Villa Saint Exupery Review

When I arrived in Nice, France I had a reservation at the Villa Saint Exupery hostel. I was really excited to stay at this hostel because it had been so well reviewed on the Internet. I can't say that I didn't like the place but it didn't quite live up to expectations.

Here are my tips if you are heading this way as well as tidbits that you should know before arrival:

Audaciously, they ask for your passport when you stay here. While that is probably to help with security you should NEVER be without your passport when you are abroad. I offered my driver's liscense instead and they took it but I found it very provoking and brave on their part that they would have the nerve to ask an international traveller to give up their only form of identification that is accepted when overseas. If they should lose one or mix them up, you have to wonder if they would actually take any responsibility.

As far as securing your belongings go, the lockers were really small and they will NOT fit your backpack. You can fit a laptop in them and if you have valuables you have better use the lockers. A girl in my room got robbed of her purse one night during my stay.

Here are some other points to consider:

- breakfast is a selection of about 10 cereals and an assortment of breads (and various spreads); also apple or orange juice; no meat or cooked items
- bad ratio of available showers to people
- showers are not private from other guests, including opposite sex in some cases (they have these basement showers and if you are showering and someone opens the doorway people in the hallway he/she might see you showering, although the shower doors are misty)
- the locks on several bathroom doors were broke and so someone could walk in on you at any time
- free Internet terminals but they are still in high demand and you might end up waiting a long time to use one
- wireless signal worked excellently during my entire stay with absolutely no problems
- common area/dining area has a great design
- people were able to sneak into the hostel and to sleep there without paying
- doors are left unlocked and keys are used to gain entry instead of swipe cards
- they will only give one key per booking group, meaning if there are 4 of you in your group only one person will have a key
- they have some kind of canned beer for 1 Euro
- if they get busy during the supper rush they just stop taking orders so you have to push to be at the front of the line if you want to eat
- don't count on the nearby grocery store being open on Sunday
- free shuttle to and from the tram
- they wouldn't accept my credit card for payment for less than 50 Euros

This hostel is fine but marketed as a top 5 hostel world-wide it is really overrated although staff attitudes and helpfulness were in fact top notch. I could recommend this place still but be aware of the points I made above.

Score: 7.1/10