La Maison du Patriote

Has a good vibe
I was there for about a week. The host/hostess are there for the earlier part of the day, they're super friendly. Located in old Montreal, it's sort of quiet throughout most of the week. There are a couple of bars across from the hostel so it does get noisy on the weekends. Overall, a cool place to stay, affordable, clean, safe. I met some people from B.C., especially funny crowd.

This hostel has private rooms and some huge dorms. The dorm I stayed in was just a load of air matresses on the floor in a big line. They are not really separated by much at all and there must have been around 20 people in one room. Very strange set-up. Out of 20 people the chances of one person snoring loudly is pretty good. The owners are very nice and own another hostel called Le Sous Bois which is better so stay there.

First off, the hostel location is great. You step right outside, and you are on a busy street with clubs, bars and stores right there. You can't beat that. But it was great to get a beer at night and just walk a block back to the hostel. Plus, you are on a well lit, public street so its pretty safe. I traveled alone, so I was walking around alone and nothing happened. However, if you are a light sleeper, you might not like it too much. My only complaint was the dorms. I read the other comments before, but I didn't really get them. I don't mind sleeping on an air matress. BUT, my only complaint is that they are so close together. It was a bit odd sleeping next to someone you don't know when you could literally stretch out your arm and touch them. In fact, thats what happened. The girl next to me just rolled her and her hand was on me. PLUS, when I went there it was so hot so no one was really wearing a lot of clothing. Again, I am not prude but being half naked that close to someone you don't know is a bit odd. I thought it was weird the owners were no where to be seen. I didn't see them there at all, in fact. They have their number posted though. My only real problem is that I was asking other people about when/how to check out, and other things and they didn't speak english that well. I speak english and spanish, just not french. So, my point is that it would have been beneficial is some staff member was there to help me with my questions. But, the place is really cute and really homey.

Best place ever! If you are looking for a good time, go to "tent city!" Party!

I didn't actually meet the owner for the entire four days I stayed there! I was ringing the doorbell for 5-10 minutes when I first arrived, until one of the people staying at the hostel opened the door and showed me inside and told me the combination to open the door. The dorms are a big loft separated by curtains. I didn't find it a problem, as I have stayed in rooms less separate than this! But if this is a problem, it might not be the hostel for you! The owner must put a lot of trust in people staying here. You can come and go as you please, and if I hadn't been so honest, I may have been able to leave without paying them a cent! They are disorganized, but very trusting and friendly. Oh, and it has a GREAT location. It cannot be beaten there! Recommended.

To be fair, I will give this place three stars, because I met many interesting people here, had a good time, and the landlady was nice to me. Her baby is cute, too. The location is great. There are some downsides, however. For instance, the "beds" are not beds, but air mattresses, although they are good ones. The dorm rooms are not rooms, but areas partitioned off with sheets. The area consists of just enough space to surround the air mattress and a little bit for baggage. Space is cramped, because the dorm room houses 20 people in one approximately 40-square-meter room. If you are unlucky you might need to sleep next to the stairs. There are no lockers, so there's no security. There are no lights. Earplugs are provided if it gets too loud. The people who work here, if they need to rearrange bed plans to accommodate reservations, might move around your stuff without your permission. The real rooms (private rooms) are nice, though, if you are in the first floor. The ones upstairs under the roof are nice, too, but not air-conditioned (if that is important to you), and they are right next to the dorm room, so it might get loud. In summary, you have to be a non-picky sort of person to like it here, and enjoy company rather than comfort. This would be good for backpackers, except for the security part, and the fact that other hostels DO have lockers and real beds for a cheaper price.