The Hostelz.com Review
Caulaincourt Square Hostel’s dorms are among the cheapest places to stay in Paris. The hostel seems to be proud of its past as a bohemian hotel that also used to offer live-in studios for home-seeking painters. The façade of the building looks quaint and almost impeccable, freshly painted, with potted plants decorating the entrance. Inside, the corridors’ walls are covered with patterned, red-wine-coloured wallpapers; the stairs are wooden and old; and there are some interesting paper lamps.
The Location
The building is located about five minutes downhill from the centre of the Montmartre district, and a few minutes away from the Lamarck-Caulaincourt metro station (Line 12). It is in a tiny square off the busy Rue Caulaincourt, which means one can expect a relatively quiet night’s sleep. There is a small supermarket across the road, a pastry shop, and a café/pub round the corner.
Rooms and Bedrooms
The building has seven floors -- some below the reception area, the others above. The dorms downstairs do have proper windows because the building is on a hillside, and their lower position means the water pressure in showers will probably be more decent. You can choose between mixed-sex and female-only dorms. The dorms are crowded, in Parisian fashion. Where there used to be double bedrooms, now there are six-bed dorms -- hardly enough space to put your belongings, and no lockers and no ladders on the bunk beds to get to the upper bed. The beds are squeaky and not very stable, which means you can feel your companion turning from side to side during the night.
Some dorms have their own ensuite, pocket-size toilets and showers. Don’t use the dorm toilet if you are embarrassed about your dormmates overhearing certain bodily sounds. Showering experience depends on the time of the day -- the most enjoyable being during the "asocial" hours, because the more people shower at a time, the lower the water pressure is.
Common Spaces
Breakfast is served in a big canteen-style room that is locked during the rest of the day. Coffee and tea, some cereals, baguettes and croissants with jam are on offer. There is a small kitchen where you can cook meals in a microwave or on a two-stove electric cooker, and store food in a small fridge. There seems to be a serious competition for plates, cups, and cutlery among those using the kitchen, so make sure you grab yours early.
The communal area is almost nonexistent -- you can choose between some seats next to the reception or a table one floor down, next to the locked breakfast room. There are some computers with free internet. Wireless internet is available for those who have laptops. Despite the moderate size of the lounge and that some of the travelers constantly keep their noses buried in the computer screens, there is a nice, friendly vibe in the air.
Checking in can be painfully slow. It took us about half an hour to finally start checking in although there were only two people ahead of us in the queue. There is a lockout between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., so if you arrive during that time you will need to leave your luggage in the communal area and come back after 4 p.m. to check in. The building gets locked at 2 a.m. every night -- make sure you return before this. There is a returnable deposit required for the room key; expect to pay another fee for the bed linen and towel.
Summary
Despite the crowded, cramped feel and the location (which is not the most central), Caulaincourt Square Hostel is a possible place to stay. It's good for those who like some history and don’t mind finding previous guests’ hair in their blanket. Even if the prices are more on par with a more spacious dorm elsewhere, it is cheap for Paris.
The Location
The building is located about five minutes downhill from the centre of the Montmartre district, and a few minutes away from the Lamarck-Caulaincourt metro station (Line 12). It is in a tiny square off the busy Rue Caulaincourt, which means one can expect a relatively quiet night’s sleep. There is a small supermarket across the road, a pastry shop, and a café/pub round the corner.
Rooms and Bedrooms
The building has seven floors -- some below the reception area, the others above. The dorms downstairs do have proper windows because the building is on a hillside, and their lower position means the water pressure in showers will probably be more decent. You can choose between mixed-sex and female-only dorms. The dorms are crowded, in Parisian fashion. Where there used to be double bedrooms, now there are six-bed dorms -- hardly enough space to put your belongings, and no lockers and no ladders on the bunk beds to get to the upper bed. The beds are squeaky and not very stable, which means you can feel your companion turning from side to side during the night.
Some dorms have their own ensuite, pocket-size toilets and showers. Don’t use the dorm toilet if you are embarrassed about your dormmates overhearing certain bodily sounds. Showering experience depends on the time of the day -- the most enjoyable being during the "asocial" hours, because the more people shower at a time, the lower the water pressure is.
Common Spaces
Breakfast is served in a big canteen-style room that is locked during the rest of the day. Coffee and tea, some cereals, baguettes and croissants with jam are on offer. There is a small kitchen where you can cook meals in a microwave or on a two-stove electric cooker, and store food in a small fridge. There seems to be a serious competition for plates, cups, and cutlery among those using the kitchen, so make sure you grab yours early.
The communal area is almost nonexistent -- you can choose between some seats next to the reception or a table one floor down, next to the locked breakfast room. There are some computers with free internet. Wireless internet is available for those who have laptops. Despite the moderate size of the lounge and that some of the travelers constantly keep their noses buried in the computer screens, there is a nice, friendly vibe in the air.
Checking in can be painfully slow. It took us about half an hour to finally start checking in although there were only two people ahead of us in the queue. There is a lockout between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., so if you arrive during that time you will need to leave your luggage in the communal area and come back after 4 p.m. to check in. The building gets locked at 2 a.m. every night -- make sure you return before this. There is a returnable deposit required for the room key; expect to pay another fee for the bed linen and towel.
Summary
Despite the crowded, cramped feel and the location (which is not the most central), Caulaincourt Square Hostel is a possible place to stay. It's good for those who like some history and don’t mind finding previous guests’ hair in their blanket. Even if the prices are more on par with a more spacious dorm elsewhere, it is cheap for Paris.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
January 2011
Their Description
Caulaincourt Square Hostel Details
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Caulaincourt Square Hostel Reviews from the WebHostelz.com Guest Reviews
Not bad Pretty good hostel, nice rooms, and affordable. The staff was very aloof and not super friendly, I wouldn't say they were mean, just didn't seem to care at all what they were doing. The breakfast was great. Even though they wouldn't let you idle in the kitchen area. They seemed to keep the dining room locked down, and protected like a fortress, kinda stupid, should have used it for a common area, which the place is seriously lacking. The Wi-fi hardly worked in any of the rooms, and there was only one outlet in the whole room. However, these are small things. Its a nice place, and cheap, its just nothing special, and stands out in no way.
— Dan , USA (2012-05-09) Ok The location is great. Montmartre is a fantastic part of Paris. And there are supermarkets and bakeries close by. The breakfast provided is reasonably good. Free internet, but of course you might have to wait a bit. Rooms were average size for a hostel. The bathroom was tiny, but clean. No security boxes or lockers though. No real social area, though some people get chatting in the main room at the front, if their noses aren't buried in their laptop. Generally the dorm rooms are more social than the man room though. There is a very small kitchen for self-catering, but with very few utensils -- about 3 plates, a saucepan, a bit of cutlery and that's about it. Not a social place like some hostel kitchens are. The staff were mostly friendly, except for one bloke who was often moody. There's a card entry system for the dorm rooms, but the cards often don't work, and need to be reset. The longest part of this is the walk back up the stairs to the front desk, once there it only takes about 10 seconds. However the moody staff member got annoyed at us taking the cards to be reset (as if it were somehow more of an inconvenience to him than for us), and said we should just knock loudly on the door until someone already inside let us in, even if it meant waking them up. What we should do if the room was empty, he didn't say. The other staff had no problem with this. — Andrew , Australia (2011-12-21) Surprisingly good I had a nice stay at Square Caulaincourt Hostel and would go there again. Good value for the price, clean enough. I shared a room with 5 other girls and we had our own bathroom and separate toilet. The room is very small but you can leave some stuff or get changed in the little hall so that's okay. The bathroom wasn't cleaned every day so if it's all girls with long dark hair it can get a little nasty on the floor after a few days. I myself have long dark hair and I didn't mind, so that was okay, too. If you want a really clean toilet, take the one by the reception desk, it's cleaned the most often. The place is also a (budget) hotel, so they wouldn't want to disgust their hotel guests. The bunk beds don't have ladders and are very low so you either have to climb up or you're in the lower bunk where you can't sit upright. But hey, you're not supposed to spend your precious time in Paris in your hostel. The bunk beds are also a bit wobbly so be prepared to wake up every now and then when the other person turns around. The window could be opened which let in a nice breeze. I slept with earplugs so I didn't mind any noise. Breakfast is simple: Croissant, bun, butter, jam, cereals, milk (hot and cold), coffee. If you want fruit: There are shops everywhere that sell fruit and vegetables till late in the evening and on the weekends, one is just on the other side of the street. There's also a bakery right next door and a supermarket round the corner. The staff is nice: They will speak english or french, whichever you prefer. The hostel is about 2 minutes away from the station Lamarck-Caulaincourt and about 5 minutes from the Basilique du Sacre-Coeur with a wonderful view over Paris (don't miss the sparkling Eiffel Tower at night). Montmarte and the Cafe du Deux Moulins (remember Amélie?) is also just there. If you want to be more in the centre: It takes about 30 minutes by metro to go to Louvre or Notre-Dame. — Cornelia , Germany (2011-08-23) An excellent experience It was my first time in Paris, being a lone backpacker for the first time I'm really glad I picked this place. I stayed for a total of 5 days and had a really good time. Helpful staff (the one on the evening shift was particularly joyful), clean place, good breakfast, and I met a handful of friendly backpackers from around the world along the way. Montmartre is so beautiful and there's no better location for a hostel. if i MUST complain then i'd say it's tiring to make up the flight of staircase from the metro. would definitely recommend this place to everyone visiting Paris. — Jo , Hong Kong (2011-03-11) Decent We got there and were upgraded to a private two beds room with our own shower and sink (toilet was community in the hall). This was a great pleasant surprise. The room wasnt too large but fine given it was private. Shower took a while to get to be either not scolding hot or freezing cold. Beds were also kind of hard. There is also a lot of stairs going up to the lobby from our room or down to the dining room for breakfast. Breakfast was the best I had in my stay in Europe. A bunch of pastries and variety of cereal and toasts and juices. The internet was free but some of the computers were broken, and beware the keyboards are not your standard type and it took a while to figure out where some of the keys were as the markings were worn out. The only issue was the location. Montmartre is a very nice area except for going to downtown Paris it became a hassle to get all the way back to the other side of the city before the Metro closed at night. If you arent planning on spending too much time in Montmartre, which we didnt do, I would maybe look in another area. Overall though not a bad experience, very happy to be upgraded to our own room and overall the place was kept pretty clean and the breakfast was good. If you dont mind the commute to get to main tourist area Paris then I would stay here. — Alex , USA (2010-06-08) A great place I had to book this hostel last minute, and was a bit disappointed that it wasn't located in the heart of Paris. But to tell the truth, after a three-nights stay, I have to say if I ever go back to Paris, I will book this hostel again. I've been in many different places, and seldom have I experienced such good service! The only downside is that there are some rooms with both genders, which I didn't like. But the breakfast was good, the shower had hot water, internet was free. Can't really complain. And pretty affordable too. I highly recommend Caulaincourt Square Hostel! — Priscillia , Canada (2009-11-08) Worked for me. I stayed here for four days in April. Located close to the metro. The Rooms were clean and the bathroom and toilet were tiny! Located near plenty of shops and cafes. The free breakfast was pretty good and reasonable. The staff were nice, the kitchen however was very tiny an poorly stocked of dishes -- for me it wasn't an issue, but if you are looking for a longer stay, be aware of this. I would stay here again. — Jeremey , Canada (2009-05-12) Great Location, clean, but cramped common space. Its really a great hostel, they are helpful and friendly. Note -- the kitchen is tiny. Only room for one cook at a time. No oven. A bit gross. Also, Having free internet is a bonus, but be aware that the keyboards are not right and trying to decipher which key is which is a challenge. I was unable to access my email for the week because of the symbols I use in my password. One last thing -- Consider that there is very limited common space. Plan on time "at home" being time in the room. I recommend it. We had fun! Some interesting characters. Great breakfast! — Armando , Australia (2008-11-02) Great place to stay great location. great staff. they upgraded our room at no extra charge. located very near a subway stop. also near many bakeries and places to eat. within walking distance of the Sacre Coeur which is definitely worth seeing. It is the highest point of Paris so you can see the whole city. — steve , american (2008-03-27) Really rude staff, small rooms, kitchen is a joke I stayed in this hostel in January 2008. The metro Caulaincourt was already open, but the flight of stairs both inside and outside the station was pretty annoying. But that was not such a big deal. The staff would be really -- really -- rude to guests. I usually don't mind the staff being unfriendly, but this time I was offended. Examples -- I ask 'em about the city, the metro week-ticket, washing machines, and stuff. The guy ends up answering me that my questions were "bizarre," started lecturing me that "in life, you gotta look for things for yourself" (like I had much time for that in a seven-day vacation in Paris). And I spoke to him in French, not in English. Another example -- the sign on the walls are contradictory about the breakfast times on saturday - 7:30 or 8 (don't ask me how long those signs will be like that). I had only seen the 7:30 sign and didn't understand why breakfast hadn't begun at like 7:45. I went to ask the reception what happened and the guy would barely let me talk saying it was at 8 o'clock, and repeating it raising his voice to shut me up, real rude. The kitchen is a joke -- if three people try to do something in there, there won't be enough room. But hey, as there are only two pans and one frying pan, way less cutlery, plates and glasses than necessary, no toaster, no bottle/can opener; there ain't much to do in the kitchen anyways. There are only two small eating tables, like fifty centimeter diameter, for the whole hostel. Those are the drinking rooms, too. Rooms -- small. It turns the single beds into double beds, which really sucks in a dorm with people you don't know. There's a bunch of construction material lying around. According to the sign it's just for that weekend, which would be fine. The thing is, I arrived on a Wednesday and the sign was always there, up until the following Wednesday. It couldn't have been just for the weekend. There's no free internet unless you mean Wi-Fi -- the internet is paid for, except for a thirty-minute free ticket you get once, when you check-in. The staff seems not to care at all for the clients. Don't stay there. — Marcio , Brazil (2008-01-16) Excellent location Excellent location (Montmartre), good bedrooms with private bathrooms, and good breakfast. There are no lockers, the staff is rude, and it is not a social hostel. I went in May '07, and the bar was empty all the nights. — Ale , Brazil (2008-01-01) Cosy but noisy Staff were not very kind, but they were diligent. Wall were too thin so every voice and noise you felt. Breakfasts good. — Libor , Czech (2007-09-12) Great Very helpful staff. Rooms very small, but it's Paris, remember. The breakfast is good and the location is nice, within two blocks of a convenient metro stop. The curfew is a little irritating but I didn't hear about anyone being forced to sleep on the street because they were a little late. — Lillian , usa (2007-09-09) Great location, friendly staff I loved the location, close to the metro in a really cute neighborhood. Front desk staff were great. The rooms were good, my mixed dorm really could have done with a door on the shower stall. Besides that, excellent! — Paula , USA (2007-07-27) Pretty Good! It was my first time, in a hostel, and I was a little bit worried especially since I was alone in Paris. But this place was a pleasant surprise! The room was nice, a bit small for six people, but I did take a peek at a few other rooms, and they had a lot more space. The breakfast was reasonable, the staff was friendly! The location was great! Right down the street from the metro, and in a reasonably safe area, minus the few drunks. But I felt safe! There is also a grocery store and a laundromat with in walking distance! I would give this place four stars (out of five) because I am a little picky, but I would also stay here again, and recommend this place to friends! — Michelle , Canadian (2007-07-22)