We spent three nights at the Hotel Costa, with the intention of using it as a cheap base for exploring the Cinque Terre area. The hotel was one of the more affordable in the area, and was certainly a great value.

From the train station, it is probably a 20 minute walk to the hotel, and it would be worth grabbing a taxi if you had a fair amount of luggage.

The location was quiet, and there were two grocery stores within a few blocks of the hotel. Good for buying snacks, and drinks. There was a small bar/restaurant right beside the hotel, that was very reasonably priced. The area around the hotel was very local, meaning there were very little in the way of tourists in the area. A nice authentic experience.

The hotel offered free in room espresso, and the owner and his wife live on site, and the place was clean, and the area very safe.

All you could ask for in a hotel that you are using as a base to explore the area from.

La Spezia sucks. Plain and simple, it is not the place to be. My friend and I were staying there so we could explore the Cinque Terre parks (a highly recommended vacation for hikers and beach-goers alike). Unfortunately, all the hotels in Cinque Terre were either hard to access, full or too expensive. We don't have the most money so the hotel worked. We walked the 15 minutes to the train station everyday and back at night to the hotel (although you could also take
the bus) to take a convenient train that runs through the Cinque Terre villages. It was annoying to have to walk through La Spezia. I don't think it's that safe. In fact, I saw a man get beaten up on the street and a rat in a palm tree. There's nothing to do in the city.

If you can afford it, stay in a Cinque Terre town, but if you're on a budget, the place works. It's clean and functional.