what hostels are good?

[maplebee]

I'm going with my brother and his two best friends to paris, venice, and rome in the first week in april. We want to stay in hostels, preferrably for about 20-25 euros a night. Dorms are fine, but we need ones that have unisex rooms (i'm a girl and I'd rather not sleep seperately from the rest). Any ideas on good hostels in those cities? We'd like to be in town, becuase we are young and into the party scene.

[SantaKlaus]

Venice is a problem. If there´s anyone out there who knows a good and inexpensive hostel there, step forward NOW.

In Rome, I have been to the Alessandro Palace and couldn´t say anything bad about it. Excellent location, good party scene, good service and the rooms are OK as well. They have mixed dorms.

In Paris I stayed at "Mary´s Hotel", you can book that one through Hostelworld. While it´s not exactly a hostel but rather a cheapo hotel, I quite liked it. They are right next to a metro station and near a big "party road" as well (forgot the name). They have triples.

[pointofnoreturn]

Paris' Appihotel has generally good reviews and is one of the top-rated places for Paris on hostelworld.com

Fairly cheap as well. They're on Rue. St-Denis (bit of a Red Light District but comments say that they felt safe all the time) and close to sights. So they're in the 2e arrondissement. I booked for a Twin Shared Room for $35 CDN per person per night (going with a friend)

Rome - I'm booked at the Beehive's Acacia apartment.

[me]

aside from it's unusual reservation protocol, venice's santa fosca isn't bad. www.santafosca.com/statiche/ostello/servizi.asp €19 for a dorm bed, €22 for a single/double. (prices are per person, per night.)

in rome, the beehive is where i stayed. at €22 for a dorm bed, it cost more than some. a great hostel, but other options are probably cheaper.

- d

santaklaus said:

Venice is a problem. If there´s anyone out there who knows a good and inexpensive hostel there, step forward NOW.

[jennifer]

Don't knoiw about the other cities, but for Paris, stay away from 3Ducks!
Hostelworld can give you some nice little rooms for really cheap in hotels and hostels that offer them only through them! That's what I did!

[me]

forgot something i'd heard about the Beehive: someone on here, i forget who, said Beehive has closed its kitchen to guests. while i was there, the kitchen was THE place for interaction. also, being able to cook dinner saves euros, big time!

so, if the kitchen is not available to guests, i must drop my recommendation of the Beehive.

- d

me said:

in rome, the beehive is where i stayed. at €22 for a dorm bed, it cost more than some. a great hostel, but other options are probably cheaper

[pointofnoreturn]

^ But the shared apartments (close to the main Beehive building) does include use of a kitchen provided you share it with the other occupatants of the apartment.

[Jules80]

The beehive kitchen is closed to guests - probably me that said it, david but they make excellent afordable breakfasts and lunches

also santa fosca is single sex dorms only.

paris i stayed in le village - great place - mixed dorms only.

J

[me]

Beehive's kitchen, really any hostel kitchen, is more than just a place for food. the kitchen is the heart of a place. [if it isn't too small, the kitchen is often the best place to chat with people at a party] making dinner together in a hostel kitchen is the best way to learn about fellow guests.

a savvy traveler knows it's better to eat lunch while out exploring the city. dinner is best cooked at the hostel - restaurant prices are often higher at dinnertime.

plus, the fridge is a good place to keep beer.

- d

[Jules80]

the beehive only does packed lunches if i remember correctly. they were outstanding and only 4 euros... much cheaper (and better) then anything around the major attractions

[Eagle]

As SantaKlaus mentioned, the Alessandro Palace in Rome is good. I've seen some older posts on other Boards with a few negative comments, but I was there in Sept. / Oct. and had a great stay. It's an easy 7 minutes (or so) walk from Termini, the rooms are co-ed (so your entire group should be able to stay in the same room), and modern electronic card keys are provided for the rooms, which also activates the electrics (lights & outlets) in the room. The bar is usually fairly active in the evenings, and it's a good way to meet other travellers (if you don't mind chatting over the loud music).

I've heard a lot of good reports on the Beehive, but they are often fully booked (very popular place!). I stayed in budget Hotels in Venice and Paris, so can't recommend any Hostels there.

Happy travels!!!

[maplebee]

i've got rome and paris covered, but I still can't find anything for venice. are budget hotels any good?

[madamtrashheap]

maplebee, here are a few suggestions from other older posts that members have given to add to the ones above for Venice:

Alloggi Gerotto Calderan - good location, not too far from station; www.casagerottocalderan.com/
B&B Rota - good location close to the Rialto Bridge, easy to get to by Vaporetto (public boat) from the train station; www.hostelworld.com/availability.php/BBRota-Venice-1554?page=9&Show=comments&HostelNumber=1554&SwapTo=5
Nuova Locanda Belvedere- in the suburb Marghera (just near Mestre, the train station area) which is on the mainland and a bit further out of the Venitian islands and San Marco than you'd prefer, but it's an option if you get stuck as there are busses to the public boat stops, they take about 15mins.

[lia]

Talking about Venice, I'd suggest a sight in flashbooking or veniceaparment. the latter - as the name says..- rents apartments; some of them are very expensive, but there are some cheap ones, expecially if you are 4 or 5 people, so you get to divide the price. as for marghera, it's absolutely true that it's very well served with busses to and from venice, it's just at the other side of the bridge that connects venice to the inland ("ponte della libertà"), but..what about the magic of getting up, going out the door and seeing a gondola passing in the canal in front of you..? not to speak about the night - much nicer being on the spot..and, for the venetian nights: campo santa margherita - the young people's square, just to hang out and have a drink, and the rialto bridge surroundings (not from st. mark's side); full of places to eat & drink.

[madamtrashheap]

Of course, booking through this site will benefit Guide For Europe (I'm just saying...!) ;D