Mittelharth AJ Hostel

Location

If you come by train, try to get a ticket to Colmar St-Joseph station instead of Colmar, it will save you a few blocks. From the Colmar St-Joseph station, head west on the Rue du Val St-Grégoire until the first major intersection with Rue Albert Schweitzer. This will be your first opportunity to cross the tracks. Turn right on Rue du Pont Rouge, cross the tracks, and go straight for one block. When you cross the Route d'Ingersheim (N415), the street turns into the Rue Pasteur. The hostel is immediately on the right.

Amenities

Bedrooms and bathrooms here are decent and clean, but be aware that sheets are not included in the price. You may not find the kitchen here as clean as in other hostels, unfortunately. Just outside the large cafeteria-style dining room lies more tables set out on a balcony, a very nice touch. The breakfast here is OK for a French hostel, but nothing particularly special.

Atmosphere

The host here is very friendly, and if you're lucky you may even be offered a sampling of Alsace wine! This hostel is definitely popular with chaperoned groups of youth, and they can be pretty early risers. If a group is present during your stay, do not expect a quiet breakfast!

Attractions

Colmar is a wonderfully charming town, best typified by the canals of Little Venice and the picturesque Alsatian timber-framed houses. Be aware that for all this charm, the town can close up pretty early in the evening. The town is also situated along the popular Alsace wine route, which winds its way north along the foothills overlooking the Rhein. And if you're up for a slightly more forbidding change of scenery, straight east lies Freiburg, the gateway into the Black Forest!

Price

Like most other hostels in France's Auberge de Jeunesse (AJ) network, this one is a good deal, especially for the single traveler.

Overall Value

Although there's a little room for improvement here, as a budget gateway to the Alsace wine route and also the upper Rhein and Black Forest, this hostel can't be beat!

— Informe exclusivo de Hostelz.com
May 2008