Hostels in France
Generally catering to young and energetic crowds, hostels can be a great place for backpackers, students and the young at heart to crash for the night and meet fellow travelers. But in recent years, hostels in France have become really popular among couples and families as well and hostel owners have responded in kind – many now offer affordable private rooms, some even with en suite bathrooms, making the hostel one of the best choices when traveling to France.
Things to consider
Before booking a bed or a room in a hostel, you should take the following into consideration:
- Not all hostels have the same facilities. Some might have only your basic bed-and-sink while others might have meals included, free WiFi and happy hour deals, offering anything you need.
- If you want to save a lot of money, opt for a dorm – but note that you will have to share the room with people you have never met. Take into account that you need to withstand their habits, and you need to take extra safety measures. Check if the hostels offer lockers to store your valuables.
- Many hostels also offer private rooms, so if you want to save money and aren’t willing to share your room, you can still choose a hostel for only a few dollars more.
- Book your bed/room in advance because the cheaper the room and the better the hostel is rated among travelers, the faster the beds/rooms will be booked.
- Online reservation systems will also list budget hotels, apartments and inns under “hostels,” so make sure to check all categories.
- Check the reviews for the hostels before booking. If you want a quiet place at night, make sure the reviews don’t talk about how they partied all night long.
Worth trying
Here are some of the more interesting hostels in France:
Inter Hotel Amarys, Biarritz
This is your chance to get a hotel room at hostel prices, which start under $50. There’s a buffet breakfast and other meals that are served on the terrace in the summer, Wifi, satellite TV, and really nice rooms with beds grown-ups can sleep in! And there’s no curfew, and they don’t kick you out during the day.
Hotel Ligure, Cannes
Rooms start at $52 – an excellent price considering you’re in staggering distance from the glamour of La Criosette and the famous beaches. They have great weekly rates as well, if you want to use Cannes as a base for the whole Riviera. And they have air-conditioning and Wifi. Awesome.
Square Caulaincourt, Paris
This is in the 18th arrondissement, which if I may say so is my favorite – it’s super cool and real Paris as it’s meant to be. And they have a load of free amenities, including calls within France (great for planning your next move), Wifi, breakfast, newspapers and more. They have a daily lockout from 11-4 and there’s a 2am curfew – but with prices starting at $42, it’s a fair compromise.
Hotel Alizea, Avignon
Classic old building, city center location on a gorgeous tree-lined avenue, free Wifi, and rooms start at $25. This is how you travel old-school, like the artists did. This place is so adorable, I can’t stand it!
Hotel Vertigo, Marseille
There are two locations in Marseille – Centre, and Vieux Port. Their prices are the same – starting from $20 in the low season (!!) – so check with Vieux Port first. But both are fine. They have 24-hour access, 24-hour security, lockers, free breakfast and in-room bathrooms. This should definitely be your go-to place in Marseille.
- >>Learn more more information about Hotels in France.
- >>Here are some hotels on the Vieux Port in Marseille.
- >>And a great guide to budget hotels in Bordeaux.
- >>Here are some handy maps and booking engines for hostels in Tours, Bayeux, Nice and Lyon.
- >>Oh! And hotels in Nice near the Promenade des Anglais, and hotels near La Criosette in Cannes.
- >>And just for kicks, check out hotels with a view of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.