The People - Marseille - Hostel

I stayed for two nights. Checkout was at 11am, but on the second morning staff started knocking at 10am, came into the room once or twice, and began cleaning at 10:45, vacuuming included. At first they were only changing the sheets, so I stayed in bed. Once they started vacuuming, though, it was loud and disruptive, and it felt like they hadn’t considered that someone was still in the room. I tried to explain, but there was a language barrier, so I used a translation app. One older staff member then rattled off a long reply in French even though she knew I didn’t understand, and walked away. I’m not sure whether she needs more customer service training, but nodding and leaving or finding someone who spoke English would’ve been a much better response. A younger staff member was there too. I took the issue to the front desk rather than posting a bad review right away. The receptionist only offered to pass on the message, with no real solution. I suggested checking out early at 10am and asked for the staff member to come down, but even after I gave her description and my room number, the receptionist said she couldn’t help. That left me feeling I had no choice but to write a negative review. Entering a guest’s room before checkout is a basic hospitality standard. To be fair, the hostel is clean, and they vacuum thoroughly. Update: The manager came over and confirmed they’d speak with the cleaning supervisor to make sure vacuuming doesn’t happen before 11am.

There’s a bar and a big open space to sit around, and plenty of cafes and restaurants nearby. The location is convenient for public transport, within walking distance of both the old Port and St. Charles station. The rooms are clean, with attached bathrooms that are kept spotless. A great option for a couple of nights in Marseille.

I stayed here twice in April and was pleasantly surprised for a hostel. The bed and pillow were comfortable, and I liked having a curtain around the bed. The bunks felt sturdy, with no shaking when I shifted around. There was also a power outlet and its own light at the bed. It’s a great hostel setup, though of course your experience depends quite a bit on who else is in your room.

The common areas are a real plus, with a large basement space, a big outdoor area, and a kitchen with a kettle, fridge, and microwave. The bed was solid and quiet, with a curtain, a good adjustable light, an outlet, and good lockers. Getting around is easy, with good access to the bus and train stations and the Marseille center. There’s only one shower on the first floor, so I was lucky not to be staying there. My floor was better, but having the toilet and shower in the same room still wasn’t ideal.