Recommendations, Cards, Safety

[morgan23]

Hello. I have been reading through all the other posts and already have answered many of my questions, thanks guys

Okay, if I do end up backpacking solo like I plan on doing, I would like some suggestions on hostels in these cities:
Paris, Rome, Florence, Venice.

These are so far the definite cities I will be going to. I also will be going to the mountain hostel in Gimmelwald.
I want a hostel that is (in order of importance) safe, clean, cheap and not full of loud, drunk people ;D....

Also, the whole card situation...how much do they cost? Are they worth it?

Thanks : )

[dougj]

what kind of card do you mean?

[morgan23]

The HI cards.

[Jules80]

i didn't stay in a single HI hostel (i think) so it wasn't really an issue. many seemed to be more on the ouskirts of towns. some reviews were also less positive and they tended to have more rules re: curfew and lockout.

i'd recommend the beehive in rome, ostello archi rossi in florence, and the village in paris. in venice i stayed in ostello santa fosca which was clean and cheap. single sex dorms. it was 17 euros a night but they ahve funny check in hours and stuff. there is also no common rooms or kitchen or anything. i would recommend it tho. as i said it is cheap, clean, and in the middle of venice. it just doesn't have the fabulous atmosphere and amenities that the other three i've recommended have.

[gougeAway]

www.absolute-paris.com/ is where we stayed in Paris. Perfectly fine, and quiet.

We stayed at the Gulliver's Bed and Breakfast (which is affiliated with the hostel). Everyone seemed quite nice, and if the B&B is any indication, things were clean and quiet.