L'Auberge Chez Jean

L'Auberge Chez Jean is a hostel made up of a few rooms in an apartment building. It's a friendly, social place, and it really is more like staying in a (crowded) apartment than a hostel.

The Location

It's a five minute walk from the Sherbrooke subway station which will take you pretty much anywhere in the city, and it's a short walk from many restaurants and markets. China town and the Latin quarter are about a fifteen minute walk away, and you can reach Old Town in 30 minutes or so. The neighborhood is quiet, pleasant and safe, only a few blocks away from Rue Saint-Denis, a major street that runs downtown with lots of shopping, some nightlife, and seasonal festivals.

Rooms & Facilities

The rooms are in a few small apartments, each with beds for 5-20 people, in different locations within a few blocks of each other. They walk you from the main location whose address is listed to the others if they put you there. Each location has basic facilities including a clean bathroom and a fully-stocked kitchen (with pots, pans, etc.). They include breakfast with your stay, providing bread, jam, butter, milk, juice and coffee, and you are welcome to use the kitchen for your other meals.

The Social Atmosphere

Many guests hang out at the main hostel facility, which also has a piano for travellers to provide a little entertainment for each other. The hostel is very casual and friendly and the staff is understanding of the often changeable nature of backpackers' plans. They are bilingual (in French and English) although like most of the people in Montreal they usually revert to French first.

Summary

Overall, it is a pleasure to stay at L'Auberge Chez Jean because of the geniality of the hosts and other travelers there, and its proximity to many activities of interest around the city.

-- Exclusive Hostelz.com Review