The People - Paris Nation - Hostel

The bunk was roomy and comfortable, with curtains that gave me some extra privacy. I was there for four nights, and despite a few booking problems, the staff tried hard to make things comfortable. The receptionist was especially warm and friendly from check-in to check-out. It’s a good location for solo travelers, and I left feeling happier with the stay than I’d expected. There were a couple of annoyances: the third-floor bathroom got a little flooded overnight into the early morning, and during my last two nights, people in the dorm ate in the room and left an unpleasant smell.

The location next to a metro station is convenient, but the price felt far too high for a hostel that seemed poorly maintained and unsafe. We were three people, one man and two women, sharing an eight-bed mixed dorm. Every bed had something wrong: my bed was dirty with chewing gum on it, my friend’s reading light didn’t work, and our other friend had no curtain. We used padlocked lockers, but a bath towel left hanging in the shared room area was still stolen. Staff apologized, and entry to the room was by key card, yet we didn’t feel secure after that. Some men also changed clothes in front of the other guests. The women’s bathroom had four showers, but one was locked and another had a broken lock. It was crowded, and while I was showering another woman accidentally opened the door. That was extremely embarrassing. The showers didn’t work properly either, and both the men’s and women’s bathrooms need a lot more attention to cleanliness. Staff were friendly and understanding, but the guests seemed poorly managed and there was little organization.

After seeing a serious safety incident at the hotel, I canceled my check-in for June 1 to June 5. Two women had booked female-only rooms for safety, but the hotel switched their rooms without telling them. Unfamiliar men then came into the new room and verbally harassed them. The front desk agreed to refund my booking in full within 48 working hours, but I still haven’t received the money or any update. I don’t think the hotel protects guests’ personal safety.

I booked hoping to meet people while still having a nice room to myself. The room was clean and pleasant, but nobody cleaned it during my stay, and there wasn’t a Do Not Disturb sign either 😅. I couldn’t use the terrace because it was being built, and the restaurant didn’t have the shared, drinks-together atmosphere I’ve found in other hostels. The location by Nation station made it easy to get around. Sometimes the vibe just doesn’t click, and that part was fine. What did bother me was the number of homeless people right outside the entrance. I assume there’s nothing the hostel can do about it, but it felt very unpleasant.