Netherlands and Brazil on U.S. tipping culture and what to expect from the four bars on their itinerary.
Such gatherings also are a way to meet locals, said Ochoa, who helps coordinate events and outings that include movie, poetry and comedy nights, city tours and concerts at the pier.
Budget is partly what brought friends Laura Skinner, 26, and Lucy Nathanson, 26, to the Santa Monica hostel. The Brits were on a road trip and were looking for inexpensive digs.
“It’s nice to have your own room,” said Skinner, who stayed in one of the hostel’s traditional multi-person rooms rather than a private room. But, she said, “It’s equally nice to chat and meet new people.” Accommodations: The economy rooms that house eight to 10 same-sex guests and the standard rooms that house six same-sex guests share hall bathrooms. There are also six- and 10-person rooms (same sex) with ensuite bathrooms and private rooms with bathrooms that house two, three or four guests.