"Superb hostel!" Auberge Internationale des Jeunes Tip by Rojo72

I stayed at AIJ for 3 nights between July 27th and July 30th 2004 and had a great time. The hostel has around 200 beds and says that there are Ensuite shower/WC in all rooms of 4 beds. I don't know about that though since I had a room of 3 beds. It was just next to the showers on the floor and near the tiolets so no problem at all. I had to wait for 1 person one time for a shower, that's all.

The beds were neither very good nor very poor. I slept well.

The staff was incredibly nice (just think of the italian girl learning swedish and japonese, working at the hostel for the summer...whoa!) and spoke both french and english. Some better english, some worse, but all understandable.

The hostel is locked during night-time and whenever the staff feel a need to for security reasons, but the reception desk is manned 24 hours so you just have to knock and show your room receipt to be let in.

They say breakfast is included in the price and it is, but just tea/coffee/chocolate and a bagel/baguette and some marmelade, so if you want something else you'd better buy it yourself.

Unique Qualities: It's ideally situated near the Ledru Rollin metro, but only about 500 metres from the Bastille area and metro, where there are many great pubs and bistros.

It's got a vending machine of cool beverages so you can get a cold beer for just 1 euro when you get home from the pub and sit talk to the other guests.

Staying at this hostel was a great experience, I met so many interesting people, from Quebec, Rio de Janeiro, Japan, China and Spain for example.

Address: 10, rue Trousseau, Paris, ?le-de-France 75011
Comparison: least expensive
Directions: Metro Line 1 from Porte Maillot to Bastille and then walk along Rue du Faubourg Saint Antoine for about 500 metres and turn left onto Rue Trousseau, or take line 8 from Bastille to Ledru Rollin and up on Rue dFsA.
Price: less than US$20
Theme: Hostel
Website: http://www.aijparis.com