Me and a friend, (we're late 20s), stayed here in August 2008 for a few nights. The hostel is easy to find and very well located on a rather dingy sidestreet just off the main shopping street in Nice -Ave Jean Medecin. It's about 5 mins walk from the railway station and about 15 mins walk from the old town/seafront -centre of Nice's nightlife.

The owner, Patrick, is efficient and reasonably friendly. We had a twin room which was poor by the standards of other hostels we've stayed in. It was shoebox small and consisted of 2 bunk beds -1 above the other with 1 sheet and 1 pillow per bed. There was a sink and a window but no table or any other decoration of any kind. The building is quite old and it did remind me of a prison cell.
There was a noise problem: the hostel itself is small and quiet but to get into the hostel entrance you enter a passcode. This then unlocks the door and sets off a loud buzzer. At night this loud buzzer is audible in the hostel room every time somebody enters the hostel -not good.

It's only a small hostel but there are only 2 toilets (male/female) and 1 shower. More often than not they'll be occupied or you'll be under pressure to finish your business quickly -not very nice.

There's no social room and no simple facilities like an ironing board. There's a fridge and a kettle and that's about it.

It get's hot in Southern France in summer (obviously) and the air-con was poor. It was difficult to tell whether it was on or not as it basically consisted of a vent above the door to the room which blew a little bit of air around -as i said, not good in summer.

The hostel closes between 1030-1400 for cleaning. The hostel is very clean as a result but i personally found it annoying to be locked-out of my own room for several hours each day -sometimes you want a lie-in or just to chill out...

Security at the hostel seemed good. You get a master key to get into the building and then you need a passcode to actually get into the hostel itself. The rooms are secured with strong doors/locks.

So the best way i can summarize this place is that it's a no-frills hostel: it's clean, it's safe but don't expect any kind of service or comfort beyond the very basics. If 2 of us were going to Nice again i would book a twin room in a 2* hotel for a few Euros more instead.

Patrick is a great host. I didnt have a reservation but he took me in anyway. His hostel was always clean. Patrick cleans the hostel himself. This hostel may not have a party atmosphere, but Patrick knows where to go to have a good time, I was here for two weeks and i met many great people and we partied hard. As long as you arent causin problems to the other visitors Patrick wont say anythin. I highly recomend this hostel and i will stay here the next time I am in Nice.

First day we stayed in a 6 person shared dorm room and then we moved into a 4 person dorm for the next 3 nights. The people were great and we all (3 females) had a great time. After checking in (we booked over the internet) we got a key for the door to the building, a code for the hostel door (changed every so often for better security) and a key to our room. The price was very good too. The room was basic (and VERY clean) with bunk beds and a sink. The sheets and blankets were supplied upon request and the beds were fine. There were two showers to share between the backpackers - the one by the kitchen is older and very small, but the newly renovated one behind the reception area is great. The room had window over rue Pertinax, but the view wan't great, as the streets in the area were dug up in construction. There is a laundromat a few streets east where they charge per kilogram, so you may want to get a few people together to chip in for a load of laundry.

Patrick was helpful and knew exactly where to go - the advice he gave us was always spot on. The whole hostel was absolutely spotless and it was cleaned every day. The lack of breakfast was noticable, but the bakery on the corner was simply spectacular - I recommend cafe au lait with the brioche au sucre or croissant for breakfast. The kitchen is small, with a single table and without a range to cook on, but it allowed you to eat a meal without a problem (fridge and microwave - lots of take-out restaurants in the area). You can ask Patrick to put your valuables in a safety box, which is helpful in the dorm situation. There is no alcohol allowed in the hostel, but everyone simply buys it along the way to the beach, where you are sure to find improvised pre-drinking parties by the waters edge.

The hostel itself is located very close to the Nice Ville train station (5min walk with heavy backpack) and the beach is a 15min walk away down Jean-Medecin. Everything is within a walking distance, so you can save yourself some money on public transportation. There is a gorcery store (Ed's Market) with very reasonable prices 4 streets east. The Chagall Museum is about a 10-15min walk north and it definately worth a trip, especially if you're an art buff. Monastere de Cimiez (Cimiez Convent) is a bit further north and up the hill, but it is also worth the 30-40min stroll - I suggest bringing a lunch and having a little picnic in the old olive grove.

Cheaper restaurants are available in the area (everyone will know the Chinese/Thai restaurant on the way to the train station and there are some great pizza and pannini places everywhere). For great sea food check out the the smaller side streets in the old Port instead of the Promenade des Anglais area. There is a variery of pubs, bars and dance clubs, but during our stay Chez Wayne's was by far the best - including a live band and dancing on tables.

Overall rating: Good (4/5)
Breakfast: no (bakery with awesome coffee is close by)
Linens: included
Towels: no
Kitchen: yes, but limited (fridge, microwave and sink only)
No lockout, no curefew
Reception: 8:30-12NOON, 5-8pm
Internet: no (it is available in a small internet cafe 10 steps down the street)
Safety box for storing valuables: yes
Luggage storage: available

I stayed there with my girlfriend for 4 nights. The hostel is located in the 2nd and 3rd floors of an old building. The 2nd floor is designed according to youth hostel standards. I found it to be neat and decent. It has a fully equipped kitchen at the disposal of the guests.
The 3rd floor is where (at that time) Patrick himself lives. We were in a very large room (just the two), where there was still some personal stuff. On the 3rd floor there are also dorm rooms. Our room was never cleaned, and the bathroom on the 3rd floor was also rather neglected. Patrick promised to redesign it, but I don't know to what extent he kept his promise. We paid in advance without any problem.

If you plan to stay, it's not a bad place, but ask for the 2nd floor (the reception is also there). A recommendation in the Lonely Planet is usually, but not always, reliable.