Auberge de jeunesse HI Poitiers

Heads up, this isn’t a regular hostel. There’s nobody on site from noon until 6 pm, so you can’t check in then. What a mess.

The receptionist was genuinely nice, explained things clearly, showed us around, and kept smiling. There were also three cute cats wandering about. Still, this was the worst experience ever, and I wouldn’t recommend it. I booked a triple room for three of us, but was put in a room meant for 12. There were eight people there that day, including us. It had no window and smelled awful. One man snored that night, so I couldn’t sleep. We had only a cloth instead of a blanket, and it was cold overnight. There wasn’t a mirror anywhere, from the sink area to the bathroom. The toilets and showers were together, and the air felt polluted when people used the toilets. It was disgusting, with bacteria seemingly everywhere. Breakfast was the worst, with almost nothing to eat. They did have plenty of tea, coffee, juice, and bread.

The grounds were nice and security was very good, and Fernandez was helpful with lots of information about the area. But the apartment block could use a refurb, and our room felt too small for four people. I also wished there had been more free information, like walking maps. We had repeated trouble getting proper hot water, and they couldn’t get a plumber in time. At breakfast on our first day, the bread ran out early. We nearly had an argument with staff, who were defensive and initially refused to refund breakfast. After we insisted they speak to the manager again, we got the money back. The shared self-catering kitchen wasn’t very clean or pleasant, though I suspect that was down to the guests rather than the hostel. I wouldn’t recommend staying here. The hostel should be inspected to see if it’s fit to operate.

The staff were cooperative, and the hostel is in a perfect spot in Poitiers. Good value for money.