Goclands

The idea is good, and the shared areas were hygienic, but the place didn’t live up to it. It draws like-minded, cool travelers, and I met some really nice people there. The owner made me very uncomfortable, though. He was flamboyant and chaotic, and seemed to take offense immediately. He tried to flirt with me and, while drunk, offered to drive me home. I understand this may be the only affordable place to stay in Aix, but after that experience I wouldn’t recommend it. There are campsites in the city, or hostels in Marseille, and you can visit Aix by train.

It’s cheap, but the place felt strange and disorganized. When I arrived, the guy on the couch gave me a pretty poor welcome by saying I had to pay an extra tax. I told him nobody had mentioned that. He said it had to be cash, and when I said I didn’t have any, he snarkily told me, “well you should always carry cash on you.” The guy looking after the place in the morning was much nicer, though.

There was a wonderful mix of people staying at the hostel, and the small place had a homey feel. Even in a tent, it was one of the most comfortable hostel stays I’ve had. It was basically like having your own room, with no noise from the others.

The people were welcoming and the atmosphere was peaceful, but the setup had some real drawbacks. There was so much miscellaneous junk in the backyard that every spare patch had a tent on it, making things feel cramped. Bookings seemed poorly coordinated across several platforms, and the manager and owner didn't communicate well, so the place was overbooked and I had to pitch my own tent. The indoor bathroom needs repair, and the extra bathroom was missing, though there was an outdoor one. It was the cheapest option in Aix, but still expensive for what you get.