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Maxi Budget Paris Hostel For Mini Budget
All right, so sometimes, a budget Paris hostel is all you’re in a position to plan for on your Paris trip. For that matter, backpackers Paris hostels can actually be the preferred option for some Paris travelers. Regardless of your reasons for booking a budget Paris hostel, my suggestions will work the same. But I should preface this by saying that although I have stayed in hostels in the past, during my youth-hostels years, I lived at home in Paris; Therefore, I obviously never had a reason to find a hostel in Paris. However, for the benefit of many who visit this site for reliable Paris travel advice, I think my overall knowledge of Paris and my travel experience can be trusted to sort out the many budget Paris hostel offerings out there. I have to say that after quite a bit of research on the subject, I only came up with a budget Paris hostel mini-list of addresses I would be entirely confident recommending. Call me picky... A visitor to this Web site could be a recent high school graduate away from home for the first time and relying heavily on this information for her trip to Paris. My benchmark was which hostel I would advise her to stay in, with full confidence. If it passes the test for her, you should be more than okay… Certainly, a budget Paris hostel can be very accommodating cost-wise, and could have many other advantages including instant companionship usually found in like-minded travelers, sometimes of similar age, background, etc. But the stated object of this Web site was also to mention the occasional pitfalls you may encounter on your Paris trip. So, before I list my picks, some budget Paris hostel pitfalls to keep in mind must be discussed. They apply to hostels in general but will be particularly beneficial to you, a) if you stay in backpackers Paris hostels for the first time and, b) especially if you happen to get stuck with a budget Paris hostel with lesser attributes than the ones I’m about to discuss. So, here we go… 1- Bring earplugs if you like a full night’s rest once in a while. This is true not just for a noisy budget Paris hostel, but for any building with windows facing busy Paris streets. 4- If possible, pack a sleeping bag. You won’t have to worry about renting bed sheets, or alleged occasional problems of bed bugs, true or not. 5- Do not expect the comfort level of bathrooms you may enjoy at home. Great bathroom accommodations at a budget Paris hostel are more the exception than the norm. For that matter, overall, do not expect The Ritz. These are backpackers’ hostels! Enough said. 6- Be careful with over-bookings and other “booking problems” usually caused by eagerness to get as many bookings as possible, or by a disorganized booking procedure. Just in case, have a Plan B and remember that there may be a maximum number of days you’re allowed to stay. 7- Read a fair amount of travelers’ reviews -not hostels own propaganda- before booking a hostel. 8- Ask to see the room before parting with your money. It is not an unfair request if you ask nicely; and you may have trouble getting a refund after the fact (by the way, you may be asked to pay in cash). Also check for in-room or front-desk lockers if you’re carrying valuables. 9- Inspect the room for safety, door locks and such, as well as cleanliness and comfort. A budget Paris hostel may be located in an iffy area. That does not make it unsafe. The way it is run can. Access to rooms should not be possible to anyone who shouldn’t be there. A good hostel should score high on security. 10- Travel with a friend or acquaintance if you can. It will make your hostel stay much nicer and more fun. Although, I have to say, if you do have a traveling partner, you’ll find that sharing a room at a cheap hotel in Paris won’t end up costing you that much more; And it stands to be a lot more pleasant… However, as stated earlier, some people really like the hostel feel and vibe, and have wonderful experiences to back it up. So, you too can indulge, starting with my carefully researched picks below. Oh, and don’t forget to get an international Hostel card, available at most travel agencies. Perfect Hostel Pluses: Great Montmartre location, one of the top exciting areas for Paris visitors; Consistently good travelers’ reviews; Friendly and helpful 24-hour staff and check-in; Owned and operated with apparent pride by the same family for two decades. No Lockout, no curfew. Free front-desk locker and phone in every room. Luggage storage; More a budget hotel than a hostel. Woodstock Hostel Pluses: Great Montmartre location as well (just across the street from the previous); one of the top exciting areas for Paris visitors; Easy social interaction and party atmosphere. Good reputation; Internet access; Safety lockers and luggage storage. Caulaincourt Square Hostel Pluses: Located in a nice section of Montmartre with a hill top view and away from the touristy “hussle and bussle”. Rough Guide 2000 nicely boosted this budget Paris hostel by calling it “one of the nicest, cleanest, friendliest”. Good travelers’ reviews; Free Internet and Wi Fi; Free local and national calls at the desk; Also a budget hotel, more so than a hostel. Le Montclair Montmartre Hostel Pluses: Also located in eye-popping Montmartre. (Do we detect a top budget-Paris-hostel location theme here?) Great view of the Sacré-Coeur from most rooms; Brand new recently renovated rooms in half the building; No curfew and no lock-out; Quiet area; Internet access and luggage storage. The next three hostels are part of the same organization and are run in a similar fashion. They are large hostels that tend to cater to school groups and the 18-30 age bracket only. They have strict 1:00 am curfews and are definitely not for the party set. The overall social environment strikes me as somewhat stale and austere. Therefore, they probably won’t work for those looking to mingle in a typical budget Paris hostel fashion, or to roam around Paris in the late hours. Although… you could stumble back in at 5:00 am and sleep till the convenient 12:00 pm checkout, but that’s your call! :=) Large school groups can be noisy. On the other hand, these hostels are safe and secure, spacious, clean and offer private showers. They will work really well if your main objective is a tame place to lay your head at night. Plus, their central location in Le Marais (Paris trendiest neighborhood, museums, cafes, etc.) beats any other budget Paris hostel hands down. Le Fauconnier Fourcy Maubuisson The C.I.S.P. has two locations in Paris that were essentially large youth and sports centers originally backed by the French government, now autonomous. These are fully functional hotels with activity centers (swimming pools, tennis courts, garden, restaurants, meeting facilities, etc.) The combined locations offer 600 beds at the cheapest budget Paris hostel prices. Rooms are comparable to any regular economy hotel, with no age restrictions and no lockout, but there is a 1:30 am curfew. This is a different take on a budget Paris hostel, well worth looking into. CISP Maurice Ravel CISP Kellermann
For additional resources and booking information on your budget Paris hostel and other Paris hostels inquiries, check out Hostelz.com and Hostels.net If you prefer the freedom and charm of your own budget hotel choice, click here to search cheap Paris hotels. |
